The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello!

I came across this record in a phonograph I bought last weekend. It’s “I Found A Million Dollar Baby” and I expected it to be the familiar song from the Depression era. But no, it was an earlier recording by Henry Burr, with completely different lyrics (except for the title phrase) and a different melody. Billy Rose is credited on both, and I expect it’s mostly for the title and concept.
It’s really rather touching, and Henry Burr had a lovely voice he used well for early microphone recording. Maybe someone can date this version for me.

“I Found A Million Dollar Baby (In A Five and Ten Cent Store) (Rose-Fisher) Henry Burr VE 20205A

http://www.box.net/shared/pne6f7jezd

Here’s the version composed later that everyone’s familiar with, sung by Bing Crosby:

“I Found A Million Dollar Baby (In A Five and Ten Cent Store) (Warren-Rose-Dixon) Bing Crosby 1931

http://www.box.net/shared/ob1f09p9io

Enjoy!
Bob Barnett

Bob,

Victor 20205A was recorded on September 16, 1926. Nice rendition! This is the first time I'm hearing this one. I'm familiar with the Edison diamond disc rendition, which is a lively dance tune with vocal refrain.

Rocky

Bob,

Thank you, I've never heard that first one before. I wonder if it was a matter of them really liking the old title so much they used it again. Burr does sound good. The tune does have a sort of stage show feel to it as Shane says. I don't need to say much about Der Bingo's version-it's one of my all time favorite songs!

Regards,
John

There's a Wikipedia article devoted to "I Found a Million Dolar Baby" (see link below), and it says that "The music was written by Harry Warren, the lyrics by Mort Dixon and Billy Rose. The song was published in 1931, though the same lyric with different music had been published five years earlier[1]. It was introduced in the Broadway musical Billy Rose's Crazy Quilt, which opened in May, 1931, where it was sung by Fanny Brice[1]."

Evidently the claim that the lyrics are identical are only true as far as parts of the refrain is concerned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Found_A_ ... ollar_Baby

Fredrik

Basically, Rose rewrote his Fisher lyrics for the Rose tune. The latter became the popular version but sheet music was produced for the Fisher/Rose song as well--I am in search of that sheet music if anyone has come across it. Please reply to [email protected].