The group was originally composed of four brothers all born in Piqua, Ohio: John Jr (1911-1936) basso and guitarist, Herbert (1912-1989) tenor, Harry (1913-1982) baritone, and Donald (1915-1999) lead tenor. Their father owned a barber's shop, and founded a barbershop quartet called the Four Kings of Harmony. As the boys grew older, they began singing in the choir of the Cyrene African Methodist Episcopal Church and in the Park Avenue Baptist Church in Piqua. After their lessons at the Spring Street Grammar School, they would gather in front of their father's shop on Public Square or at the corner of Greene and Main to sing and play the kazoo to passersby.
They entered an amateur contest at Piqua's Mays Opera House, but while on stage Harry discovered he had lost his kazoo. He cupped his hands to his mouth and imitated a trumpet. The success of his imitation led to all the brothers taking on instruments to imitate and created their early signature sound. John Jr accompanied the four-part harmony first with a ukulele and then a guitar. They practised imitating orchestras they heard on the radio. John, as the bass, would imitate the tuba, Harry, a baritone, imitated the trumpet, Herbert became the second trumpet, and Donald the trombone. They entertained on the Midwest theatre circuit, at house parties, tent shows, music halls, and supper clubs throughout the area, and became well known for their close harmonies, mastery of scat singing, and their ability to imitate musical instruments with their voices.
In 1928, after playing May's Opera House in Piqua between Rin Tin Tin features, the brothers accompanied the Harold Greenameyer Band to Cincinnati for an audition with radio station WLW. The band was not hired, but the Mills brothers were. With the help of Seger Ellis, WLW Cincinnati D.J. and a music legend of the 1920s, they quickly became local radio stars and got their major break when Duke Ellington and his Orchestra played a date in Cincinnati. When the youngsters sang for Duke, he called Tommy Rockwell at Okeh Records, who signed them and took the group to New York.
In September 1930, Ralph Wonders urged broadcasting executive William S. Paley, at CBS Radio in New York, to turn on his office speaker and listen to an audition of four young men. For the audition they were "The Mills Brothers", but they had been known by many other names. They were billed as "The Steamboat Four" when they sang for Sohio, and had been called the "Four Boys and a Guitar" on their Sunday shows. When Paley heard their performance, he immediately went downstairs and put them on the air. The next day, the Mills Brothers signed a three-year contract and became the first black group to have a network show on radio.
Their first recording for Brunswick Records, a cover of the Original Dixieland Jass Band standard "Tiger Rag" became a nationwide best-seller and a number-one hit on the charts in a version with lyrics by Harry DaCosta. Other hits followed: "Goodbye Blues", their theme song, "Nobody's Sweetheart", "Ole Rockin' Chair", "Lazy River", "How'm I Doin'", and others. They remained on Brunswick until late 1934, when they signed with Decca, where they stayed well into the 1950s. On all of their Brunswick records, as well as the early Deccas, the label stated:
"No musical instruments or mechanical devices used on this recording other than one guitar."
They were a hit on CBS in 1930–1931, particularly when they co-starred on the widely popular The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour hosted by Rudy Vallee. They had their own popular radio series in 1932–1933, one of the earliest built around a black act, billed as the "Four Boys and a Guitar". Before their show announcers commonly explained to listeners that the only instrument was a guitar, as the vocal effects made many listeners think they were hearing a muted trumpet, saxophone, and string bass or tuba.
The Mills Brothers were sponsored by some of the largest advertisers in early radio; Standard Oil, Procter & Gamble, Crisco, and Crosley Radio. They began appearing in films. Their first, The Big Broadcast (1932) was an all-star radio revue that included Bing Crosby, Cab Calloway, and the Boswell Sisters. They also made three "bouncing ball" cartoon shorts for the Fleischer Brothers. In 1934, the brothers starred with Crosby for Woodbury Soap, and recorded their classics "Lazy Bones", "Sweet Sue", "Lulu's Back in Town", "Bye-Bye Blackbird", "Sleepy Head", and "Shoe Shine Boy". Their film appearances included Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934) and Broadway Gondolier (1935).
In 1934, The Mills Brothers became the first U.S. black musicians to give a command performance before British royalty. They performed at the Regal Theatre for a special audience: King George V, Queen Mary, and their mother. While performing in England, John Jr became ill. It took him months to recover from battling pneumonia. Before he was completely well, the brothers returned to England. John Jr once again became sick and died at the beginning of 1936.
