It began its existence in 1927 as the Orange Blossoms, one of several Detroit-area groups that came out of the Jean Goldkette office. It was a co-operative organization, fronted for the first few years by violinist Hank Biagini, although the eventual leader, saxophonist Glen Gray (1900-1963) was from the very beginning "first among equals." The band had adopted the Casa Loma name by the time of its first recordings in 1929, shortly after it played an eight month engagement at Casa Loma in Toronto, which was then operating as a hotel. Ironically, as lead trombonist Billy Rauch noted, the band never actually played the Casa Loma{[( under its name, as it appeared there under its original name of the Orange Blossoms)]}.
From 1929 until the rapid multiplication in the number of swing bands from 1935 on, the Casa Loma Orchestra was one of the top North American dance bands, featuring trombonist Pee Wee Hunt, trumpeter Frank L. Ryerson, trumpeter Sonny Dunham, clarinettist Clarence Hutchenrider, drummer Tony Briglia and singer Kenny Sargent. Arrangements were by Gene Gifford, who also composed much of the band's book, Spud Murphy, Larry Wagner, Salvador "Tutti" Camarata and Horace Henderson. Their mid-1930s appearances on the long run radio comedy-variety program,The Camel Caravan (introduced with their theme, "Smoke Rings") increased their popularity.
Hits included "Casa Loma Stomp," "No Name Jive" and "Maniac's Ball". Part of the reason for the band's decline is that other big bands included in their books hard-swinging numbers emulating the hot Casa Loma style. In the late 1930s Gray took top billing, and by the mid-1940s (as the other original players left) Gray would come to own the band and the Casa Loma name. For a time, during this period, the band featured guitarist Herb Ellis, trumpeter Bobby Hackett, pianist Nick Denucci and cornetist Red Nichols. By 1950, the Casa Loma band had ceased touring, Gray retired to Massachusetts, and the later recordings on Capitol (the Sounds of the Great Bands series) were done by studio musicians in Hollywood.
Lazy Bones
Casa Loma Orchestra Lyrics
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How you spect to get your day's work done?
You can't get your day's work done
Sleepin' in the noon day sun
Lazybones, layin' in the shade
How you gonna get your cornmeal made?
You can't get no cornmeal made
When taters need sprayin', I bet you keep prayin'
The bugs'll fall off of the vine
And when you go fishin' I bet you keep wishin'
Them fish don't grab your line
Lazybones, loafin' all the day
How you spect to make a dime that way?
You won't make no dime that way
Loafin' in the shade all day
The Casa Loma Orchestra's song "Lazy Bones" is about the consequences of laziness. The lyrics refer to someone who sleeps in the sun and the shade, and doesn't do the work they need to do in order to survive. The lyrics pose a couple of rhetorical questions: "How you spect to get your day's work done?" and "How you gonna get your cornmeal made?" By emphasizing the absurdity of not doing work while still expecting to reap rewards, the song is a cautionary tale about idleness.
The song's imagery is vivid, and highlights the necessity of hard work, even when it seems like something else would be more fun. For example, when the "taters need sprayin'," the singer prays that the bugs will fall off the vine, instead of getting up and spraying them. The song ends with a final rhetorical question: "How you spect to make a dime that way?" The implication is that if you don't work hard, you won't have anything to show for it in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Lazybones, sleepin' in the sun
Oh you Lazybones, basking in the sun, how do you plan to accomplish any work? It's impossible to complete any task by laying in the midday sunshine.
How you spect to get your day's work done?
It's unrealistic to think any work can be accomplished while idle and resting all day.
You can't get your day's work done, Sleepin' in the noon day sun
It's clearly unachievable to complete a days work regimen while basking in the midday sun.
Lazybones, layin' in the shade
You Lazybones, lying in the shady spot how do you plan to make cornmeal or accomplish anything productive?
How you gonna get your cornmeal made?
It is inconceivable to think you can make any cornmeal by simply lazing around in the evening shade.
You can't get no cornmeal made, Sleepin' in that evening shade
It is obvious that one can't achieve any productive feat by being lazy and resting in the evening shade.
When taters need sprayin', I bet you keep prayin'
I bet when it's time for potato spray application, you just pray pests would fall off the plants.
The bugs'll fall off of the vine
You expect the insects to miraculously fall off the crop when they need proper care and attention.
And when you go fishin' I bet you keep wishin'
I bet you daydream while fishing that no fish would take the bait.
Them fish don't grab your line
You expect not to catch any fish even when you go fishing.
Lazybones, loafin' all the day
You Lazybones, lounging all day unproductively
How you spect to make a dime that way?
It's impossible to make any money while being unproductive and idle all day.
You won't make no dime that way, Loafin' in the shade all day
It is certain that one would achieve no financial success by mulling around nonchalantly and indolently in the shade all day long.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HOAGY CARMICHAEL, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Muffs
glad you have this one (Victor 24338) Pee Wee Hunt is Awesome on vocals !!!!