Streaming music, from the Library of Congress’s National Jukebox:
Belle Baker, “I’ve Got the Yes! We Have No Banana Blues.” A novelty song about a novelty song: very meta. Here’s the original, from the Internet Archive.
Benson Orchestra of Chicago, “Ain’t We Got Fun.” Great for dancing.
Zez Confrey Orchestra, “Kitten on the Keys.” Piano wizardry.
Frank Crumit, “Cross-Word Mamma, You Puzzle Me (But Papa’s Gonna Figure You Out).” Yes, the cross-word craze.
The Duncan Sisters, “Cross-Word Puzzle Blues.” “Some demented nut invented / This way to stay discontented.”
International Novelty Orchestra, “Hey! Hey! and Hee! Hee! (I’m Charleston Crazy).” Another craze. With a great harmonica solo.
George Washington Johnson, “The Laughing Song.” It would appear that there was much to laugh about in 1903.
James P. Johnson, “Bleeding Hearted Blues.” Stride piano.
Harry Lauder, “Stop Your Tickling, Jock!” A “Scotch laughing specialty.”
Paul Whiteman, “Somebody Loves Me.” Said George Gershwin, “Paul made my song live with a vigor that almost floored me.” With doo wacka doo effect.
And here are ten more from the National Jukebox.
[The Gershwin quotation is from Edward Jablonski’s Gershwin (New York: Da Capo, 1998.) Thanks for Stefan Hagemann for pointing me to the cross-word songs. The National Jukebox uses Flash, alas.]
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
From the National Jukebox
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comments: 3
I just want to say that I purchased a record (over DHubby's dead body) with the title 'Doo Wacka Doo Wacka Doo' (spelling possibly variant, but checking it would involve a trip downstairs, turning on lamps, bending and going through dozens and dozens of record sleeves.) It was recorded by the inimitable Isham Jones, and it was priced at 25 cents. And my DHubby did not want me to buy it!!! This illustrates just how wrong, wrong, wrong! husbands can be. It is the MOST amazing recording ever. Thanks for the 'National Jukebox' link. (I wonder if their collection is better than ours....)
You’re welcome, Elaine. They’re limited (so far) to Victor recordings from 1901 to 1925.
Did you notice the “cross-word” songs?
I plan to listen to the crossword recording!
I just finished today's NYT puzzle--OMG. I solve on paper with ink, and I wonder how the online solvers will fare. There's a lot of white-out on my page, that's for sure.
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