The Flowering of Rube Bloom

Reuben “Rube” Bloom (1902-1976) was a writer of rags and tin pan alley songs, a band leader, accompanist, and on occasion a singer. His name was pronounced “Ruby” by some back in the day. The mind reels at the possible vaudeville teams he could have formed if the wind had blown just right: “Bloom and Rose” (with Billy Rose or Harry Rose), say, or “Rube and Ruby” (with Harry Ruby). Wait! He did team up with Harry Ruby on at least one occasion! They co-wrote “Give Me the Simple Life”. He also collaborated with Johnny Mercer. Their best known songs together were “Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)” and “Day In, Day Out”. Other songwriting partners included Ted Koehler, Mack David, and Edgar Leslie.

The son of working class New York Jews, Bloom started out in vaudeville as an accompanist. From here he began to compose his own original rags and novelty instrumentals, many of which were recorded as piano rolls for piano players. His first hit was a song called “Soliloquy” (1927). He often played in bands with the likes of Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Jay C. Flippen and his Gang, Lee Morse and Her Bluegrass Boys, The Hottentots,The Cotton Pickers, The Melody Sheiks, et al. and backed singers like Ruth Etting, Annette Hanshaw, and Ethel Waters. His tune “Jumping Jack” was used in the 1929 film The Show of Shows. For a time he recorded with a group called Rube Bloom and His Bayou Boys that included Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. He wrote tunes for Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds of 1936, and for revues at the Cotton Club, including the edition that went to the 1939 New York Worlds Fair. In addition to his many recording sessions, he played live on radio. His songs continued to be covered by major artists like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, et al throughout the decades.

For more about vaudeville historyconsult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, And please stay tuned for my upcomingElectric Vaudeville: A Century of Radio and TV Variety.