At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill he formed his own campus jazz group, the Carolina Club Orchestra. The band recorded for English Columbia and Perfect/Pathe records in 1924-5. This first group toured Europe in the summer of 1924 under the sponsorship of popular bandleader Paul Specht. Kemp returned to UNC in 1925 and put together a new edition of the Carolina Club Orchestra, featuring fellow classmates and future stars John Scott Trotter, Saxie Dowell, and Skinnay Ennis. In 1927 Kemp turned leadership of the Carolina Club Orchestra over to fellow UNC student Kay Kyser and turned professional. The band was based in New York City, and included Trotter, Dowell, and Ennis, and a few years later trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Jack Purvis joined the group. The sound was 1920s collegiate jazz. Kemp once again toured Europe in the summer of 1930. This band recorded regularly for Brunswick, English Duophone, Okeh and Melotone Records.
In 1932, during the height of the Depression, Kemp decided to lead the band in a new direction, changing the orchestra's style to a that of a dance band (often mistakenly referred to as "sweet"), using muted triple-tonguing trumpets, clarinets playing low sustained notes in unison through large megaphones (an early version of the echo chamber effect), and a double-octave piano.
One of the main reasons for the band's success was arranger John Scott Trotter. Singer Skinnay Ennis had difficulty sustaining notes, so Trotter came up with the idea of filling in these gaps with muted trumpets playing staccato triplets. This gave the band a unique sound, which Johnny Mercer jokingly referred to as sounding like a "typewriter." The saxes often played very complex extremely difficult passages which won them the praise of fellow musicians. Vocalists with the band at this time included Ennis, Dowell, Bob Allen, Deane Janis, Maxine Gray, Judy Starr, Nan Wynn, and Janet Blair. During the 1930s, Kemp recorded for Brunswick, Vocalion and (RCA) Victor records. Hal Kemp, [artistKay Kyser and Tal Henry were often having a Carolinian reunion in New York. All three were great musicians from North Carolina and enjoyed the olde' time get together, according to the newspaper from Chapel Hill, NC where Hal and Kay were in school.
Kemp's band introduced or promoted numerous popular songs, including "Got a Date With an Angel", "Lamplight", "Heart of Stone", "There's a Small Hotel" and "Three Little Fishies" (written by the band's saxophonist, Saxie Dowell).
In 1936, Hal Kemp was number one for two weeks with "There's a Small Hotel" and two weeks with "When I'm With You". In 1937, his number one hits were "This Year's Kisses", which was number one for four weeks, and "Where or When", which was number one for one week.
Hal Kemp's compositions included "Blue Rhythm", "In Dutch with the Duchess", "Five Steps to Love", "Off the Beat", and "Workout". His brother T.D. Kemp, Jr. and sister Marie Kemp-Dunaway, in collaboration with bandleader Whitey Kaufman, wrote "Hurry Back, Old Sweetheart of Mine" which was an early Kemp recording. Contrary to popular belief, Hal did not compose his theme song "(How I'll Miss You) When the Summer is Gone", but purchased the rights to the song in 1937. Also, there is no evidence that he composed "The Same Time, the Same Place".
On December 19, 1940, while driving from Los Angeles to a booking in San Francisco, his car hit another head on. Kemp suffered a broken leg and multiple broken ribs, one of which eventually punctured a lung. He developed pneumonia while in the hospital and two days later died.
In 1992, Hal Kemp was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
Forty-Second Street
Hal Kemp and his Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the avenue I'm taking you to
Forty-Second Street
Hear the beat of dancing feet
It's the song I love the melody of
Forty-Second Street
Little nifties from the fifties, innocent and sweet
They're side by side, they're glorified
Where the underworld can meet the elite
Forty-Second Street
Come and meet those dancing feet
On the avenue I'm taking you to
Forty-Second Street
Hear the beat of dancing feet
It's the song I love the melody of
Forty-Second Street
Little nifties from the fifties, innocent and sweet
Sexy ladies from the eighties, who are indiscreet
They're side by side, they're glorified
Where the underworld can meet the elite
Naughty, bawdy, gawdy, sporty,
Forty-Second Street
The lyrics to Hal Kemp & His Orchestra's song Forty Second Street describe the allure and excitement of the famous street in New York City. The song invites the listener to join in and experience the dancing feet and beat of the music. The iconic melody of the song evokes the energy and spirit of the city's nightlife.
The lyrics also tell a story of the different people who come together on Forty Second Street. The "little nifties from the fifties" are described as innocent and sweet, while the "sexy ladies from the eighties" are portrayed as more indiscreet. The song suggests that these different groups come together on this street, side by side, with the underworld meeting the elite. It creates a sense of excitement and danger that is characteristic of the city.
Overall, the lyrics of Forty Second Street capture the essence of the hustle and bustle of New York City, with its diverse and colorful population, and the sense of excitement that is always in the air.
Line by Line Meaning
Come and meet those dancing feet
Join me in watching the exciting and lively dance performance of the people on the street.
On the avenue I'm taking you to
The particular location I am leading you towards as we listen to music and watch the dancing is an avenue.
Forty-Second Street
The specific avenue we are headed to and witnessing the energetic dancers is the famous Forty-Second Street.
Hear the beat of dancing feet
As the crowd's feet move rhythmically, you can hear the sound that they make and the tempo they follow.
It's the song I love the melody of
The song I find captivating is the one currently playing as we observe the pulsating performance.
Little nifties from the fifties, innocent and sweet
The younger girls, who appear like small delights from the 1950s, have charming demeanors and pure intentions.
Sexy ladies from the eighties, who are indiscreet
On the other hand, the women from the 1980s are voluptuous, attractive, and sometimes display questionable behavior.
They're side by side, they're glorified
The two groups stand near each other and are celebrated for their unique attributes.
Where the underworld can meet the elite
This locale is where the shady, unsavory individuals of society can interact with and mingle among the influential dignitaries.
Naughty, bawdy, gawdy, sporty,
The atmosphere of Forty-Second Street is impish, crude, and showy, catered to those who enjoy vibrant and unrefined entertainment.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Dubin, Harry Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheJonaco
No song from this era says "New York" more than this one. This atmospheric recording captures Jazz Age Manhattan perfectly in just a little over two minutes. Skinnay Ennis later had his own successful band- his theme was "Got A Date With An Angel". Fun fact: When Ennis' band played at the old Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, he was shocked to find a man trying to jump off the roof (the Top of the Mark was a classic rooftop club). He promptly downed a double martini and went on with his show. They don't do things like that any more!
@CPorter
He didn't try to stop the man? Well then I guess that bit of Karma caught up to him at his last dinner then.
@anaihilator
Nobody will ever convince that Warren wasn't inspired by black American jazz and possible gospel music to compose this song
Literally hardly any other song in his repertoire even sounds like this
@RoryVanucchi
Like it.. Different vocal style
@visigoth2020
i love it
@mainaccount131
Super excellent
@soylentteal
Used in several Warner Brother cartoons.
@VictrolaJazz
I live 3 houses east of 42nd Street in Waco, Texas!
@NarromNin
Cool