The Mills Brothers Revive the Barbershop Quartet

The Mills Brothers

Source: Three Perfect Minutes

Presaging doo wop, like Ella Fitzgerald with whom the Mills Brothers recorded, they were notable for scat singing (usage of nonsense syllables). It was 1931 when the Mills Brothers put up their version of the barbershop quartet per 'Tiger Rag'. Their parents actually owned a barbershop and first christened the group The Four Kings of Harmony. The brothers were Donald (lead tenor), Harry (baritone), Herbert (tenor) and John Jr. (guitar and bass vocal). All had been born in Piqua, Ohio, between 1910 and 1915. Barbershop harmony's heyday had been during the first two decades of the 20th century, largely fading away during the Roaring Twenties. The Mills Brothers were thus rather something of barbershop music revivalists who gave it a whole new swing while making a cappella harmony very popular. The Four Kings of Harmony, began singing in churches, then advanced to theatres, supper clubs, music halls and tent shows. They got their first big break at radio station WLW in Cincinnati in 1931, and with Duke Ellington briefly after that. They also recorded with the Boswell Sisters and Bing Crosby in '31 [Lord]. Their first version of 'Goodbye, Blues' went down in 1932. They also first appeared in film in 1932 in 'The Big Broadcast'.

'Nobody's Sweetheart'   The Mills Brothers   1931

Recorded 9 Oct 1931 in NYC   Matrix E37288

Issues:  Brunswick 6197 (US)   Brunswick 1229 (UK)   Brunswick A9169 (Germany)

Music: Billy Meyers / Elmer Schoebel   Lyrics: Gus Kahn / Ernie Erdman   1924

'Tiger Rag'   The Mills Brothers   1931

Recorded 9 Oct 1931 in NYC   Matrix E37289

Issues:  Brunswick 6197 (US)   Brunswick 1229 (UK)   Brunswick A9169 (Germany)

Composition: Original Dixieland Jass Band

'Goodbye, Blues'   The Mills Brothers   1932

Recorded 15 March 1932 in NYC   Issues: Brunswick 6278 (US)   Brunswick 1415 (UK)

Composition: Dorothy Fields / Arnold Johnson / Jimmy McHugh

'Tiger Rag'   The Mills Brothers   Film: 'The Big Broadcast'   

Released 14 Oct 1932

Composition: Original Dixieland Jass Band

'I Found a New Baby'   The Mills Brothers  1934

Recorded 24 Feb 1934   Issued on Decca 228 B flip to 'Some of These Days' (below)

Composition: Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams

'Swing It, Sister'   The Mills Brothers   Film: 'Strictly Dynamite'   

Released 11 May 1934

Music: Burton Lane   Lyrics: Harold Adamson

'How'm I Doin', Hey, Hey'   The Mills Brothers   Film: 'Twenty Million Sweethearts''

Released 26 May 1934

Composition: Branch / Don Redman

'Some of These Days'   The Mills Brothers  1934

Recorded 14 Sep 1934   Issued on Decca 228 A flip to 'I Found a New Baby' (above)

Composition: Shelton Brooks

It was yet 1934 when the Mills Brothers played for King George V and Queen Mary in England, becoming popular not long after on the Continent as well. Upon their return to England in 1936, John Jr. died of pneumonia on 23 Jan. He was replaced by guitarist, Norman Brown, for another three decades. John Junior's father, John Sr., filled in on bass and tuba until retiring in '58.

'Nagasaki'   The Mills Brothers   Film: 'Sing as You Swing'    1937

Composition: Harry Warren / Mort Dixon

Starting in 1939 the Brothers toured Australia and South America. By the time they returned to the States in 1941 their major rival, the Ink Spots, had become a force with which to contend. Harry was drafted about that time and replaced by Gene Smith for a year.

'Sweet Lucy Brown'   The Mills Brothers   Film: 'Reveille with Beverly'    1943

Composition: eon & Otis Renec

'Till Then'   The Mills Brothers   1944

Recorded 27 Feb 1944   Multiple issues include Decca 18599 (78 shellac) & Decca 91176 (45 vinyl)

Composition: Guy Wood / Eddie Seiler / Sol Marcus

'Nevertheless'   The Mills Brothers   1944

Recorded 23 Sep 1950   Multiple issues include Decca 27253 (78 shellac) & Decca 91677 (45 vinyl)

Composition: Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby

John Sr. quit performing in 1957, when the Mills Brothers continued as a trio (yet backed by Brown at guitar), until Harry's death on 28 June 1982. John Sr. meanwhile died on 8 Dec 1967. Their last song to place in the Top Forty was 'Cab Driver' in 1968, after which Norman Brown died on 19 Aug 1969.

'Glow Worm'   The Mills Brothers   Television: 'Nat King Cole Show'    1957

From 'Lysistrata' 1902   Music: Paul Linckey

Lyrics Geman: Heinz Bolten-Backers   Lyrics English: Lilla Cayley Robinson

'Opus One' & 'Up a Lazy River'   The Mills Brothers   Television: 'Jack Benny Program'    19 March 1961

'Opus One' written by Sy Oliver   'Up a Lazy River' written by Sidney Arodin / Hoagy Carmichael   1930

'Dream a Little Dream of Me'   The Mills Brothers   Album: 'Memories Nice and Easy'   1964

Composition: Fabian Andre / Gus Kahn / Wilbur Schwandt

Medley   The Mills Brothers   Television: 'Dean Martin Show'    1967

'Mr. Sandman'   The Mills Brothers   Album: 'Mills Brothers'   Everest FS 300   1974

Composition: Pat Ballard 1954

'Cab Driver'   The Mills Brothers   Live in Copenhagen   1981

Composition: Carson Parks

Donald and Herbert continued as a duo after Harry's death in 1982 until Herbert died on 12 1989, at which time Donald began performing with his son John III.

'Paper Doll' w 'You Always Hurt the One You Love'   The Mills Brothers   1994

'Paper Doll' written by Johnny Black 1930

'You Always Hurt the One You Love' written by Allan Roberts & Doris Fisher

Donald died of pneumonia on 13 November 1999, whence John III continued the Mills Brothers' name with Elmer Hopper. Donald's last recording had been 'Still...There's You' in November that year.

The Mills Brothers had sold about 50 million copies worth of above 2000 recordings. Among others with whom they issued titles was Louis Armstrong.