An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 11 | THE CLASSIC AMERICAN POPULAR SONG 277

Listening Guide 11.4

“Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”

CD 2.8 JEROME KERN AND OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II

date: 1927

performers: Tess Gardella, vocal; Hymie

Farberman, trumpet; Jim Cassidy, trombone;

Sam Feinsmith, alto saxophone; Rube Bloom,

piano; Tony Colucci, banjo

genre: Broadway show tune

meter: duple

form: verse and chorus

timing section text comments

0:00 introduction Solo trombone hints at the rhythm of the

chorus.

0:05 verse 1 Oh listen sister... 12-bar blues, with call and response in phrases

2–3. Accompaniment stresses all four beats of

the bar, a “quarter-note throb” that for Broadway

composers signifi ed the blues.

0:29 verse 2 The chimney’s smokin’... 12-bar blues chorus.

0:53 chorus Fish gotta swim... 32-bar aaba. Each a section ends with the

title phrase, with blue note on “man.” Gardella

sings Kern’s written melody with only a few

alterations.

1:57 chorus First half chorus (aa) played instrumentally. In

second a section, accompaniment shifts into

the Charleston dance rhythm.

2:29 When he goes away... Gardella returns at the bridge (b) to sing a fi nal

half chorus (ba), departing more freely from

Kern’s melody.

Listen & Refl ect

1. How does Gardella’s vocal technique resemble that of blues singers like Bessie Smith (see
   LG 11.1)? How does it differ?

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• 12-bar blues verse, 32-bar aaba chorus


• infl uence of blues singing on vocal style


• accompaniment by jazz ensemble

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