The remaining brothers considered breaking up, but their mother told them John Jr would have wanted them to continue. They followed her suggestion and their father, John Sr, replaced John Jr as the baritone and tuba. At this time, Norman Brown joined the Brothers as their guitar player.
Through 1939 the group enjoyed remarkable success in Europe. In the period between John Jr's death and their return to the States, they re-recorded "Lazy River". It was followed by "Someday You'll Want Me to Want You", "Swing Is the Thing", "Long about Midnight", "Organ Grinder's Swing", and "The Song is Ended". They honoured Duke Ellington with a swing version of his "Caravan", and then produced a series of classic recordings: "South of the Border", which they performed in a tour of South America, along with "Ain't Misbehavin'", "It Don’t Mean a Thing", "Jeepers Creepers", "Three Little Fishies", and "Basin Street Blues".
During this era, there was also a brief time when the group performed with a non‑family singer. Gene Smith served as a stand-in for one year when Harry was drafted into the Army. Although Smith's solo singing did not particularly resemble the group's usual sound, he was able to harmonise well until the fourth brother's return. Smith is very noticeable in a number of the Mills Brothers' film appearances.
Returning to the States, the Brothers were anxious for a hit and recorded "I'll be Around" in 1943. Donald Mills chose "Paper Doll" as the B-side of the record. "I'll Be Around" became a popular hit, then a disk jockey turned the record over. "Paper Doll", recorded in fifteen minutes, sold six million copies and became the group's biggest hit.
The rise of rock and roll in the early 1950s did little to decrease the Mills Brothers' popularity. "Glow Worm" jumped to number one on the pop charts in 1952. The track also reached number ten in the U.K. singles chart in January 1953. "Opus One", an updated version of the Tommy Dorsey hit, was soon in the charts as well, followed by "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You", "The Jones Boy", "Yellow Bird", "Standing on the Corner", and "If I Had My Way".
In 1957, John Sr, who was then sixty-eight, stopped touring with the group. As a trio, the Mills Brothers were frequent guests on The Jack Benny Show, The Perry Como Show, The Tonight Show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, The Dean Martin Show, and The Hollywood Palace. A move from Decca to Dot Records brought a moderate 1958 hit, a cover of the Silhouettes' "Get a Job" that made explicit the considerable influence on doo-wop that the early Mills Brothers records had exerted. The Mills Brothers also charted "Yellow Bird" two years before Arthur Lyman's top-ten hit remake.
"Cab Driver", recorded in 1968, was their last hit. It was written by songwriter C. Carson Parks, who also wrote "Somethin' Stupid", a hit the previous year for Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy.
The Mills Brothers' fiftieth anniversary in show business was celebrated in 1976 with a tribute at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, hosted by Bing Crosby. At the time, Harry was now almost blind as a result of diabetes.
As a trio, Herbert, Harry, and Donald continued performing on the oldies circuit until Harry's death in 1982. Herbert and Donald continued until Herbert's death in 1989. Then Donald began performing with the third generation of the family, his son, John III. In 1998 the Recording Academy recognised the Mills family's contributions to popular music when it presented Donald, as the sole surviving member, with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
After Donald's death of pneumonia on the 13th November 1999, John III began touring under the name "The Mills Brothers" with Elmer Hopper, who had previously sung lead with Paul Robi's Platters.
Altogether, the group recorded more than 2,000 recordings, selling more than fifty million copies and gaining them at least three dozen gold records. The Mills Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
I Heard
The Mills Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the time the festive chink starts to wink his other eye,
Starts to wink his dreamy eye, lazily you'll hear him sigh.
Strangers taking in the sights, pig-tails flying here and there.
See that broken wall street sport, still thinks he's a millionaire.
Still thinks he's a millionaire, pipe dreams banish every care.
Where the lights are low,
Hearts that know no other land,
Drifting to and fro.
Dreamy dreamy Chinatown,
Almond eyes of brown,
Hearts seems light and life seems bright,
In dreamy Chinatown
The Mills Brothers's song "Chinatown, My Chinatown" is a ballad that describes the experience of wandering through the streets of Chinatown at midnight. The song sets the scene vividly with the opening lines, "When the town is fast asleep, and it's midnight in the sky," creating a sense of secrecy and exclusivity. The festive chink referred to in the second line is likely a reference to the Chinese people engaging in nightlife activities, starting to "wink his other eye" as they come to life after the rest of the town has gone to sleep. The Chinese people begin to come alive, and the singer teases them for their dreamy eyes and gentle sighs. The harmony provided by the Mills Brothers, one of the most significant vocal ensembles in the early years of jazz and pop music, suits the song’s sentimental nature perfectly, adding to its relaxed, evocative atmosphere.
