The Mills Brothers were a pioneering vocal quartet, who performed in a jazz-flavoured barbershop style and were forerunners of the doowop groups of later years- they broke new ground as the first African-American group to have their own network radio show in the USA. In the course of their long career they made more than 2,000 recordings and had around 60 US chart entries. So prolific were that we have chosen to present their releases on 78s and 45s in two 4-CD sets, of which this is the first (Vol. 2 is ACQCD7186). This 104-track 4-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides from their releases on the Brunswick and Decca labels from their debut in 1931 through to 1947, with just about every release represented by at least one side. It features 38 of their hits, including the No. 1s “Tiger Rag”, “Dinah”, “Paper Doll” and “You Always Hurt The One You Love”, and the Top 5 entries “You Rascal You”, “I Heard”, “Good-Bye Blues”, “Rockin’ Chair”, “St. Louis Blues”, “Swing It Sister” and “Sleepy Head”. It features duet recording with Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. It’s a representative overview of the first era of their career and is a fine showcase for their highly distinctive style of vocal harmonies.

CD 1

1. NOBODY'S SWEETHEART Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6197) 1931

2. TIGER RAG Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6197) 1931

3. BABY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6225) 1931

4. YOU RASCAL YOU Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6225) 1931

5. DINAH Bing Crosby & Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6240) 1931

6. HOW AM I DOIN', HEY, HEY Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6269) 1932

7. I HEARD Mills Brothers- (Brunswick 6269) 1932

8. SHINE Bing Crosby & Mills Bros (Brunswick 6276) 1932

9. GOODBYE BLUES Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6278) 1932

10. ROCKIN' CHAIR Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6278) 1932

11. CHINATOWN, MY CHINATOWN Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6305) 1932

12. LOVELESS LOVE Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6305) 1932

13. ST LOUIS BLUES Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6330) 1932

14. SWEET SUE JUST YOU Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6330) 1932

15. BUGLE CALL RAG Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6357) 1932

16. THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6357) 1932

17. CONEY ISLAND WASHBOARD Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6377) 1932

18. IT DON'T MEAN A THING (IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT SWING) Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6377) 1932

19. GIT ALONG Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6430) 1932

20. ANY TIME, ANY DAY, ANYWHERE Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6490) 1933

21. DOIN' THE NEW LOWDOWN Mills Brothers With Don Redman & His Orch (Brunswick 6517) 1933

22. DIGA DIGA DOO Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6519) 1933

23. I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6519) 1933

24. SMOKE RINGS Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6525) 1933

25. I'VE FOUND A NEW BABY Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6785) 1934

26. MONEY IN MY POCKETS Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6894) 1934

27. SWING IT SISTER Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6894) 1934

CD 2 

1. SLEEPY HEAD Mills Brothers (Brunswick 6913) 1934

2. IDA, SWEET AS APPLE CIDER Mills Brothers (Decca 165) 1934

3. MY GAL SAL Mills Brothers (Decca 165) 1934

4. OLD FASHIONED LOVE Mills Brothers (Decca 166) 1934

5. MISS OTIS REGRETS Mills Brothers (Decca 166) 1934

6. NAGASAKI Mills Brothers (Decca 176) 1934

7. LAZYBONES Mills Brothers (Decca 176) 1934

8. SOME OF THESE DAYS Mills Brothers (Decca 228) 1934

9. SWEETER THAN SUGAR Mills Brothers (Decca 267) 1934

10. LIMEHOUSE BLUES Mills Brothers (Decca 267) 1934

11. SWEET GEORGIA BROWN Mills Brothers (Decca 380) 1934

12. THERE GOES MY HEADACHE Mills Brothers (Decca 380) 1934

13. WHAT'S THE REASON Mills Brothers (Decca 402) 1935

14. SWEET LUCY BROWN Mills Brothers (Decca 497) 1935

15. SHOE SHINE BOY Mills Brothers (Decca 961) 1936

16. RHYTHM SAVED THE WORLD Mills Brothers (Decca 961) 1936

17. SOLITUDE Mills Brothers (Decca 1082) 1936

18. LONDON RHYTHM Mills Brothers (Decca 1082) 1936

19. SWING FOR SALE Mills Brothers (Decca 1147) 1937

20. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN Mills Brothers (Decca 1147) 1937

