Firestone Philharmonic 78 RPM catalog

The BLUE PAGES

PHILHARMONIC

This is a client label originally pressed c. 1941 by Columbia for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Eli Oberstein announced his Classic Record Co. would produce the label in April of 1942. The earliest records were anonymous and sold in albums. The album containing FR 26 through 29 was pressed by CBS using Frankie Carle matrices and by Classic using Frankie Froeba recordings of the same titles. It is not known if this kind of substitution occurs in other Philharmonic albums. Another oddity is the designation of some sides as A and C rather than the more customary A and B. Some labels have the slogan "Air Chief" which was Firestone's brand of radios.
W100/200 series mx. numbers are from Elite and Hit records. Four-digit mx. numbers in the 1000-1900 range are from 1939/40 U.S. Records Varsity and Royale releases and "08" prefixes are actually defaced "US" master prefixes though many are found without prefixes at all. "I" prefixed numbers are control numbers indicating 1941 Imperial renumberings of U.S. Record Corp. matrices. A variety of non-significant numbers and letters are found appended to the matrix numbers in the runout of many Philharmonic releases, these are not take indicators except in the case of U.S. matrices. Thanks to James Eddy and Malcolm Rockwell plus the late George Blacker's Record Research articles. This is an exploratory listing and all assistance is greatly appreciated. Updated 5/22/00.

1941 Columbia pressings

Hawaiian Orch.
FR-16-A (LA 2239A) Sweet Gardenia Lei
FR-16-B (CO 29100-1) Honolulu Eyes

Piano Solo with Rhythm Accompaniment [Frankie Carle]
FR-29-A (CO 27524-1) Stumbling (Confrey)
FR-29-B (HCO 222-1) After You've Gone (Creamer-Layton)

Classic Record. Co. pressings

The following four discs comprised Hit album 102.
Piano Solo with rhythm accompaniment [Chauncey Gray]
Philharmonic FR-25-A (W-179) The Man I Love.......................Hit 8002A
Philharmonic FR-25-B (W-180) Summertime...............................Hit 8004A

Piano Solo with rhythm accompaniment [Chauncey Gray]
Philharmonic FR-26-A (W 181) I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans (Dietz-Schwartz)..Hit 8004B
Philharmonic FR-26-B (W 182) Lovely to Look At (Fields-McHugh-Kern)......Hit 8003A

Piano Solo with rhythm accompaniment [Chauncey Gray]
Philharmonic FR-27 & 28 are made up of the following:
(W183) Why Do I Love You?......................................Hit 8001A
(W184) Easter Parade..................................................Hit 8003B, Hit 3016B
(W185) Someone To Watch Over Me........................Hit 8003A, Hit 3016A
(W186) Lover Come Back To Me..............................Hit 8001B

The following four discs comprised Philharmonic album # 8 and Hit album 101:
Piano Solo with Rhythm Accompaniment [Frank Froeba]
Philharmonic FR-29-A (W-191) Stumbling.......................................Hit 8006A
Philharmonic FR-29-B (W-192) After You've Gone........................Hit 8005A

Piano Solo with Rhythm Accompaniment [Frank Froeba]
Philharmonic FR-30-A (W-193) Sweet Lorraine........................... Hit 8007A
Philharmonic FR-30-B (W-194) Estelle............................................Hit 8008A

Piano Solo with Rhythm Accompaniment [Frank Froeba]
Philharmonic FR-31-A (W-195) The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else...Hit 8006B
Philharmonic FR-31-B (W-196) A Lover's Lullaby/Sunrise Serenade..................Hit 8008B

Piano Solo with Rhythm Accompaniment [Frank Froeba]
Philharmonic FR-32-A (W-197) Hindustan..........................................................Hit 8007B
Philharmonic FR-32-B (W-198) Twelfth Street Rag........................................Hit 8005B

Jack Shilkret's Concert Orchestra
Philharmonic FR-45-A (I-9) The Blue Danube (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1585-1] Royale?, The Classics 201B
Philharmonic FR-45-C (I-123) Voices of Spring (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1588-1] Royale?, The Classics 204B, Concertone 303B

Jack Shilkret's Concert Orchestra
Philharmonic FR-46-A (I-10) Wine, Women and Song (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1585-1] Royale?, Service Stores 8522A, The Classics 203A
Philharmonic FR-46-B (I-20)Tales from the Vienna Woods (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1594-1] Royale?, The Classics 202A, Concertone 303A

Jack Shilkret's Concert Orchestra
Philharmonic FR-47-A (I-8) Emperor Waltz (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1589-1] Royale?, The Classics 201A
Philharmonic FR-47-C (O5) Sweetheart Waltz (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1593-1] Royale?, The Classics 205A

