Jersey Bounce
Encyclopedia
"Jersey Bounce" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw
, Eddie Johnson
and Bobby Plater
with lyrics by Buddy Feyne
who used the nom de plume Robert B. Wright (as this song was written during an ASCAP strike). It hit #1 in 1942 as an instrumental recorded by Benny Goodman
and his orchestra, and also charted that same year by Jimmy Dorsey
(#9) and Shep Fields
(#15) . It was covered by numerous bands and swing orchestras including Glenn Miller
, Jan Savitt
and Red Norvo
. Artists such as Ella Fitzgerald
, Ella Mae Morse
and The King Sisters
also recorded it. Fitzgerald recorded it on her two albums Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
and again on All That Jazz. The King Sisters and Ella Mae Morse versions were singles.
The tune was popular as the source of aircraft nicknames during World War II. One of the first examples was a B-24D Liberator that served in the Eighth Air Force
with the 93rd Bomb Group at Alconbury, England
, in 1942 and 1943 (pictured). It was also the name of two B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the 303rd Bomb Group stationed at Molesworth, England
during World War II
. In fact, this plane flew 14 combat missions and was labeled "the hardest hit ship of the 358th Bomb Squadron (VK-K)". After it was taken out of commission, the "Jersey Bounce 2" replaced it. At least four other Bombardment Groups had B-17 bombers named "Jersey Bounce".
Assigned to the 91st Bomb Group, 324th Squadron (DF-H) at Bassingbourn, England, another B-17F (4124515) was named “Jersey Bounce”, by pilot, Lt. Phillip Fischer, when the bomber was assigned to him in September, 1942.
Subsequently, replacement pilot, Lt. J.S. Jackson, renamed this aircraft the “Marie Jane”, after Fischer was temporarily blinded on the January 23, 1943, mission to bomb the U-Boat facilities at Lorient, France..
The aircraft was lost on the May 21, 1943, mission to Wilhelmshaven with Fischer in the left seat again. It was his first mission after returning to duty.
Another example was from the 336th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group, where LtCol Donald F. Pierini named all three of his P-51(B,C,&D) fighters were named "Jersey Bounce". "Jersey Bounce I" was destroyed in a middair collision in 1944. "Jersey Bounce II" was retired after a number of missions. "Jersey Bounce III" was shot down in 1945 but under a different pilot.
"Jersey Bounce" has been used in various movies, including big band
film The Benny Goodman Story
, Carnal Knowledge
, The Electric Horseman
, and Starsky & Hutch
.
The lyrics begin:
Tiny Bradshaw
Myron C. Bradshaw was an American jazz and rhythm and blues bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer from Youngstown, Ohio.-Early years:...
, Eddie Johnson
Eddie Johnson (musician)
Edwin Lawrence "Eddie" Johnson was an American jazz and blues tenor saxophonist. He was born in Napoleonville, Louisiana, United States....
and Bobby Plater
Bobby Plater
Bobby Plater was an American jazz alto saxophonist.Plater began playing alto sax at age 12, and played locally in Newark with Donald Lambert and the Savoy Dictators in the 1930s. He played with Tiny Bradshaw from 1940-42 before spending 1942-45 serving in the U.S. military during World War II...
with lyrics by Buddy Feyne
Buddy Feyne
Buddy Feyne was an American composer and lyricist of the swing era.He penned the lyrics for the standards "Tuxedo Junction" and "Jersey Bounce"...
who used the nom de plume Robert B. Wright (as this song was written during an ASCAP strike). It hit #1 in 1942 as an instrumental recorded by Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
and his orchestra, and also charted that same year by Jimmy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
(#9) and Shep Fields
Shep Fields
Shep Fields was the band leader for the "Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm" orchestra during the Big Band era of the 1930s.-Biography:...
(#15) . It was covered by numerous bands and swing orchestras including Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
, Jan Savitt
Jan Savitt
Jan Savitt was an American bandleader, musical arranger, and violinist....
and Red Norvo
Red Norvo
Red Norvo was one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba and later the vibraphone as viable jazz instruments...
