"Cow Cow Boogie” was written for the 1942 Abbott & Costello film Ride’ Em
Cowboy, which included Ella Fitzgerald as a cast member. The song was
recorded by 17- year-old Ella Mae Morse with the music of Freddie Slack
& his Orchestra. It was the first release by Capitol Records and their first
million seller. Ella never obtained a huge following, but continued to record
until 1957. She died of respiratory failure in 1999 at age 75.