Al Donahue was an American violinist and big band leader, born in Massachusetts in 1904, who enjoyed a chart heyday during the 1930s and into the early swing era, playing a mixture of the “sweet” middle-of-the-road style popular on radio during that era, and more swinging material during his later years.
This 53-track 2-CD collection comprises selected releases on the Decca, Vocalion and Okeh labels from this era, and features all his career hits including the No. 1 “Jeepers Creepers” and the big sellers “Lambeth Walk”, “Heart And Soul”, “Stop Beating About The Mulberry Bush”, “Stairway To The Stars”, “The Wise Old Owl” and more.
Most of his recordings featured performances by one or other of his resident vocalists during these years, who include Paula Kelly, Barry McKinley, Dee Keating and Phil Brito.
He recorded prolifically through these years, with more than eighty releases to choose from, so this a very much a cherry-picked selection of his work.
It captures the flavour not only of his particular approach to the music, but also the mood and style of the era as he recorded popular standards, plus new compositions from Broadway, Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley by the Great American Songbook composers who were active in those years.
CD 1
1. TWENTY FOUR HOURS A DAY Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 599) 1935
2. I LIVE FOR LOVE Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 604) 1935
3. IT'S DANGEROUS TO LOVE LIKE THIS Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 608) 1935
4. ALONE Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 626) 1935
5. YOU TOOK MY BREATH AWAY Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 630) 1935
6. TOO MUCH IMAGINATION Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 665) 1935
7. I BUILT A DREAM ONE DAY Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 673) 1935
8. IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 981) 1936
9. I WANT THE WHOLE WORLD TO LOVE YOU Al Donahue & His Orch. (Decca 989) 1936
10. SPRING IS HERE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4153) 1938
11. IN A LITTLE DUTCH KINDERGARTEN Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4165) 1938
12. I'M GONNA LOCK MY HEART Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4178) 1938
13. BESIDE A MOONLIT STREAM Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4195) 1938
14. A TISKET A TASKET Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4268) 1938
15. ANY TIME AT ALL Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4299) 1938
16. LAMBETH WALK Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4318) 1938
17. STOP BEATIN' ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4318) 1938
18. AT LONG LAST LOVE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4349) 1938
19. HEART AND SOUL Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4398) 1938
20. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT LOVE? Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4420) 1938
21. IT SERVES YOU RIGHT Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4496) 1938
22. JEEPERS CREEPERS Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4513) 1938
23. HURRY HOME Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4513) 1938
24. TATTOOED LADY Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4562) 1939
25. DEEP PURPLE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4596) 1939
26. EAST SIDE OF HEAVEN Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4722) 1939
27. OUR LOVE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4736) 1939
CD 2
1. STAIRWAY TO THE STARS Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4846) 1939
2. MOON LOVE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4888) 1939
3. SOUTH AMERICAN WAY Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4902) 1939
4. WHITE SAILS BENEATH A YELLOW MOON Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4956) 1939
5. GO FLY A KITE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 4970) 1939
6. WHISPER WHILE WE DANCE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5008) 1939
7. MY PRAYER Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5047) 1939
8. DAY IN DAY OUT Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5099) 1939
9. CAN I HELP IT Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5238) 1940
10. BETWEEN 18TH AND 19TH ON CHESTNUT STREET Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5289) 1940
11. WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5327) 1940
12. TOO ROMANTIC Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5372) 1940
13. LET THERE BE LOVE Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5454) 1940
14. FOOLS RUSH IN Al Donahue & His Orch (Vocalion 5519) 1940
15. I'M HOME AGAIN Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 5633) 1940
16. ROUTE 23 Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 5660) 1940
17. FIFTH AVENUE Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 5749) 1940
18. I HEAR A RHAPSODY Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 5888) 1940
19. WITH A TWIST OF THE WRIST Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6012) 1941
20. THE WISE OLD OWL Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6037) 1941
21. JAVA JIVE Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6086) 1941
22. JUMPIN' AT THE JUKEBOX Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6136) 1941
23. HI THERE, MISTER MOON Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6179) 1941
24. BE HONEST WITH ME Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6294) 1941
25. HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6432) 1941
26. I WISH I HAD A SWEETHEART Al Donahue & His Orch (Okeh 6489) 1941
