Gracie Fields (1898-1979) was among England's most popular entertainers during the 1930s. A capable motion picture actress, she also specialized in putting songs across through the medium of the phonograph record. Living Era's
That Old Feeling pays tribute to this remarkable woman with 22 selections recorded between 1931 and 1939. Possessed of a lovely singing voice,
Fields was also an accomplished comedienne who delivered her lines in a slightly raspy, regionally inflected voice. This colloquial aspect of her persona, developed and perfected during her formative years on-stage before, during, and after the First World War, is well documented. Examples included here are "Turn 'Erbert's Face to the Wall," "There's a Lovely Lake in London," "Fred Fannakapan," "Walter, Walter, Lead Me to the Altar," "We've Got to Keep Up with the Jonses," and "I Never Cried So Much in All My Life." These marvelously clever performances are excellent examples of authentic English music hall entertainment. Other highlights are "Home," with its beautiful wordless soprano refrain, a very nice medley of songs by
Irving Berlin and "Fall In and Follow the Band," a funny singalong novelty routine recorded in April 1931 using a shrill-voiced children's chorus behind the multi-talented
Gracie Fields.