Norridge Mayhams facts for kids

Norridge Bryant Mayhams (born August 17, 1903 – died July 22, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and bandleader. He also owned his own record companies. From the 1930s to the 1980s, he recorded many different types of music. This included jazz, gospel, R&B, and fun novelty songs. He was also known as Norris the Troubadour. One of his most famous songs, "We'll Build a Bungalow," was a hit for Johnny Long in 1950. It was even performed by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz on the TV show I Love Lucy.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Norridge Mayhams was an African-American musician born in Georgetown, South Carolina. For several years, he worked as a ship's cook. During this time, he learned to play the guitar and banjo. Later, he moved back to New York City and worked as a porter.

By the late 1920s, Mayhams started working as a musician. He said he played banjo in one of Chick Webb's early bands. He also appeared regularly on the radio station WMCA. His radio show helped him get gigs in clubs and colleges across the country.

First Recordings and Band Names

Mayhams made his first recordings in New York in 1936. He recorded with his own small group. They used different names like The Blue Chips, The Hipp Cats, and Norridge Mayhams and His Barbecue Boys. In the 1930s, his songs were released on labels such as Decca, ARC, and Melotone.

Becoming Norris the Troubadour

Mayhams' tours led him to write songs for colleges. He started calling himself Norris the Troubadour more often. He also included his family, like his wife Shirley and daughter Betty, as singers. They were often called the Little Blue Chips.

The Famous "Bungalow" Song

Around 1942, Norridge and Betty wrote a song to help people feel good during World War II. It was called "We'll Build A Bungalow (With War Bonds And Stamps)." After the war ended, he changed the song to "We'll Build A Bungalow (You Spell It For Two)."

Johnny Long recorded this song in 1949. It became a small hit, reaching number 22 on the Billboard pop chart. Later, Sy Oliver also recorded it. In 1952, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz performed a version on the I Love Lucy show. The song was also in the 1966 movie The Group.

Starting His Own Record Labels

In 1943, Mayhams worked with Gypsy Rose Lee. He also started his own independent record label. At first, it was called Co-Ed Records. But another company already used that name. So, he changed it to Mayhams Records, and later to Mayhams Collegiate Records. He also created a company to publish songs called Sorority Fraternity.

Unique Recording Style

Mayhams released many of his own songs from the 1950s onwards. He and his family sometimes sang on these records. But often, he used a system called "song poem." In this system, Mayhams would send his lyrics to a company. The company would then record the songs using their own singers. These songs were then sold on Mayhams' own labels. Sometimes, the records were credited to Norris the Troubadour, even if Mayhams himself didn't sing on them.

Wide Range of Songs

Besides college songs, Mayhams wrote songs about many different topics. He wrote about drinking, dance crazes, and even the Vietnam War. Sometimes, the two songs on a single record were very different. For example, one record had "Jesus Will Soon Be Coming" on one side and "You're My Surfer Girl Forever" on the other.

Some other interesting song titles by Mayhams include:

• "Yamtang Yamtang Rankytang (No Meat Sweet Potatoe Swing)"
• "My Christmas Time Philosophy; Theme Of The Apostropheis"
• "Zoomba High Kicka Zoomba"
• "Rock N' Rollin' Honey (You Left Me Baby Cause I Had No Money)"
• "I'Am Back From Vietnam (Hold The Elevator My Baby Is Coming Down)"

Mayhams often used unusual spelling and punctuation in his song titles.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1962, Mayhams helped start another record label called Brandes. In his later years, he often used the group name The Seaboard Coastliners on his records. This included a disco-style remake of "We'll Build a Bungalow" in 1979. In 1976, he released a double LP of his songs called Our Centennial Album.

After some family losses, Mayhams recorded less often. He passed away in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1988, at the age of 84.

Reissues

In 1996, a company called Document Records released a CD of his 1930s recordings. It was titled Norridge Mayhams & The Blue Chips – Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order. A CD version of Our Centennial Album was released in 2004.