"(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo" is a #1
popular song recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in 1942. It was written by
Mack Gordon
Mack Gordon (born Morris Gittler; June 21, 1904 – February 28, 1959) was an American lyricist for the stage and film. He was nominated for the best original song Oscar nine times in 11 years, including five consecutive years between 1940 and 1 ...
and
Harry Warren
Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...
and published in
1942
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 4.62 million. However, the Correlates of War estimates that the prior year, 1941, was th ...
. It was featured in the
musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...
''
Orchestra Wives'' and was recorded by
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...
and His Orchestra, featuring
Tex Beneke
Gordon Lee "Tex" Beneke ( ; February 12, 1914 – May 30, 2000) was an American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader. His career is a history of associations with bandleader Glenn Miller and former musicians and singers who worked with Miller. Hi ...
,
Marion Hutton and
The Modernaires, who released it as an A side 78 in 1942, 27934-A. The B side was "
At Last".
Background
The song popularized the city of
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...
. Although originally recorded by the
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...
band with
Tex Beneke
Gordon Lee "Tex" Beneke ( ; February 12, 1914 – May 30, 2000) was an American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader. His career is a history of associations with bandleader Glenn Miller and former musicians and singers who worked with Miller. Hi ...
on lead vocals,
it was recreated by the fictional Gene Morrison Orchestra performing as the Glenn Miller Band and the
Nicholas Brothers (performing the song as part of a dance sequence) in the 1942 20th Century Fox movie ''
Orchestra Wives''.
[Lyrics, Glenn Miller "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo".] The song was nominated for Best Music, Original Song at the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
,
Harry Warren
Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...
(music),
Mack Gordon
Mack Gordon (born Morris Gittler; June 21, 1904 – February 28, 1959) was an American lyricist for the stage and film. He was nominated for the best original song Oscar nine times in 11 years, including five consecutive years between 1940 and 1 ...
(lyrics).
[ See also Boom Shot (song).]
The song was recorded on May 20, 1942 in Hollywood. The arrangement was by Jerry Gray. The personnel on "(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo": Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, the Modernaires (vocals), Billy May, John Best, Steve Lipkins, R.D. McMickle (trumpet), Glenn Miller, Jim Priddy,
Paul Tanner, Frank D'Annolfo (trombone), Lloyd "Skip" Martin, Wilbur Schwartz (clarinet, alto saxophone), Tex Beneke, Al Klink (tenor saxophone), Ernie Caceres (baritone saxophone), Chummy MacGregor (piano), Bobby Hackett (guitar), Edward "Doc" Goldberg (string bass), and Maurice Purtill (drums).
Reception
The Glenn Miller record was the year's best-selling recording in the United States, according to ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' magazine. It spent nineteen weeks on the ''Billboard'' charts, including eight weeks in first place.
["The Year's Top Recordings". '' The Billboard''. 55 (1): 27. January 2, 1943. ] The song was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of "Best Music, Original Song" in 1943.
See also
*
List of number-one singles of 1942 (U.S.)
''Billboard'' number-one singles chart (which preceded the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart), which was updated weekly by the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine, was the main singles chart of the American music industry ...
External links
Full Lyrics at LyricsOnDemand.com
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalamazoo
1942 songs
1942 singles
Songs with music by Harry Warren
Songs with lyrics by Mack Gordon
Glenn Miller songs
Songs written for films
Number-one singles in the United States
Pop standards
Songs about Michigan
RCA Victor singles