Fats Waller sings and plays piano "Smoke Dreams Of You" demo
Channel: Alex Hope
Date: 30/06/2020

My dad gave me the demo of Fats Waller's rendition of "Smoke Dreams Of You" in 1980. He had written the lyrics to it with somebody in mind and wasn't going to tell me even if I asked.
Dad was a journalist and his song writing partner, Derek Faulks (Raymond DeGreville), had written the melody. Derek had recently got a job as the A&R man at HMV when Fats was in London in 1938. So being bold; he put the song on the piano when Fats sat down to play.
It was worn through and was beyond repair. It's on alluminium and is one sided. This recording was produced at HMV's demo studio in Oxford Street, London. The commercial release was issued just as the Second World War was breaking out. Regretfully it didn't sell too well for obvious reasons (everyone in Britain was going to war).