*** Welcome to piglix ***

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
Song by The Andrews Sisters
Published 1941
Writer(s) Don Raye, Hughie Prince
"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - Bette Midler.jpg
Single by Bette Midler
from the album The Divine Miss M
B-side "Delta Dawn"
Released May 1973
Format 7"
Genre Pop
Length 2:32
Label Atlantic Records
Writer(s) Don Raye, Hughie Prince
Producer(s) Barry Manilow
Bette Midler singles chronology
"Do You Want to Dance?"
(1972)
"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
(1972)
"Friends"
(1973)

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" was a major hit for The Andrews Sisters and an iconic World War II tune. It can be considered an early jump blues recording. The song is ranked No. 6 on Songs of the Century. Bette Midler's 1972 recording of the song reached the top ten on the U.S. pop singles chart.

The song was written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince, and was recorded at Decca's Hollywood studios on January 2, 1941, nearly a year before the United States entered World War II but after the start of a peacetime draft to expand the armed forces in anticipation of American involvement. The flip side was "Bounce Me, Brother, With a Solid Four". The Andrews Sisters introduced both songs in the Abbott and Costello film, Buck Privates (released January 1941), which was in production when they made the record. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.

The song is closely based on an earlier Raye-Prince hit, "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar," which is about a virtuoso boogie-woogie piano player.

According to the lyrics of the song, a renowned Chicago, Illinois, street musician is drafted into the U.S. Army (presumably during the peacetime draft imposed by the Roosevelt administration). In addition to being famous, the bugler was the "top man at his craft," but the army reduced his musical contributions to blowing the wake up call (Reveille) in the morning. His not being able to play his usual chops depressed him: "It really brought him down, because he couldn't jam." The Cap (An army captain — the company commander) was sympathetic and assembled a band to keep the bugler company. Back in the saddle again, he infuses his style into reveille: "He blows it eight to the bar...in boogie rhythm." His company is enthusiastic about his style too: "And now the company jumps when he plays reveille." But, apparently the bugler can't get it done without his band, "He can't blow a note if the bass and guitar/Isn't with him."


...
Wikipedia

...