Ben Bernie: 1932 "Let's Turn Out the Lights and Go to Sleep" in AI

[@jimdrake-writer]

This is one of three hit songs written by Herman Hupfeld, "he of the robust frame and florid Germanic features," as Rudy Vallee described him. He became so associated with Vallee that Hupfeld's ASCAP colleagues called him "Rudy's Writer." Vallee introduced the song by its copyrighted title, "Let's Turn Out the Lights and Go To Bed," during his appearances at the Atlantic City Steel Pier, where the audience reactions were so positive that he planned to introduce it on his popular radio show "The Fleishmann Hour." About ten minutes before airtime, Vallee was told by NBC censors, "Either you take out the word 'bed' or we can't use the song." Vallee changed "bed" to "sleep" and gave Herman Hupfeld a hit song. In turn, Hupfeld gave Vallee yet another hit with "When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba." His first song that Vallee had featured on the air and had recorded was "As Time Goes By." The song was not a hit at the time but became one when Vallee's 1931 disc was re-issued after the film "Casablanca" was released. The 1931 recording sold almost 350,000 copies although Vallee said in interviews, "I detest my rendition of it."

[@johnlehman6199]

Nice job on the AI! Thanks!!

[@sharonpolikoff7282]

My mom used to sing this song!