The "Happiness Boys" recorded this song as a duet for Victor, but here's Billy Jones singing it solo on the Challenge label (sold through Sears and Roebuck). The label doesn't credit the piano player, but it is probably
Dave Kaplan who also played on the Victor release. The recording date is not known; July of 1926 is a good guess given the dates for other releases in that group of catalog numbers. The song, written by Howard Johnson and
Irving Bibo (co-wrote many songs together including "If Tears Could Bring You Back" and "Old Names of Old Flames"), is not the song from the musical "Manhatten Mary" that Paul Whiteman recorded in 1927: this more obscure song
by the same title wasn't as big a hit as the other. Billy camps it up a bit here, putting on a posh British accent for the middle part of the recording. Those who are familiar with the Victor disc will recognize the "Samson"
lyrics that Billy sings at the end. The record was cracked, besides being played a lot in its day, but noise removal has done wonders for it.
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