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ANNE SHELTON The Early YearsOriginal 1940-1941 Recordings with Bert Ambrose’s Orchestra

Gifted with a voice that impressed not solely by its distinctive contralto timbre but also byits clear diction,Anne Shelton held a special place in the hearts of Second World War radiolisteners. The archetypal “girl-next-door” was a morale-booster on a par with her peer VeraLynn and became a symbol of solidarity among the war-torn listening population. In thewords of Dame Vera herself :

“… she became the Forces’ Favourite, an inseparable part of the memories ofthat era for thousands of servicemen, and especially for the RAF… AnneShelton was the British Lili Marlene girl for thousands of Desert Rats”.

– (Daily Mail obituary tribute, 1 August, 1994)

Anne Shelton started life as Patricia Sibley in Dulwich, South London, on 10 November,1923. One of four siblings (two sisters and a brother) born to Lamatana and William Sibley,as a girl she attended the local convent school in Forest Hill. She started her singing careerat twelve and made her first recording, of the Sigler–Goodhart–Hoffman novelty “Moanin’Minnie”, with Jack Hylton’s Orchestra in January 1936. In 1940, aged 17, she auditioned forBert Ambrose, leader of the premier London band of the day based at the Mayfair Hotel.Bert instantly recognised her talent (he was at that time looking for a replacement for hisresident vocalist Vera Lynn, who was about to tour with her show Apple Sauce) and signedher on the spot. Anne took Vera’s place and made her first radio broadcast on the BBCprogramme Monday Night At Eight.

Anne’s association with Ambrose, both on and off disc, lasted for the next six years. She sangand broadcast with the Ambrose band throughout the war years and Bert became hermentor. A regular broadcaster to troops based overseas, by 1942 she was touring Army, Navyand Air Force bases throughout Great Britain. The BBC, quickly realising her potential, gaveher her own radio show Introducing Anne, a British propaganda link with home forsoldiers serving in the North African desert.And that same year a special programmeentitled Calling Malta was initiated during Malta’s aerial bombardment. Co-presented byAnne, the show ran for five years and was Britain’s sole link with the besieged island.

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The earliest, and for many the most endearing of Anne’s records, are those she made withthe Ambrose band during the first part of the war and these as one might expect present across-section of new material from shows and films, plus a few resurrections. We begin withA Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (hit-song from the 1940 London musical New

Faces, with music by the American Manning Sherwin (1902-1974) and lyrics by the EnglishEric Maschwitz, 1901-1969). Premièred in the show by Leslie Hutchinson, it was variouslyrecorded, most notably by Vera Lynn. Outstanding among other perennials are JohnnyMercer’s “occasional” with Rube Bloom, Fools Rush In, and the since oft-revivedBlueberry Hill, both of which, in these versions by Anne, have the distinction of being thefirst British solo recordings. Maybe, a standard by Allan Flynn and Frank Madden dates from1935, while Sammy Mysels’ We Three was a 1940 No.1 hit in the USA for The Ink Spots.

Anne presents British cover-versions of various American favourites.As it were “straight fromthe movies” come Only Forever, the Academy Award nomination from the 1940 BingCrosby–Mary Martin movie Rhythm On The River, followed by Our Love Affair, the ArthurFreed–Roger Edens Academy Award nomination originated by Judy Garland in the 1940MGM musical Strike Up The Band (in the States this was also a No.8 hit for Glenn Miller)and this likewise receives a classic rendition from the seventeen-year-old Anne. Then, byway of Something To Remember You By (originally Arthur Schwartz’s contribution tothe 1930 Broadway show Three’s A Crowd, this song revived on both sides of the Atlanticfor its appropriate sentiment in wartime scored No.18 in a US pop chart hit version byDinah Shore) we arrive at St. Louis Blues, a full-length ballad version of the 1914 classic byW. C. Handy.

Among many other contemporary numbers two other songs, both of above averagelongevity and again in the nature of British “covers”, proved sure-fire successes whendelivered in Anne’s unfussy, forthright manner.The first, I Know Why (a Harry Warren-MackGordon standard included in Glenn Miller’s 1942 Twentieth Century Fox release Sun Valley

Serenade) provided a No.8 pop chart hit in the States for the American bandleader and KissThe Boys Goodbye (signalling the departure of US troops after the attack on PearlHarbour, this Frank Loesser song was the title-song of the 1941 Paramount musical) is a fineexample of Anne’s vocalising to a group from within the Ambrose band led by pianist-arranger Stanley Black (1913-2002).

