May 16
"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition," music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, sung by the Merry Macs (1942)
I know I’ve fallen off the wagon posting my Music Mondays, but I am going to attempt to get back on. :) (Interestingly, last year when I attempted to do Music Mondays, I also fell off around mid-May. I guess life just gets busy at that time of year for me.) Anyway, I am going to catch up the rest of May and June for several days in a row and then get into July and hopefully keep mostly on track with it at that point. So we’re still in the 1940s for 2 more posts, then we will be move into the 1950s.
For May 16's Music Monday, I wanted to highlight a song that became popular as a direct result of the attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941. I think it is a good bet that songs about war and ammunition would not have made the top 40 in the United States without that attack that prompted our entrance to World War II. The song is “Pass the Lord and Pass the Ammunition,” and it has an interesting backstory. In fact, the origin of the phrase sort of became a legend for a while, with stories of a chaplain hopping into a cockpit to join the fight and uttering the phrase. In fact, the true story is that the chaplain LTJG Howell M. Forgy was on board the USS New Orleans, stationed in Pearl Harbor, during the attack and helped direct what was basically a “bucket brigade” to get ammunition from the storage to the guns. The story is that he walked up and down the line of men, encouraging them with the phrase that then became a famous song.
I chose the version by The Merry Macs because the version that reached number 1 was performed by a group I already featured this month (Kay Kyser and his Orchestra). This version by The Merry Macs reached #8 on the American charts. The group was from Minneapolis, MN, and originally started as a prom group, going around to various high school proms in the area and singing for those. Apparently, their close style of singing harmony was a revolution for its time, as previous quartet groups had exclusively sung barber shop quartet style.
Now, take a listen to “Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition,” sung by The Merry Macs:
Resources
About the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praise_the_Lord_and_Pass_the_Ammunition
About the group: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merry_Macs
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Monday, May 9, 2022
Music Mondays: (I've Got Spurs that) Jingle Jangle Jingle, performed by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
May 9
"(I’ve Got Spurs that) Jingle Jangle Jingle," Written by Joseph J. Lilley and Frank Loesser; performed by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra (1942)
This song is an example of “western swing” music, which peaked in popularity in the early 1940s, at the same time that country music as a genre was really gaining in popularity, as well. Eventually, western swing would be grouped into the broader label of country music, but it had a pretty different sound from the popular country music of the day. This song has been used in various media over the years, including a popular video game, so there’s a good chance people have heard it before. I enjoy the smooth sound of Harry Babbitt, one of the lead singers of Kay Kyser’s orchestra, on this particular version.
Kay Kyser was an extremely popular band leader in the 1930s and 40s, but he abruptly retired in 1950. Due to his abrupt retirement, his band is not as well known among younger people today as some of the other big bands of the time, like Glenn Miller from last week. However, he definitely made a name for himself in the 1930s and was known to have a great sense of humor, incorporating that into his orchestra’s performances. He even created his own character, “The Ol’ Professor,” and incorporated musical knowledge quizzes to further entertain his audiences.
Take a listen to this catchy tune here:
Resources
About the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Jangle_Jingle
About Kay Kyser and his orchestra:
"(I’ve Got Spurs that) Jingle Jangle Jingle," Written by Joseph J. Lilley and Frank Loesser; performed by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra (1942)
This song is an example of “western swing” music, which peaked in popularity in the early 1940s, at the same time that country music as a genre was really gaining in popularity, as well. Eventually, western swing would be grouped into the broader label of country music, but it had a pretty different sound from the popular country music of the day. This song has been used in various media over the years, including a popular video game, so there’s a good chance people have heard it before. I enjoy the smooth sound of Harry Babbitt, one of the lead singers of Kay Kyser’s orchestra, on this particular version.
Kay Kyser was an extremely popular band leader in the 1930s and 40s, but he abruptly retired in 1950. Due to his abrupt retirement, his band is not as well known among younger people today as some of the other big bands of the time, like Glenn Miller from last week. However, he definitely made a name for himself in the 1930s and was known to have a great sense of humor, incorporating that into his orchestra’s performances. He even created his own character, “The Ol’ Professor,” and incorporated musical knowledge quizzes to further entertain his audiences.
