Jack Smith, the so-called Whispering Baritone, recorded "Ramona" in Berlin, Germany, on August 27, 1928.
I wander out yonder o'er the hills
Where the mountains high
Seem to kiss the sky
Someone is out yonder, o'er the hills
Waiting patiently, Waiting just for me
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
Ramona I need you my own
Let's wander out yonder o'er the hills
By a babbling brook
Where we'll find a nook
To build our own love nest, o'er the hills
Darling of my heart, Never more to part
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
Ramona I need you my own
I enjoy the recordings of Whispering Jack Smith--the haunting quality of his voice in sentimental tunes, the humor he conveys in comic songs, his choice of material during a Golden Age of songwriting, the tasteful accompaniments to his voice (he often provides his own piano accompaniment, and his playing is deft).
The crooner's first discs were marketed in late 1925, "The Whispering Baritone" enjoying popularity from that time until 1929 or so. His records sold well for four years, but sales declined dramatically with the Depression's onset.
Born with the name Jacob Schmidt (probably on May 30, 1896), the singer made a legal change to Jack Smith around the time anti-German sentiment ran high.
With the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I, Smith was a victim of a gas attack at the battle of Saint-Mihiel, or so it has been claimed--a book by Brian Rust says it, so people repeat it, but no primary source is cited. Can someone find a Jack Smith interview in which he says this?
Some record collectors today make the tiresome claim that the whispering quality of Smith's crooning is a result of this gas attack, but I view the softness and half-talking as Smith's singing style--and he chose this style, making innovative use of new microphone technology. Smith sings in a regular way on plenty of records, not "whispering" at all.
Smith being forced to croon as a result of a gas attack may be a show-biz myth (promoted by Smith himself?). Blaming Germans makes for good publicity. I view softness and half-talking as Smith's singing style though he sings in a full voice on many records, and his voice also filled theaters.
Only on a few discs does he actually whisper, such as on "Playground in the Sky." On many records he uses a half-talking, half-singing approach--not whispering.
