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MMD > Archives > June 1998 > 1998.06.30 > 10Prev  Next


'Shadow Waltz' - The Chicken or the Egg
By Joyce Brite

John Farrell wrote:

> In yesterday's MMD Joyce Brite said that Harry Warren's Shadow Waltz
> is from the musical "42nd Street", however my records state that the
> tune was introduced by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler in the movie "Gold
> Diggers of 1933", 1933 being the year of the original published
> copyright.

> So there.

It appears that John and I are both correct.  The movies "42nd Street"
and "Gold Diggers of 1933" were both issued in 1933.  Busby Berkeley
directed these movies and used the same music.

So there.

For more information, see:

   http://www.moviesunlimited.com/30music.htm

A list of the songs from "42nd Street" can be found at:

   http://www.horacemann.pvt.k12.ny.us/activities/42ND/42nd_songs.html

Even though the two movies share the same music, "42nd Street" is
more well-known and is still performed on stage.  In the movie,
"Shadow Waltz" is performed fairly straight-forward.  In live stage
productions, it is often performed tongue-in-cheek, that is, the
movements of the singer and her shadow don't match.  Always good
for a laugh.

There are three copyright dates given on the QRS medley roll for
"42nd Street": 1932, 1933, and 1935.  In which of these years was
"Shadow Waltz" published?

The question remains whether the "Shadow Waltz" on Ken Vinen's
recording is the same song used in "42nd Street" and "Gold Diggers
of 1933" or a different song with the same title.  Ken, can you provide
us with a recording or a MIDI?

Joyce Brite


(Message sent Tue 30 Jun 1998, 23:03:58 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Chicken, Egg, or, Shadow, Waltz

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