Under African Skies Josephine Baker & Comedy Harmonists

Josephine Baker with the Comedian Harmonists, 1935
from "Princesse Tam Tam,” 1935
Under African Skies (Sous le ciel d’Afrique)
or ‘Neath the Tropic Blue Skies

This musical collaboration emerged from Josephine Baker’s third big French motion picture, “Princesse Tam Tam.” The Comedian Harmonists didn’t appear in it, but the song and their voices were heard briefly. The resulting recording was a substantial hit for Baker and the group.

From 1928-35 the foremost harmony singing ensemble in Germany was the Comedian Harmonists, a vocal quintet with piano. They performed high-toned renditions of popular music, showtunes and light classics. A Continental Mills Brothers if you will, they too convincingly imitated instrumental ensembles.

Because some of the Comedian Harmonists were Jewish or had Jewish heritage or were married to Jews, they were harassed by the Nazis. Most of the singers emigrated in 1934, while a rump group remained in Germany. The re-formed emigre ‘kosher’ group toured Europe, the Soviet Union, South Africa, Australia, North and South America before disbanding in 1940.

Note that Josephine has dropped into a lower and sultrier range, singing in pitches mostly below the male voices. Her greater maturity was partly the result of the formal training she acquired while preparing for her starring role in the 1934 revival of Jacques Offenbach’s comic opera, “La Creole.” The Harmonists conceived this gorgeous arrangement, interweaving their voices intimately with Josephine shifting languorously between lyric and wordless vocalese -- even synchronizing their vibratos.

This dreamy and playful montage evokes Josephine’s life and times as a glamorous Parisian African American superstar and icon. In “Princesse Tam Tam” she played a Tunisian street urchin transformed into a Parisian Cinderella. A few scenes were filmed in Tunisia and the song echoes her wistful personal anthem, “J’ai Deux Amours:”

“You should search for your dream,
Far from the skies of your country,
‘Neath the tropic blue skies.”

For more Baker see:
   • Josephine Takes Paris  

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