“By-U By-O (The Lou’siana Lullaby)”
The Merry Macs
September 12, 1941 (Decca 4023 B mx DLA 2760)
By U By O (The Lou’siana Lullaby)
“Rose O’Day”
The Merry Macs
September 12, 1941 (Decca 4023 A mx DLA 2761)
Rose O’Day
“Isn’t That Just Like Love”
The Merry Macs
October 30, 1940 (Decca 3483 A mx 68305)
Isn’t That Just Like Love
“Do You Know Why?”
The Merry Macs
October 30, 1940 (Decca 3483 A mx 68306)
Do You Know Why
The Merry Macs were a harmonic vocal group that was popular in the late ’30s and early ’40s – and whose recordings I, more often than not, tend to enjoy.
The songs “Isn’t That Just Like Love” and “Do You Know Why?” both come from the 1940 Paramount film Love Thy Neighbor in which The Merry Macs appeared along with Jack Benny, Fred Allen and Mary Martin. The film was essentially a motion picture extension of the long-running Jack Benny-Fred Allen radio feud. At the time The Merry Macs were regularly featured on Fred Allen’s CBS radio program.
I picked these records up recently in a second-hand book store. They are not in the best of condition – though they still give an enjoyable performance. There is, however, a bit of distortion in a few of the louder passages.
Radio Dismuke