The Mole

This recording, "The Mole" was made in 1955, and Harry James finally hit the jackpot with a magnificent swing era style and sound in this particular version. "The Mole" was first recorded in 1941/42 and it was a minor hit, but it sounds "mechanical" compared to this newer version which really swings. James had recorded many versions of this instrumental which he helped compose with a man named Holmes: it was named after a character found in Dick Tracy comic books of the day. In my personal opinion, this recording is a prime example of Swing in all it's glory: the syndicated radio show "The Swingin' Years" - narrated by Chuck Cecil - used this recording as the show's theme and it was a mighty good choice.

Times ain't now nothin' like they used to be Oh, times ain't now nothin' like they used to be And I'm tellin' you all the truth, oh, take it for me I've done seen better days but I ain't puttin' up with these I've done seen better days but I'm puttin' up with these I had a much better time with you girls now I'm so hard to please 'Cause I was born in the country, she thinks I'm easy to know 'Cause I was born in the country, she thinks I'm easy to know She tried to hitch me to a wagon, wanna drive me like a mule You know I bought the groceries and I paid the rent Yeah, I bought the groceries and I paid the rent She tried to make me wash her clothes but I got good common sense I said if you don't want me, why don't you tell me so? You know if you don't want me, why don't you tell me so? I'll go to hell like a man that ain't got nowhere to go I've been giving you sugar for sugar but you give salt for salt I give you sugar for sugar but you give salt for salt And if you can't get along with me, it's your own fault Ah, do you want me to love you, will you treat me mean? Ah, do you want me to love you, you keep on treating me mean You're my very last thought in my nightly dream Sometimes I think that you're too sweet to die Sometimes I think that you're too sweet to die And then other times I think you ought to be buried alive