In My Merry Oldsmobile
Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra recorded “In My Merry Oldsmobile” in Studio # 3 of the Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden NJ in May 1927. Four takes were cut., one on May 16, 1927, and three on May 23, 1927.
The May 14 recording, in waltz tempo, was issued as a special Victor record and did not include Bix. Of the tree takes waxed on May 23, this time with Bix and as a fox-trot, take 1 was issued as a special Victor record, take 2 was held indefinitely and eventually issued on LPs (Broadway 102 and RCA 741093), and take 3 was destroyed.
According to Evans and Evans in their biography of Bix, this recording was commissioned by General Motors for the 1927 convention in Detroit. Here is a news item about the recordings from “The Daily Constitution,” Chillicothe, Missouri, Oct 22, 1927.
At first glance, the Evans and Evans accounts and the one in the newspaper are contradictory. . While Evans and Evans tell us that the recording of “In My Merry Oldsmobile” was commissioned by General Motors, the newspaper account asserts that “Although Oldsmobile officials had nothing to do with the writing or publishing of the song, they began receiving requests for copies at the factory.” On further examination, it is clear that Evans and Evans are discussing the recording whereas the newspaper is referring to the sheet music.
Additional images of interest
The record label of the waltz recording.
The record label of the fox-trot recording.
The record label of a test pressing of take 1 of the fox-trot issue.
The cover of the sheet music.
It will be seen that the sheet music was published by M. Witmark and Sons.