This British compilation of recordings of
Hoagy Carmichael compositions, most of them made during the 1930s, contains
Louis Armstrong's 1936 hit recording of "Lyin' to Myself" and
Carmichael's own 1929 recording of "Rockin' Chair," accompanied by
Armstrong, which was a hit in 1932. There are two other
Armstrong recordings, two by
the Mills Brothers, and one by
Chick Webb and His Orchestra with
Ella Fitzgerald. Most of the rest of the 23 tracks are by British artists of the period whose names will be unfamiliar to Americans, and whose renditions of the
Carmichael songs compare unfavorably with their U.S. competitors. Thus, the album's value as a collection of vintage
Carmichael-related recordings is limited.
–
William Ruhlmann, Rovi