21st COTTON CLUB PARADE (October 23, 1932 - March 8, 1933)
Staged at the Harlem Cotton Club
- Lyrics by Ted Koehler
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Produced by Dan Healy
- Choreography by Elida Webb
- Featured Star: Cab Calloway
Songs performed during the revue (in order):
- Calloway for President
- That’s What I Hate About Love
- Bill Robinson Stomp
- Flat Tire Papa
- I’ve Got the World on a String
- The Trial of Minnie the Moocher
- Raisin’ Hades in Green Pastures
- The Wail of the Reefer Man
- Jungle of Manhattan
- That’s How Darkies Keep Warm
- Harlem Holiday
- Pool Room Papa
- High Flyin’ Man
Published songs
- Harlem Holiday
- I've Got the World on a String*
- That's What I Hate About Love*
- The Wail of the Reefer Man*
* Sung By Cab
A preview program specially printed for the opening evening on October 23.
The 20th and 21st Cotton Club Parades are often confused or combined, since both official programs read simply “Cotton Club Parade.” Many of the same entertainers were in both productions but the songs and scenarios are different.
Cab Calloway starts at the club on September 18th, about a month before the new show officially opens, when it’s presumably in previews or rehearsals before the premiere. Cab’s guests on his first night included Bill Robinson, Noble Sissle and Duke Ellington. (The club didn’t usually admit African Americans, but made exceptions for celebrities.)
A week outside the Cotton Club (during the day) with Cora LaRedd as an extra cast.
The ‘entire’ Cotton Club revue plays at Loew’s Paradise in the Bronx for the week of September 23rd. Many acts from both the 20th and 21st Editions appeared, and the cast also included Cora LaRedd, who didn’t appear in either of the Cotton Club Parades in 1932.
The opening night was October 23rd with guests in the audience including Paul Muni, Abe Lyman, Jack Benny, Duke Ellington, and “Aunt Jemima”, impersonated at the time by Lillian Richard.
Aida WARD, one of the many stars of the 21st Cotton Club Parade
The stars were Aida Ward, a lovely vocalist who had starred in Blackbirds of 1928; Elma Turner, a favorite of Cab's, who had “educated toes” according to Variety; Lethia Hill, a mainstay who appeared in 16 Cotton Club productions singing her risque songs; Carolynne Snowden, the vocalist from the west coast; the young acrobatic tap dancing Nicholas Brothers; Nicodemus (the actor, comedian and dancer Nick Stewart) who appeared in over 60 movies including Stormy Weather (1943) as Gabriel’s Cousin Jake, the chauffeur who saves the day at the end—Nicodemus also toured with Cab in the mid-1930s; dancer Roy Atkins; the Four Blazers, tap dancers; Henri Wessels & Anise Boyer, ballroom dance team; and Alma Smith, singer and dancer.
The center page of the program detailing the numbers and acts.
Elegant and yet stereotypical illustrations by Alexander Dux.
Other acts included comics Swan & Lee; dancers Brown & McGraw (Herbert and Naomi Brown and McGraw); Phil Scott, a dancer who later worked uncredited as a choreographer on Cab’s film Manhattan Merry Go Round (1937); Pete, Peaches & Duke, a tap dance team; ‘Little Bits’, a petite dancer; Jimmy Baskett, an actor and comedian who later starred as Uncle Remus in Disney’s Song of the South (1946); the Cotton Club Trio, an informal singing team with Jimmy Baskett, Bobby Sawyer and Norman Astwood; and Lew Dolgoff, a comedian and MC.
Once again, the songs were composed by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, who were intimately involved in the whole production.
The depression was beginning to affect everyone in the country and it was an election year with FDR running for President for the first time. So, the first production number of the new show was “Calloway for President”, borrowing the tune from “Wintergreen for President” a song from the satirical Gershwin musical “Of Thee I Sing” which was in the middle of a successful run on Broadway.
Other featured songs of the Cotton Club Parade 21st edition include:
- “Harlem Holiday”, a rousing number later recorded by Cab and the band.
- “That’s What I Hate About Love” a lovely ballad sung by Aida Ward, Lethia Hill and Carolynne Snowden; also recorded by Cab and the band.
- “Bill Robinson Stomp” performed by Harold Nicholas and the 12 chorus girls, a tribute to the great tap dancer several years before he ever appeared at the Cotton Club – were they trying to entice him?
- “Flat Tire Papa” along with “Deep Sea Divin’ Papa” (from the 20th Edition) and other so-called “restricted” songs were Lethia Hill’s specialty. Arlen and Koehler didn’t attach their names to such songs, and they were never published or recorded due to their raunchy nature.
(Courtesy Philippe Baudoin)
- “I’ve Got the World on a String” now a classic of the American songbook; recorded by Cab and the band and many other artists.
- “The Trial of Minnie the Moocher”, a showcase for Cab with several acts joining in.
- “Raisin’ Hades in Green Pastures” conjuring up the hit play from 1930-31, Green Pastures, and the phrase from Psalms 23, “He makes me lie down in green pastures”.
- “The Wail of the Reefer Man” not to be confused with Cab’s iconic song “Reefer Man”:
When day is done and a veil night has spun softly
Blankets a tired weary world,
Then the Reefer Man reaches those he can with his mournful plan
Happiness for sale, happiness for sale
Dreams who’ll buy them, Dreams who’ll try them
Buy my wares, drown your cares,
That’s the wail of the Reefer Man
- “Jungle of Manhattan” a showcase for the singers, dancers and comedians.
- “That’s How Darkies Keep Warm” seems to be a completely forgotten song, which is probably justified given the title.
Although not listed in the program, Cab was sure to have reprised “Minnie the Moocher”, “Minnie the Moocher’s Weddin’ Day” and “I Love a Parade” for his fast-growing fans.
A broadcast from the Cotton Club dated October 1932 survived and can be joyfully heard on our SoundCloud profile