Take a listen to this catchy tune here:
Resources
About the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Jangle_Jingle
About Kay Kyser and his orchestra:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Kyser
https://www.kaykyser.net/kay.html
About Country music and Western swing:
https://www.kaykyser.net/kay.html
About Country music and Western swing:
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Music Mondays: A String of Pearls, performed by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
May 2
"A String of Pearls," Composed by Jerry Gray and Eddie deLange, Performed by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (1941)
With a new month, we’re swinging right into the era of Big Band and swing with the 1940s. One can hardly talk about the Big Band era without talking about Glenn Miller and his orchestra, a sound and style which defines the genre for many. Miller created his own unique sound by having a clarinet play the melodies, with a tenor sax playing the same melody an octave lower and other saxophones playing harmonies. This instrumentation gave his band a unique sound that is still identifiable today. Some criticize him for “watering down” jazz music, but he ignored his critics, focusing on creating music that listeners would enjoy. In late 1942, Miller decided to join the US army as a band leader to help the war effort and helped boost troop morale through 1944. Sadly, his plane was lost at sea in 1944 (when Miller was only 40 years old), so we will never know what other musical treasures he could have created with his musicians. War is a terrible thing.
"A String of Pearls," Composed by Jerry Gray and Eddie deLange, Performed by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (1941)
With a new month, we’re swinging right into the era of Big Band and swing with the 1940s. One can hardly talk about the Big Band era without talking about Glenn Miller and his orchestra, a sound and style which defines the genre for many. Miller created his own unique sound by having a clarinet play the melodies, with a tenor sax playing the same melody an octave lower and other saxophones playing harmonies. This instrumentation gave his band a unique sound that is still identifiable today. Some criticize him for “watering down” jazz music, but he ignored his critics, focusing on creating music that listeners would enjoy. In late 1942, Miller decided to join the US army as a band leader to help the war effort and helped boost troop morale through 1944. Sadly, his plane was lost at sea in 1944 (when Miller was only 40 years old), so we will never know what other musical treasures he could have created with his musicians. War is a terrible thing.
This particular song made it to number 1 in the charts, knocking off another Glenn Miller hit, “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”
Here's the top 80 list for 1942: https://playback.fm/year/1942
The song:
Resources
About Glenn Miller:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Glenn-Miller
http://glennmiller.com/biography/
About the song:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_String_of_Pearls_(song)
https://www.colorado.edu/amrc/glenn-miller-archives/gma-studies/string-pearls
Here's the top 80 list for 1942: https://playback.fm/year/1942
The song:
Resources
About Glenn Miller:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Glenn-Miller
http://glennmiller.com/biography/
About the song:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_String_of_Pearls_(song)
https://www.colorado.edu/amrc/glenn-miller-archives/gma-studies/string-pearls
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Music Mondays: All of Me, performed by Louis Armstrong
April 25
"All of Me," words and music by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons, performed by Louis Armstrong
Let’s end the month with the incredibly talented and possibly most well-known jazz musician, Louis Armstrong, performing a song that made it to number one in the charts and has been recorded by other greats as well, “All of Me.” The song was written in 1931, and first performed by Belle Baker. It really took off, however, with a late 1931 recording by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, followed by this early 1932 recording by Armstrong.
Louis Armstrong was already a popular musician when this song was recorded, having struck out on his own as a performer in the mid-1920s. In fact, he performed in Europe for the first time in 1932, so his popularity was definitely growing around the world in this time period. You can also hear an example of his scatting style in this song, which is honestly impressive, as he goes seamlessly back and forth from scatting/singing to playing his trumpet. If you’re interested in learning more about Armstrong’s life, I would definitely take a look at the biographies I linked below - I did not really know much about his early life, and it was interesting to learn. He is one of the stories of American rags to riches, as he grew up in a rough neighborhood in New Orleans, known as The Battleground, but was able to go on to become one of the most famous jazz musicians of all time.