. Artists such as Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Ella Mae Morse
Ella Mae Morse
Ella Mae Morse , was an American popular singer. Morse blended jazz, country, pop, and R&B.-Career:Morse was born in Mansfield, Texas, United States. She was hired by Jimmy Dorsey when she was 14 years old. Dorsey believed she was 19, and when he was informed by the school board that he was now...
and The King Sisters
The King Sisters
The King Sisters were an American big band-era vocal quartet.-History:Born and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City, the King Sisters originally were part of the "Driggs Family of Entertainers"."In the early 1930s sisters Luise, Maxine and Alyce formed a vocal trio...
also recorded it. Fitzgerald recorded it on her two albums Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! is a 1961 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, with a jazz quartet led by Lou Levy. The liner notes are by Benny Green of the London Observer.-Track listing:For the 1961 Verve LP album, Verve V-4053...
and again on All That Jazz. The King Sisters and Ella Mae Morse versions were singles.
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
with the 93rd Bomb Group at Alconbury, England
RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
, in 1942 and 1943 (pictured). It was also the name of two B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the 303rd Bomb Group stationed at Molesworth, England
RAF Molesworth
RAF Molesworth is a Royal Air Force station located near Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom with a history dating back to 1917.Its runway and flight line facilities were closed in 1973 and demolished to support ground-launched cruise missile operations in the early 1980s...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In fact, this plane flew 14 combat missions and was labeled "the hardest hit ship of the 358th Bomb Squadron (VK-K)". After it was taken out of commission, the "Jersey Bounce 2" replaced it. At least four other Bombardment Groups had B-17 bombers named "Jersey Bounce".
Assigned to the 91st Bomb Group, 324th Squadron (DF-H) at Bassingbourn, England, another B-17F (4124515) was named “Jersey Bounce”, by pilot, Lt. Phillip Fischer, when the bomber was assigned to him in September, 1942.
Subsequently, replacement pilot, Lt. J.S. Jackson, renamed this aircraft the “Marie Jane”, after Fischer was temporarily blinded on the January 23, 1943, mission to bomb the U-Boat facilities at Lorient, France..
The aircraft was lost on the May 21, 1943, mission to Wilhelmshaven with Fischer in the left seat again. It was his first mission after returning to duty.
Another example was from the 336th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group, where LtCol Donald F. Pierini named all three of his P-51(B,C,&D) fighters were named "Jersey Bounce". "Jersey Bounce I" was destroyed in a middair collision in 1944. "Jersey Bounce II" was retired after a number of missions. "Jersey Bounce III" was shot down in 1945 but under a different pilot.
"Jersey Bounce" has been used in various movies, including big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
film The Benny Goodman Story
The Benny Goodman Story
The Benny Goodman Story is a biographical film starring Steve Allen and Donna Reed, directed by Valentine Davies and released by Universal Studios in 1956. The film is based on the life of famed clarinetist Benny Goodman, who recorded most of the clarinet solos used in the film...
, Carnal Knowledge
Carnal Knowledge (film)
Carnal Knowledge is a 1971 American drama film. The film was directed by Mike Nichols and written by Jules Feiffer.-Plot:Sandy and Jonathan are roommates at Amherst College whose lives are explored and seem to offer a contrast to one another...
, The Electric Horseman
The Electric Horseman
The Electric Horseman is a 1979 adventure and romance feature film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and directed by Sydney Pollack. It was the third time Redford and Fonda starred together in a feature film, having previously teamed on The Chase and Barefoot in the Park .-Plot:Sonny Steele ...
, and Starsky & Hutch
Starsky & Hutch (film)
Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
.
The lyrics begin:
- They call it the Jersey Bounce
- A rhythm that really counts
- The temperature always mounts
- Whenever they play the funny rhythm they play
- It started on Journal SquareJournal SquareJournal Square is a business district, residential area, and transportation hub in Jersey City, New Jersey, which takes its name from the newspaper Jersey Journal whose headquarters are located there. The "square" itself is at the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and Bergen Avenues...
- And Somebody heard it there
- They put it right on the air
- And now you'll hear it everywhere...