Jack Shilkret's Concert Orchestra
Philharmonic FR-48-A (I-122) You and You (Strauss)...Royale?
Philharmonic FR-48-B (I-22-A) Southern Roses (Strauss)...[orig. mx. US 1592-1] Royale?, The Classics 203B, Concertone 304B

Vincent Lopez and his Orchestra
Philharmonic FR-53-A (W 103) Piano Concerto (Tschaikowsky).....................Elite 5002B, Varsity 278
Philharmonic FR-53-B (W 128) When the Roses Bloom Again (Burton-Kent) vocal Karole Singer...Elite 5014B

Vincent Lopez and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-54-A (W-126) Rose O'Day (The Filla-Ga-Dusha Song) v. Sunny Skylar....Elite 5013B
Philharmonic FR-54-B (W-127) Somebody Nobody Loves v. Sunny Skylar & Chorus...Elite 5014A

Vincent Lopez and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-55-A (W-106) Chattanooga Choo Choo vocal Karole Singer...Elite 5002A
Philharmonic FR-55-B (W-105) I Don't Want To Set the World on Fire vocal Sunny Skylar...Elite 5004A, Varsity 278

Vincent Lopez and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-56-A (W-107) This Is No Laughing Matter (Loman-Block-Frisch) v. Sunny Skylar...Elite 5004B
Philharmonic FR-56-B (W-125) Sometimes (Kahn-Lombardo) v. Sunny Skylar...Elite 5013A

Philharmonic FR-57 and 58 include a combination of the following:
Clyde Lucas and his Orch.
(W-118) The Shrine of St. Cecilia vocal Teddy Martin...Elite 5009A
(W-120) Blues in the Night v. Eadie Lane.............Elite 5010B
(W-129) Deep in the Heart of Texas vocal Clyde Lucas and mixed quartet...Elite 5015A
(W-131) I'll Pray for You vocal Teddy Martin...Elite 5016B

Clyde Lucas and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-59-A (W-132) We Did It Before (And We Can Do It Again) (Friend-Tobias) v. Glee Club...Elite 5015B
Philharmonic FR-59-B (W-117) I Said No (Loesser-Styne) v. Eadie Lane...Elite 5010A

Clyde Lucas and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-60-A (W-119) How About You? vocal Eve Knight...Elite 5009B
Philharmonic FR-60-B (W-130) A String of Pearls......................Elite 5016A, Varsity 280

Bunny Berigan and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-61-A (W-137) Skylark v. Danny Richards.................Elite 5020A
Philharmonic FR-61-B (W-140) Me And My Melinda - v. Danny Richards...Elite 5019B

Bunny Berigan and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-62-A (W-110) The White Cliffs Of Dover vocal Lynne Richards...Elite 5006B
Philharmonic FR-62-B (W-112) Two In Love vocal Lynne Richards.......Elite 5005B

Bunny Berigan and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-63-A (W-138) My Little Cousin vocal Lynne Richards...Elite 5020B
Philharmonic FR-63-B (W-111) 'Tis Autumn vocal Lynne Richards........Elite 5005A

Bunny Berigan and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-64 (W-109) I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good vocal Lynne Richards...Elite 5006A
Philharmonic FR-64 (W-139) Somebody Else Is Taking My Place - vocal Nita Sharon...Elite 5019A

Harry James and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-69 (US-1891-) Exactly Like You........Varsity 8411, Elite 5036
Philharmonic FR-69 ( US-1362-1) Alice Blue Gown...Varsity 8201, Elite 5042, Elite 5045

Harry James and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-70 (US-1805-1&2) It's The Last Time vocal Dick Haymes...Varsity 8349, Elite 5027
Philharmonic FR-70 (US-1560-1&2) The Sheik Of Araby...Varsity 8231, Davis 9000, Elite 5036

Harry James and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-71 (US-1437-1) Hodge Podge...Varsity 8231, Elite 5028, Hit 7066, take -2 on Davis DA-13
Philharmonic FR-71 (US-1646-1&3) Four Or Five Times v-Orch....Varsity 8298, Elite 5028

Harry James and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-72 (US-1440-2) Carnival Of Venice...Varsity 8231, Elite 5031, Hit 7065
Philharmonic FR-72 (US-1643-1) Flight Of The Bumble Bee...Varsity 8298, Elite 5031, Hit 7064

Sammy Kaye and his Swing and Sway Orch.
Philharmonic FR-74-A (US 1856-1) Oh Helen (McCarron-Morgan) with vocal refrain...Varsity 8371
Philharmonic FR-74-B (US 1902-C-1) My Buddy (Donaldson-Kahn) with vocal refrain
Note: the "C" in the mx. number indicates a Chicago recording.