21. DEDICATED TO YOU Ella Fitzgerald & Mills Brothers (Decca 1148) 1937

22. BIG BOY BLUE Ella Fitzgerald & Mills Brothers (Decca 1148) 1937

23. THE LOVE BUG WILL BITE YOU (IF YOU DON'T WATCH OUT) Mills Brothers (Decca 1227) 1937

24. ROCKIN' CHAIR SWING Mills Brothers (Decca 1227) 1937

25. DARLING NELLIE GREY Mills Brothers & Louis Armstrong (Decca 1245) 1937

26. CARRY ME BACK TO OLD VIRGINNY Louis Amrstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 1245) 1937

CD 3

1. LONG ABOUT MIDNIGHT Mills Brothers (Decca 1360) 1937

2. THE OLD FOLKS AT HOME Louis Amrstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 1360) 1937

3. IN THE SHADE OF THE OLD APPLE TREE Louis Amrstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 1495) 1937

4. THE FLAT FOOT FLOOGIE Louis Amrstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 1876) 1938

5. CARAVAN Mills Brothers (Decca 1876) 1938

6. MY WALKING STICK Louis Armstrong & Mills Bros. (Decca 1892) 1938

7. SIXTY SECONDS GOT TOGETHER Mills Brothers (Decca 1964) 1938

8. JULIUS CAESAR Mills Brothers (Decca 1964) 1938

9. THE LAMBETH WALK Mills Brothers (Decca 2008) 1938

10. THE YAM Mills Brothers (Decca 2008) 1938

11. JUST A KID NAMED JOE Mills Brothers (Decca 2029) 1938

12. FUNICULI, FUNICULA Mills Brothers (Decca 2029) 1938

13. SWEET ADELINE Mills Brothers (Decca 2285) 1939

14. YOU TELL ME YOUR DREAM AND I'LL TELL YOU MINE Mills Brothers (Decca 2285) 1939

15. GOODBYE BLUES Mills Brothers (Decca 2441) 1939

16. SWEET SUE, JUST YOU Mills Brothers (Decca 2441) 1939

17. WAY DOWN HOME Mills Brothers (Decca 2599) 1939

18. MEET ME TONIGHT IN DREAMLAND Mills Brothers (Decca 2804) 1939

19. IT DON'T MEAN A THING Mills Brothers (Decca 2982) 1939

20. PUT ON YOUR OLD GREY BONNET Mills Brothers (Decca 2982) 1939

21. OLD BLACK JOE Mills Brothers (Decca 3132) 1940

22. MARIE Louis Armstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 3151) 1940

23. W.P.A Louis Armstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 3151) 1940

24. BOOG IT Louis Armstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 3180) 1940

25. CHERRY Louis Armstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 3180) 1940

26. JUST A DREAM OF YOU, DEAR Mills Brothers (Decca 3225) 1940

CD 4

1. MY GAL SAL Mills Brothers (Decca 3225) 1940

2. SLEEPY TIME GAL Mills Brothers (Decca 3291) 1940

3. MOONLIGHT BAY Mills Brothers (Decca 3331) 1940

4. ON THE BANKS OF THE WABASH Mills Brothers (Decca 3331) 1940

5. ONCE UPON A DREAM Louis Armstrong & Mills Brothers (Decca 3381) 1940

6. CAN'T YO' HEAH ME CALLIN' CAROLINE? Mills Brothers (Decca 3455) 1940

7. LOVE'S OLD SWEET SONG Mills Brothers (Decca 3455) 1940

8. A BIRD IN THE HAND (IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH) Mills Brothers (Decca 3486) 1940

9. PAPER DOLL Mills Brothers (Decca 18318) 1942

10. I'LL BE AROUND Mills Brothers (Decca 18318) 1942

11. I MET HER ON MONDAY Mills Brothers (Decca 18473) 1942

12. IN OLD CHAMPLAIN Mills Brothers (Decca 18473) 1942

13. YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LOVE Mills Brothers (Decca 18599) 1944

14. TILL THEN Mills Brothers (Decca 18599) 1944

15. PUT ANOTHER CHAIR AT THE TABLE Mills Brothers (Decca 18663) 1945

16. I WISH Mills Brothers (Decca 18663) 1945

17. DON'T BE A BABY, BABY Mills Brothers (Decca 18753) 1945

18. NEVER MAKE A PROMISE IN VAIN Mills Brothers (Decca 18753) 1945

19. THERE'S NO ONE BUT YOU Mills Brothers (Decca 18834) 1946

20. I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT YOU Mills Brothers (Decca 18834) 1946

21. WHEN YOU WERE SWEET SIXTEEN Mills Brothers (Decca 23627) 1946

22. I GUESS I'LL GET THE PAPERS Mills Brothers (Decca 23638) 1946

23. TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE Mills Brothers (Decca 23638) 1946

24. I'M AFRAID TO LOVE YOU Mills Brothers (Decca 23713) 1946

25. YOU BROKE THE ONLY HEART THAT EVER LOVED YOU Mills Brothers (Decca 23713) 1946