As the song progresses, it takes a more specific focus on the particulars of the singers' experiences in Chinatown. The sights are described with "Strangers taking in the sights, pig-tails flying here and there," evoking the image of Americans, possibly tourists, taking in the foreign and exciting surroundings around them. The "broken wall street sport" is another reference to a non-Chinese person, in this case, an American man from Wall Street who is oblivious to the fact that he is not among his peers. The singer describes him as if he is unaware of his surroundings, but the man is perfectly comfortable, as pipe dreams banish every worry he might have had about being out of place.
"Chinatown, My Chinatown" is a nostalgic, sentimental song that captures the essence of Chinatown in the early decades of the 20th century. The song speaks of a Chinatown full of life and vibrant energy, a place where visitors are welcomed and can experience another world. It is an ode to the experiences that can be had among a people whose culture and way of life were then still relatively unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
When the town is fast asleep, and it's mid-night in the sky,
During the night hours, while everyone is sleeping,
That's the time the festive chink starts to wink his other eye,
It's the time for the fun-loving and mischievous people to come out and party,
Starts to wink his dreamy eye, lazily you'll hear him sigh.
The partygoers are carefree, and you can hear the contentment in their sighs.
Strangers taking in the sights, pig-tails flying here and there.
Tourists are enjoying the sights and sounds of Chinatown, and the action is lively.
See that broken wall street sport, still thinks he's a millionaire.
Even though he may be down on his luck, he still has high hopes of striking it rich.
Still thinks he's a millionaire, pipe dreams banish every care.
Having pipe dreams keeps him happy and worry-free.
Chinatown, my Chinatown
It's a love letter addressed to Chinatown,
Where the lights are low,
The lights are dim, painting a beautiful ambiance.
Hearts that know no other land,
The heart of the Chinatown people belongs only to this place.
Drifting to and fro.
The people are free to wander and explore.
Dreamy dreamy Chinatown,
The word 'dreamy' implies that this place is like a fantasy come true.
Almond eyes of brown,
It paints a picture of the people who belong to Chinatown.
Hearts seems light and life seems bright,
Chinatown is a place filled with happiness and positivity.
In dreamy Chinatown.
It's a place where dreams come true, and one can enjoy the serenity.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DON REDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
benu
Oh, I heard, yes, I heard
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard
Oh, I heard, yes, I heard
Though it wasn't buzzed to me, I only heard
Now he said that she said
That she didn't know where she got it
But he said that she said
That the Law was gonna stop it
Oh, I heard, yes, I heard
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard
Oh, I heard (Whatd'ya hear, boy?)
Yes, I heard (Gonna tell me somethin')
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard
(Was it keyhole business?)
Oh, I heard, yes, I heard
Though it wasn't buzzed to me, I only heard
(Now, whatd'ya hear now?)
Now he said that she said
That she didn't know where she got it
But he said that she said
That the Law was gonna stop it
Oh, I heard (I understand), yes, I heard (Yeah)
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard
Now, boy, you ain't heard nothin'
I overheard the same conversation last night
And it wasn't told to me, I only heard
(Whatd'you hear, boy?)
Well, you don't have to tell nobody
Simply 'cause I overheard this
And it wasn't told to me, I only heard
(Tell us what you heard)
Now he said that she said
That she didn't know where to buy it
And if it ever got out again, boy
There'd be a terrible riot
Oh, I heard, yes, I heard
And it wasn't told to me, I only heard
Oh, we heard, yes, we heard
Though it wasn't told to us, we only heard
Oh, we heard, yes, we heard
Though it wasn't buzzed to us, we only heard
Now he said that she said
That she didn't know where she got it
But he said that she said
That the Law was gonna stop it
Oh, we heard, yes, we heard
Though it wasn't told to us, we only heard
Wat-dee-no-wah, wat-dee-no-wah
Wat-dee-no-wah-wah-wah-wah-wah
Now, what you heard, boy
Wat-dee-no-wah, wat-dee-no-wah
Wat-dee-no-wah-wah-wah-wah-wah
(Scatting till end)
ZAPDUNGA
This song "I Heard" and "How'm I Doing, Hey Hey" were both written by the great
Donald Matthew
Redman
(July 29, 1900 – November 30, 1964).