Mal Hallett and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-77-A (W163) Jingle Jangle Jingle vocal Buddy Welcome...Hit 7007A
Philharmonic FR-77-B (W175) Let's Get Lost vocal Kay Marie Baird........Hit 7013A

Mal Hallett and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-78-A (W-165) Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen vocal Jerry Perkins...Hit 7008A
Philharmonic FR-78-B (W-178) I Came Here To Talk for Joe vocal Kay Marie Baird...Hit 7014B

Mal Hallett and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-79-A (W-176) Dearly Beloved vocal Jerry Perkins...Hit 7014A
Philharmonic FR-79-B (W-177) There'll Never Be Another You vocal Jerry Perkins...Hit 7013B

Mal Hallett and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-80-A (W-164) Be Careful It's My Heart vocal Jerry Perkins... Hit 7007B
Philharmonic FR-80-B (W-166) He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings vocal Judy Darling...Hit 7008B

W. C. Handy and his Orch. [rec. 12/26/39]
Philharmonic FR-81 (US 1223-1) St. Louis Blues...Varsity 8163, Elite 5039
Roy Eldridge and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-81 (US-1189-1) High Society...Varsity 8154, Elite 5039, MW 10091

Buster Bailey and his Sextet
Philharmonic FR-82 (US 1843-1) Pinetop's Boogie Woogie...Varsity 8365, Elite X-6, Juke Box 506, Sterling 3022
Philharmonic FR-82 (US 1844-1) Eccentric Rag...Varsity 8365, Elite X-6, Juke Box 506

Jack Teagarden and his Orch.
Philharmonic FR-83 (US-1356-1) If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)...Varsity 8209, Regent 159
Philharmonic FR-83 (US-1359-1) The Blues...Varsity 8218, Elite 5032

Buster Bailey and his Sextet
Philharmonic FR-84 (US 1760-1) The Blue Room...Varsity 8333, Elite 5032, Elite X-7
Philharmonic FR-84 (US 1762-1) April in Paris.......Varsity 8333, Elite 5032, Elite X-7

Jan Peerce
Philharmonic FR-89-A (1312-2) The Lord's Prayer (Malotte) Tenor with Organ [Dick Liebert]...Royale 1847, Hamilton-Ross 13507 [anon.], Masterpiece 8524 [anon.]
Philharmonic FR-89-B (1399-1) The Rosary (Nevin) Tenor with Organ [Dick Liebert]...Royale 1847, Concertone 316 A [anon.], The Classics 216, Hamilton-Ross 13507 [anon.], Masterpiece 8524 [anon.], Davis DA-15-3

Jan Peerce
Philharmonic FR-90 (1707-1) I'm Falling In Love With Someone - Royale 1882, Celebrity 2006
???

Jan Peerce
Philharmonic FR-91-A (7919-40) L'Amour Toujours l'Amour (Friml-Cushing) Tenor with [Erno Rapee] orchestra...Royale 1781, Masterpiece 8508 [anon.], The Classics 219 [anon.], Remington-Morse 13516 [anon.], Concertone 317 B [anon.]
-Note: this mx was recorded at Associated Transcriptions and 7919 is its job number, 40 is the U.S. matrix number.
Philharmonic FR-91-B (1083-1) Until (Sanderson-Lockton) Tenor with piano...Royale 1799, Concertone 320 B, The Classics 220 [anon.]

Jan Peerce
Philharmonic FR-92-A (W 262) Macushla (MacMurrough-Rowe) Tenor with orchestra
Note: W 262 was originally assigned to a non-union recording of "What's the Good Word, Mr. Bluebird?" made during the AFM recording ban. It is assumed that in this case it is also a control number assigned to U.S. matrix 7918-39 issued on Royale 1781, Masterpiece 8508, Remington-Morse 13516, and Sonora 4024. This and other U.S. matrices later may have been dubbed from original lacquer safety masters by Majestic (mx. T-1151 et. al.)
Philharmonic FR-92-B (1082-1) Song of Songs (Moya) Tenor with piano...Royale 1799, The Classics 219 [anon.], Concertone 320 A [anon.], Davis DA-15-2

PHILHARMONIC 12-inch 78 RPM

Album 43 [anonymous]
Philharmonic FR-174-A (X-100-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)
Philharmonic FR-174-B (X-109-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)

Philharmonic FR-175-A (X-101-6) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)
Philharmonic FR-175-B (X-108-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)

Philharmonic FR-176-A (X-102-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)
Philharmonic FR-176-B (X-107-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)

Philharmonic FR-177-A (X-103-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)
Philharmonic FR-177-B (X-106-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)

Philharmonic FR-178-A (X-104-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)
Philharmonic FR-178-B (X-105-1) Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Dvorak)

Back to label index
Eli Oberstein page
"Call It Bootlegging But It's Legal": Eli Oberstein and the Coarse Art of Indie Record Production
Guide to dates of Eli Oberstein 78's
The Blue Pages: The Encyclopedic Guide To 78 RPM Party Records