Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga (1940) - Irene Daye

from Columbia 35508 78 rpm
with Gene Krupa and his orchestra
Music by James V. Monaco - Lyrics by Charles Newman

[@Trombonology]

The Krupa band, trying hard but still not yet at its artistic (or commercial) pinnacle, provide rather good accompaniment, combining the lyric's required Latin references with swing -- but Irene ... I don't know ... always comes up lacking, IMO. In fairness, there would have been no competing with Jimmy Dorsey, who had the big version of this amusing number, featuring Helen O'Connell's full-of-personality vocal. Even the more jesting Charlie Barnet treatment, with Marianne McCall relating the story, has more pizzazz than the GK record. Irene is the problem: As usual, she holds her notes too long, allowing them to float, when it doesn't suit the song, the lyric or swing.