Sing, You Sinners (song)

"Sing, You Sinners" is a novelty song with music by W. Franke Harling and lyrics by Sam Coslow.^[1] Composed in 1930 for the film Honey, starring Nancy Carroll, it is performed during a musical scene by Tess Gardella, Mitzi Green (Doris) and Lillian Roth (Cora Falkner).^[2] The Bing Crosby 1938 Paramount musical Sing You Sinners also included the song in the title credits. It is considered "Coslow's biggest movie hit".^[3]

"Sing, You Sinners"
1930 sheet music cover with Nancy Carroll, Stanley Smith, Lillian Roth Richard "Skeets" Gallagher and Mitzi Green (as "Little Mitzi") as Honey bees with a giant beehive behind them.
Song
Published	1930
Released	March 29, 1930
Genre	Jazz novelty song
Songwriter(s)	Sam Coslow W. Franke Harling

History

According to IMDb,^[4] one day, the lyricist Sam Coslow went to a religious revival with his friends, giving him the idea to compose the song with W. Franke Harling.

1930 recordings

• Popular recordings in 1930 were by The High Hatters (on Victor 22322) and by Smith Ballew and his Orchestra.^[5]
• A good early recording is found on the album "The Song Hits of 1930 (Jazz Age Chronicles, Vol. 9)", and is sung by The Charleston Chasers.^[6] This is, perhaps, the way Coslow and Harling intended it to be performed.
• Belle Baker recorded the song in April 1930, shortly after "Honey" was released.^[7]
• A version was released in 1930 by Hit of the Week Records, credited to Harlem Hot Chocolates but actually performed by Duke Ellington and his band.^{[8] [9]}

Other recordings

• In Britain, the song was recorded by the duo Bob and Alf Pearson.^[10]
• A popular version was recorded by Tony Bennett for Columbia Records (No. CO44125) on July 20, 1950.^[11] Bennett also recorded the song on several more occasions.^[12] In addition it is featured on Tony Bennett album Duets: An American Classic when he sings it with singer John Legend.
• In 1951 Margaret Whiting performed the song with orchestra directed by Frank DeVol (Capitol 1417 78rpm).
• Rosemary Clooney included the song on her album Swing Around Rosie (1959).
• Mel Tormé recorded for his album Comin' Home Baby! (1962).^[13]
• The song is the title track of Erin McKeown's October 24, 2006 album Sing You Sinners.

Popular culture

• Max Fleischer’s cartoon "Swing You Sinners!" (1930) from the Talkartoons series is entirely based on the modified version of this song, “Swing you Sinners”.
• The song was used in the 1955 film I'll Cry Tomorrow when it was sung and danced by Susan Hayward and the chorus. It is also heard in a medley montage by Susan Hayward (vocal) and Eddie Albert (piano).^[14]