Rapture Records

Song: Why Don’t You Do Right / Six Flats Unfurnished

Artist: Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman and his Orchestra

Record Label: Columbia Records 36652

Recorded: July 27, 1942

Peggy Lee’s birthday is coming up soon. In recognition, we’ll be looking at the several versions of one of Lee’s signature hits, “Why Don’t You Do Right”.

The song itself has roots in an earlier compostion, “The Weed Smoker’s Dream”, first recorded in 1936 by the Harlem Hamfats. Bandmember Joe McCoy revised the song and altered the lyrics as “Why Don’t You Do Right“ which was first recorded by Lil Green in 1941.

Peggy Lee was given a copy of Green’s Bluebird (Victor) 78 record by trumpeter Jimmy Maxwell. She would play it over and over in her dressing room which was next door to Benny Goodman’s. He offered to perform an arrangement of it.

The record sold over a million copies peaking at No. 4 on Billboard and brought Peggy Lee to nationwide prominence. It would mark the beginning of Lee’s distinctive sultry vocal style.

As a woman’s blues standard It has been recorded by mostly female artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Julie Conway, and Julie London. Perhaps the most famous rendition is by Jessica Rabbit.

Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman have had quite a good working relationship.

Born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota, she endured a troubled childhood and developed her musical talent and took part-time jobs to get away from home. She sang for local radio stations with Ken Kennedy of WDAY changing her name to Peggy Lee. At 17, she traveled to Los Angeles to work at the Doll House in Palm Springs.

Here she worked the noisy crowds with a subtle purr instead of volume, catching the attention of hotelier Frank Beringin. He offered her a job at The Buttery Room in the Ambassador Hotel East in Chicago.

Benny Goodman meanwhile was looking for a replacement for Helen Forrest. She had quit as his “girl singer” in his band despite their numerous successful recordings, accusing him of being a perfectionist. While she found work with Harry James, Goodman was at a loose end.

His fiancée, Lady Alice Duckworth, highly recommenced Lee from hearing her at The Buttery. Lee signed on in 1941. By the next year, she had her first No. 1 hit with “Somebody Else Is Taking My Place”.

In 1943, Lee sang with Goodman’s orchestra in Stage Door Canteen and The Powers Girl. She fell in love with Dave Barbour, a guitarist in the band. They married in March despite Goodman’s ruling against fraternizing with the girl singer.

Goodman fired Barbour with Lee quitting in protest. Lee would later make up with Goodman, recording with him on and off in later years. Despite the reconciliation, Barbour never recorded with Goodman again. Lee would later say, “I think that’s not too bad a rule, but you can’t help falling in love with somebody”.

Listen to the flip side “Six Flats Unfurnished” here.

This was only one of several versions that Peggy Lee made in her career, each with their own unique style and tone. Stay tuned for more.

“Why Don’t You Do Right”

• With Benny Goodman in 1942 for Columbia Records
  
• With Dave Barbour in 1947 for Capitol Records
  
• With Dave Barbour in 1950 for Snader Telescriptions / Camay Records