Peter Dempsey, 2003

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1. A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BERKELEY SQUARE (Eric Maschwitz–Manning Sherwin)(Decca DR 4819) Recorded 25 June 1940 3:12

2. FOOLS RUSH IN (Rube Bloom–Johnny Mercer)(Decca DR 4941) Recorded 10 August 1940 3:32

3. MAYBE (Allan Flynn–Frank Madden)(Decca DR 5146) Recorded 4 December 1940 3:12

4. BLUEBERRY HILL (Al Lewis–Larry Stock–Vincent Rose)(Decca DR 5147) Recorded 4 December 1940 3:13

5. WE THREE (MY ECHO, MY SHADOW AND ME) (Dick Robertson–Nelson Cogane–Sammy Mysels)(Decca DR 5265) Recorded 17 January 1941 3:13

6. ONLY FOREVER (James V. Monaco–Johnny Burke)(Decca DR 5357) Recorded 14 February 1941 3:27

7. OUR LOVE AFFAIR (Roger Edens–Arthur Freed)(Decca DR 5358) Recorded 14 February 1941 2:25

8. SOMETHING TO REMEMBER YOU BY (Howard Dietz–Arthur Schwartz)(Decca DR 5401) Recorded 27 February 1941 3:07

9. ST LOUIS BLUES (William Christopher Handy)(Decca DR 5792) Recorded 22 May 1941 2:37

10. MOONLIGHT IN MEXICO (David Heneker)(Decca DR 6062) Recorded 25 July 1941 3:05

11. THE BOOGLIE-WOOGLY PIGGY (Roy Jacobs)(Decca DR 6360) Recorded 21 October 1941 3:04

12. I DON’T WANT TO SET THE WORLD ON FIRE (Eddie Seiler–Sol Marcus–Bennie Benjemen–Eddie Durham)(Decca DR 6421) Recorded 12 November 1941 2:59

13. IT’S A SMALL WORLD (George Posford–Edward Purcell)(Decca DR 6423) Recorded 12 November 1941 2:38

14. YOU’RE IN MY ARMS (Jack Popplewell–Michael Carr)(Decca DR 6424) Recorded 12 November 1941 3:08

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15. I KNOW WHY (AND SO DO YOU) (Harry Warren–Mack Gordon)(Decca DR 6484) Recorded 1 December 1941 3:22

16. WRAP YOURSELF IN COTTON WOOL (Val Guest–Manning Sherwin)(Rex R. 6530) Recorded 4 December 1941 3:14

17. KISS THE BOYS GOODBYE (Frank Loesser–Victor Schertzinger)(Rex R. 6529) Recorded 4 December 1941 3:01

18. WHEN NIGHT IS THRU (Alan Stranks–Pat Pattison)(Decca DR 6579-2) Recorded 19 December 1941 3:19

19. GOODNIGHT AGAIN (Herb Magidson)(Decca DR 5141) Recorded 4 December 1940 3:29

All tracks with Bert Ambrose & His Orchestra, except 16–17 with members of Ambrose’sOrchestra directed by Stanley Black (piano).

All tracks recorded in London.

Transfers and digital noise reduction by Peter Dempsey.

Original photo courtesy of The Official Anne Shelton Website at www.anne-shelton.co.uk

The Naxos Historical labels aim to make available the greatest recordings of the history ofrecorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide.Toachieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have thededication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in thefield of historical recordings.

Peter DempseyA tenor singer of wide range and performing experience, Peter Dempsey specialises inVictorian and Edwardian genre ballads and art-song, and has recorded various CDs, includingLove’s Garden Of Roses for Moidart. Quite apart from his personal enthusiasm for music inthe broadest sense, through his assiduous collecting and study of 78s over many years, Peterhas acquired not only a wide knowledge of recorded musical performance but also aheartfelt awareness of the need to conserve so many “great masters”who – were it not forCD – might now be lost for future generations. A recognised authority on old recordings,Peter now regularly researches and produces CD albums from 78s.

* Not Available in the U.S.

Also available from Naxos Nostalgia

8.120554 8.120601 8.120604*

8.120627 8.120636* 8.120659*

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8.120663Original cover photo courtesy www.anne-shelton.co.ukResearch,Transfers and Digital Restoration by Peter Dempsey

NOTES AND FULL RECORDING DETAILS INCLUDED

www.naxos.com MADE IN CANADA

h & g 2003 HNH International Ltd • Design: Ron Hoares ADD

1. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square 3:12

2. Fools Rush In 3:32

3. Maybe 3:12

4. Blueberry Hill 3:13

5. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) 3:13

6. Only Forever 3:27

7. Our Love Affair 2:25

8. Something To Remember You By 3:07

9. St Louis Blues 2:37

10. Moonlight In Mexico 3:05

11. The Booglie-Woogly Piggy 3:04

12. I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire 2:59

13. It’s A Small World 2:38

14. You’re In My Arms 3:08

15. I Know Why (And So Do You) 3:22

16. Wrap Yourself In Cotton Wool 3:14

17. Kiss The Boys Goodbye 3:01

18. When Night Is Thru 3:19

19. Goodnight Again 3:29

Total Time: 60:26

AnneShelton Fools Rush InOriginal 1940-1941 Recordings with Bert Ambrose’s Orchestra