He was an American
jazz musician,
arranger, bandleader, and composer.
Beginning by playing the trumpet at the age of three, Redman joined his first band at the age of six and by the age of 12 was proficient on all wind instruments ranging from trumpet to oboe as well as piano.
In 1923, Redman joined the Fletcher Henderson
orchestra, mostly playing clarinet
and saxophones.
He began writing arrangements, and Redman did much to formulate the sound that was to become swing.
Redman formed his own band in 1931, gaining a residency at the Manhattan
jazz club Connie's Inn. Redman signed with Brunswick Records and undertook a series of radio broadcasts. Redman and his Orchestra also provided music for the animated short 'I Heard', part of the Betty Boop series produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount. Redman composed original music for the short, which was released on September 1, 1933. The Brunswick records Redman made between 1931 and 1934 were some of the most complex pre-swing hot jazz arrangements of popular tunes. Redman's band did not rely on just a driving rhythm or great soloists, but it had an overall level of arranging sophistication that was seldom heard by other bands of the period.
Dldar Dawd
Oh, I heard. Yes I heard.
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard.
Oh, I heard. Yes I heard.
Though it wasn't first to me, I only heard.
Now he said that she said that she didn't know where she got it.
But he said that she said that the law was gonna stop it.
Oh, I heard. Yes I heard.
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard.
Oh, I heard. "What you heard boy?"
Yes I heard. "Tell me about it"
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard. "a little keyhole business?"
Oh, I heard. "eardroppin'?"
Yes I heard. "ahuh?"
Though it wasn't first to me, I only heard. "well what'd you hear?"
Now he said that she said that she didn't know where she got it. "ahuh?"
But he said that she said that the law was gonna stop it.
Oh, I heard. "Oh, a little scandal?"
Yes I heard. "I get it"
Though it wasn't told to me, I only heard.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Spoken:
"Well boy you ain't heard nothin', I overheard that same conversation last night. And it wasn't told to me, I only heard it."
"What'd you hear boy?"
"Now you don't have to to tell nobody see because I overheard this. And it wasn't first to me, I only heard it."
"Tell us what you heard."
"Well he said that she said that things was kinda quiet. And if it ever got out again boy, there'd be a terrible riot. Oh I heard, yes I heard, though it wasn't told to me I only heard.
990183
The level of greatness going on here is absolutely off the charts incredible. First off the guy playing tenor guitar is absolutely killing it AND at the same time singing the low bass lines simulating a Bass guitar, plus he sings great. Then the tight lining up of all the vocals, great harmonies, bang on pitch, plus the guys also simulating Trumpet and trombone parts. If you had your eyes closed you’d swear there was a band there. This is perfect singing, notice how they don’t open their mouths ten feet wide like so many pop and rock singers these days (it’s no wonder most of them end up hurting their voices) dropping your jaw and opening wide and singing too loud is the kiss of death for vocalists. Look at also Roy Orbison, barely opened his mouth when singing, but always had the vocal goods. Killer stuff, the best vocal group of all time, absolutely no contenders.
Cynthia Pickett
No arguments here.
lockruff
They are one of the greatest vocal groups ever!
Peter Taylor
Unfortunately, they WERE. I was born far too late, I feel. I missed most of this! Still fascinated at their ability to scat (nobody ever did it better). Also the dead lookalike of the one on the right (your left) of the mic and the one who didn't survive. He with the flying fingers over the guitar.
Cynthia Pickett
@Peter Taylor You are talking about Donald and John, Jr.; yes, they DO look a bit alike, don't they?
Bruce Lee
You got that right👏🏻👍🏻
Deborah Torgler
I do absolutely love the Mills Brothers. What really amazes me is how well rehearsed they always are. Their songs are so tight you couldn't slip a knife in between those perfectly enunciated, perfectly in unison and in tune notes. Just love it!
Janet Tucker
Not just their spectacular sound. But their relaxed sense of fun really delivers. It's pure pleasure hearing and seeing The Mills Brothers.
Jim Butler
I never get tired of listening to the Mills Brothers.
Arkansas Red
Such a fine group. Will we ever see anyone with this much talent again? RIP.