Wang Wang Blues
"Wang Wang Blues" is a 1920 jazz composition written by Henry Busse, Gus Mueller, and Theron E. "Buster" Johnson, with lyrics by Leo Wood. The song was released as a 78 single by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra featuring Henry Busse on trumpet. The song is a pop and jazz standard.
Paul Whiteman recorded the song on August 9, 1920 in Camden, New Jersey. The song was released in 1920 as a Victor 78 single, 18694-B.[1][2] Ferde Grofe arranged the song. Paul Whiteman recorded and released the song three additional times. The Paul Whiteman recording was no. 1 for 6 weeks on the pop singles charts.
Other recordings
"Wang Wang Blues" is one of the most recorded jazz songs, recorded by Henry Busse, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Mamie Smith, Sam Moore and Horace Davis, Gus Van and Joe Schenck in the Ziegfeld Follies, 1921, Fletcher Henderson, Sam Lanin, Benny Goodman, King Oliver, Lucille Hegamin, Bennie Krueger, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Eubie Blake, Mal Hallett, Lawrence Welk, Art Tatum, the Orient Dixieland Jazz Band, the Ames Brothers, the Norfolk Jazz Quartet, Willy Metschke, and Barbara McNair.
The song was featured in the 1996 movie The English Patient in a performance by Benny Goodman.
Sources
- Paul Whiteman: Pioneer of American Music (Volume 1: 1890–1930), Studies in Jazz, No. 43, by Don Rayno, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2003.
- Pops: Paul Whiteman, King of Jazz, by Thomas A. DeLong, New Century Publishers, 1983.
- Jazz by Paul Whiteman, J. H. Sears, 1926.
