Need 20-50's music for "not completely gay social get together"

Death of Rats

My roommates and I are having a "dress up like it's the 40's and drink wine" party in 2 weeks, and I've been trying to find some good music from the 20's-50's to have playing during the party. Stuff like from the Bioshock soundtrack.

So far I have some stuff by the andrews sisters, the bioshock soundtrack, the fallout 3 soundtrack, the grim fandango soundtrack (it fits the era for the most part), and then a cab calloway cd. I'm looking for more big band high energy stuff. While there's just a ton of blues stuff from the era, I'm looking for Jazz and the like. Stuff that might apeal to people who aren't really into the era.

Any suggestions?

Melkster

Death of Rats wrote: »

My roommates and I are having a "dress up like it's the 40's and drink wine" party in 2 weeks, and I've been trying to find some good music from the 20's-50's to have playing during the party. Stuff like from the Bioshock soundtrack.

So far I have some stuff by the andrews sisters, the bioshock soundtrack, the fallout 3 soundtrack, the grim fandango soundtrack (it fits the era for the most part), and then a cab calloway cd. I'm looking for more big band high energy stuff. While there's just a ton of blues stuff from the era, I'm looking for Jazz and the like. Stuff that might apeal to people who aren't really into the era.

Any suggestions?

I have no suggestions, but the party sounds fantastic.

I need friends who come up with fun ideas like this.

naporeon

I like The Ink Spots a whole lot.

I think they've had music featured in a couple videogames, like Bioshock and Fallout 3, if I remember correctly.

John Matrix

Vera Lynn was a big hit during 1940's, specifically; "We'll meet again" and "White cliffs of Dover."

Also check out "In the mood" by Glen Miller, and Glen Miller big band stuff in general - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Miller

Trentus

Have a listen to some Glenn Miller. In the Mood is one that everyone should recognise, and perhaps String of Pearls. Little Brown Jug is another energetic one. Moonlight Serenade is a beautiful piece too if you're looking for something a little slower.

Cherry Poppin Daddies (although not from the era) have some pretty hot charts. Pretty much everything on the Zoot Suit Riot album is awesome (really digging Come Back to Me at the moment).

You'll want to play Sing Sing Sing as done by Benny Goodman and his band, another instantly recognisable one.

Szechuanosaurus

So, there will be some gay people at the party?

What sort of percentage are we talking here? Majority, minority?

How about some Duke Ellington.

That's not a question.

DeathPrawn

Throwing in some Tin Pan Alley (Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, etc) would provide some good variety.

Trinis

Download all the track packs for the GNR - More Where That Came From mod for Fallout 3. It's mostly just more songs by the bands from the games, with some new ones thrown in. 100 tracks there for free, most of it absolutely excellent music. You do have to register at the site to download though.

Hey Ashtray

Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Paul Whiteman, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey etc etc. These people all had their own big bands from the appropriate era.

matt has a problem

Django Reinhardt, and Les Paul. Yes, that Les Paul. Look for the "Les Paul Trio". Also Nat King Cole.

Reservoir Angel

Get some Glenn Miller. Try to get original vinyl recordings and play them through a phonograph. Instant 40's-ish swarée atmosphere

Erandus

Early Sinatra. Any Sinatra, really. Bing Crosby.

Hey Ashtray

But really, fuck Glenn Miller.

EskimoDave

get some nice jazz.

http://www.jazzstandards.com/history/index.htm for ideas.

Chanus

matthasaproblem wrote: »

Django Reinhardt

Also, for similar stuff to Django, but more Big-Band-ish, the Sweet and Lowdown Soundtrack is great. While it's not actually music from the 20s, it basically is.

Esh

Al Bowlly

Death of Rats

Thanks you guys. These are all great. I think I have enough where I'll be listening to this stuff right up until the party so I can get the right mood going throughout. Unless someone has another standout band, I think I have enough.

Oh, and about the "not completely gay" thing... my roommate (who made up the fliers) put that on the fliers he's giving to people. Not my decision.

Qingu

The O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack.

Your roommate is a dumbass.

losabio

Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker would be good.

clsCorwin

Hey Ashtray wrote: »

But really, Glenn fucking Miller.

revcom

french cabaret music from the 20's through the 50's, it'll class up the joint

http://www.amazon.com/Paris-After-Dark-Various-Artists/dp/B0000075HX

Feldorn

Death of Rats wrote: »

Oh, and about the "not completely gay" thing... my roommate (who made up the fliers) put that on the fliers he's giving to people. Not my decision.

one of the fraternities where i went to college put out fliers every year for pretty much their biggest party that said: "We're not gay, but our boyfriends are!" always good for a laugh.

also, i second Sinatra. possibly Tony Bennett?

Hey Ashtray

clsCorwin wrote: »

Hey Ashtray wrote: »

But really, Glenn fucking Miller.

I guess if you like terrible music with no soul or inventiveness whatsoever...

Chanus

Hey Ashtray wrote: »

clsCorwin wrote: »

Hey Ashtray wrote: »

But really, Glenn fucking Miller.

I guess if you like terrible music with no soul or inventiveness whatsoever...

That's Lawrence Welk... Glenn Miller at least had the common decency to rape music that previous had soul and inventiveness.

elfdude

Fallout 1/2/3 songs are great. There's a mod for fallout 3 that adds some 100 songs from the 20's-50's all of which are fun to listen to. Some of them can be very difficult to download though as a lot of them are pretty rare, but if it comes down to it the mod itself has every song in .wav format in it so you can simply download the mod rip the songs and delete the rest.

BrotherVoodoo

Movits! makes big band hiphop so it's kind of a modern take on old school stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnaeImQ0TSg

Also Tito Puente if you want late 50s and a latin vibe.
These guys have more of a late 40s to 60s vibe to em but in the time frame you mentioned they are gods
Sonny Rollins

Charlie Parker

Dave Brubeck

Jimmy Smith

John Coltrane
and if you wanna drop some acid and listen to jazz theres also Sun Ra (actually his album Sound of Joy is pretty normal and would probably work perfect for your party)

Lateration

Szechuanosaurus wrote: »

Duke Ellington.

Miles Davis.

Also, he may be from too late a time period / not quite fit with everything else, but how about some Henri Salvador?

Trinis

elfdude wrote: »

Fallout 1/2/3 songs are great. There's a mod for fallout 3 that adds some 100 songs from the 20's-50's all of which are fun to listen to. Some of them can be very difficult to download though as a lot of them are pretty rare, but if it comes down to it the mod itself has every song in .wav format in it so you can simply download the mod rip the songs and delete the rest.

That's the GNR extension mod I linked to earlier. All the songs are included in .mp3 format as well as .wav when you download the track packs.