"Somebody Stole My Gal" (Ted Weems, 1924)

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Here's the theme song (instrumental) of one of the early Jazz Age's finest combos, the Ted Weems Orchestra.

More on Ted, the band and the tune from Wiki:

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Wilfred Theodore (Ted) Weems (originally Wemyes) (26 September 1901 - 6 May 1963) was a United States bandleader and musician.

Born in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, Weems learned to play the violin and trombone. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he and his brother Art organized a small dance band. Going professional in 1923, Weems toured for the MCA Corporation, recording for several years on Victor Records. Somebody Stole My Gal became the band's first #1 hit in early 1924.

Weems moved to Chicago with his band around 1928. The Ted Weems Orchestra had more chart success in 1929 with the novelty song "Piccolo Pete", and the #1 hit The Man from the South.

The band gained popularity in the 1930s, making regular radio broadcasts. These included Jack Benny's Canada Dry program on NBC during the early 1930s, and the Fibber McGee & Molly program in the late 1930s. In 1936, the Ted Weems Orchestra gave singer Perry Como his first national exposure; Como recorded with the band (on Decca Records), beginning his long and successful career. Among Weems' other discoveries were whistler-singer Elmo Tanner, sax player and singer Red Ingle, Marilyn Maxwell, who left the band for an acting career, and arranger Joe Haymes, who created the band's unique jazz-novelty style.

During World War II, Ted Weems enlisted in the United States Merchant Marine, directing the Merchant Marine Band. Reorganizing his big band in 1947, he made records for Mercury, including the hits Peg O' My Heart and Mickey. However, the biggest hit of Weems' career was a reissue on his former Victor label: the Weems Orchestra's 1933 recording of Heartaches topped the national charts for 13 weeks. Decca Records also seized the moment, and its reissue of I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now with vocals by Perry Como became another major chart hit.

Despite this sudden surfeit of popularity, the hits dried up after 1947. Weems toured until 1953. At that time he accepted a disc jockey position in Memphis, Tennessee, later moving on to a management position with the Holiday Inn hotel chain.

Ted Weems died of emphysema in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1963. His son Ted Jr. led a revival band at times during the 1960s and 1970s.

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SOMEBODY STOLE MY GAL
(Leo Wood)

Florence Millett - 1918
Ted Weems & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1924
Fletcher Henderson & His Orch. - 1924
Bix Beiderbecke - 1928
Fred Elizalde & His Anglo American Band - 1928
Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orch. - 1930
Ted Lewis & His Band (vocal: Ted Lewis)- 1931
Cab Calloway & His Orch. - 1931
Billy Cotton & His Band - 1931
Fats Waller & His Rhythm - 1935
Count Basie & His Orch. - 1940
Benny Goodman & His Orch. - 1940
Johnnie Ray - 1953
Jimmy Roselli - 1967

Also recorded by: Merle Travis; Milton Brown;
Harris Brother's Texans; The Musical Maniacs;
Kid Ory; Chet Atkins; Dick Hyman; Bobby Darin;
Pee Wee Hunt; Errol Garner; Mitch Miller;
Moms & Dads; Tommy Dorsey: ...... and others.


Gee, but I'm lonesome, lonesome and blue.
I've found out something I never knew.
I know now what it means to be sad,
For I've lost the best gal I ever had;
She only left yesterday, Somebody stole her away.

Somebody stole my gal
Somebody stole my pal
Somebody came and took her away
She didn't even say she was leavin'
The kisses I love so
He's getting now I know,
And Gee! I know that she
Would come to me if she could see
Her broken hearted lonesome pal
Somebody stole my gal

Angels they say are only above
I know that's wrong because my old love
Sure is an angel, take it from me
And she's all the angel I want to see
Maybe she'll come back some day
All I can do now is pray

Somebody stole my gal
Somebody stole my pal
Somebody came and took her away
She didn't even say she was leavin'
The kisses I love so
He's getting now I know
And Gee! I know that she
Would come to me if she could see
Her broken hearted lonesome pal
Somebody stole my gal.

And Gee! I know that she
Would come to me if she could see
Her broken hearted lonesome pal
Somebody stole my
Somebody stole my
Somebody stole my gal!