The song:
Resources
About the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_of_Me_(jazz_standard)
https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/allofme.htm
About Louis Armstrong: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Armstrong
https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/biography/
"All of Me," words and music by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons, performed by Louis Armstrong
Let’s end the month with the incredibly talented and possibly most well-known jazz musician, Louis Armstrong, performing a song that made it to number one in the charts and has been recorded by other greats as well, “All of Me.” The song was written in 1931, and first performed by Belle Baker. It really took off, however, with a late 1931 recording by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, followed by this early 1932 recording by Armstrong.
Louis Armstrong was already a popular musician when this song was recorded, having struck out on his own as a performer in the mid-1920s. In fact, he performed in Europe for the first time in 1932, so his popularity was definitely growing around the world in this time period. You can also hear an example of his scatting style in this song, which is honestly impressive, as he goes seamlessly back and forth from scatting/singing to playing his trumpet. If you’re interested in learning more about Armstrong’s life, I would definitely take a look at the biographies I linked below - I did not really know much about his early life, and it was interesting to learn. He is one of the stories of American rags to riches, as he grew up in a rough neighborhood in New Orleans, known as The Battleground, but was able to go on to become one of the most famous jazz musicians of all time.
The song:
Resources
About the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_of_Me_(jazz_standard)
https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/allofme.htm
About Louis Armstrong: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Armstrong
https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/biography/
Monday, April 18, 2022
Music Mondays: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?, performed by Bing Crosby
April 18
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," performed by Bing Crosby, music by Jay Gorney, lyrics by Yip Harburg (1932)
I can hardly talk about the 1930s without featuring a song by the inimitable Bing Crosby, who actually went solo in 1931. It’s likely that everyone who reads this has heard at least one song by Crosby, most likely the Christmas hit, “White Christmas,” which is still the best selling single of all time. I don’t want to spend loads of time talking about Crosby, but if you want to know more about him, the Wikipedia link below has tons of info. I also included a link to his biography.com entry, in case you’r not a fan of Wikipedia.
Today, the song is just as interesting as the singer and may ring true for people today as it did when it was written during the Great Depression. It was written for the musical, Americana, which actually did not do very well, but this song became a hit. It differed from the norm of popular songs at the time, in that it features a minor key and directly confronts the feelings many Americans had during the Depression. Many (or most) popular songs at the time were upbeat and focused on being happy, while this song unabashedly discussed the frustrations of seeing the American Dream that so many had believed in come crashing down around them with the stock market crash of 1929 and ensuing long-lasting financial depression. Honestly, I feel like I know people who would relate with these same sentiments in today’s economy.
So this week, take a few minutes to listen to a great song, with an unfortunately enduring sentiment, sung by a great singer.
Lyrics
Once I built a railroad, made it run
Made it race against time
Once I built a railroad, now it's done
Brother can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime
Once I built a tower, now it's done
Brother can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits
Gee, we looked swell
Full of that yankee Doodle De Dum
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal!
Brother can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits
Gee, we looked swell
Full of that yankee Doodle De Dum
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal!
Brother can you spare a dime?
Buddy can you spare a dime?
The song:
Resources
About Bing Crosby: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby
About the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother,_Can_You_Spare_a_Dime%3F
Monday, April 11, 2022
Music Mondays: River Stay 'Way from My Door, performed by Kate Smith
April 11
"River, Stay ‘Way from My Door," performed by Kate Smith, Music by Harry M. Woods, Lyrics by Mort Dixon (1931)
Today’s song was number 13 on the top 60 chart of 1932. There are actually two versions that appear in this chart, but this one, sung by Kate Smith, ranked higher. I mostly chose this one because Kate Smith was one of the few (only) women listed in the top 60 for 1932. When I started this project, I wanted to be sure to include at least one female artist for each decade. Of course, the first song I highlighted featured the female vocalist Ivie Anderson, but the song itself was billed as Duke Ellington. (And to be fair, Ellington composed the song and led the band and singer.) Anyway, Kate Smith was a contralto who became so popular that she became known as “the first lady of radio.” She had a popular radio show called, “Kate Smith Sings” on CBS from 1931-1947. During that time, Irving Berlin also granted her exclusive on-air rights to sing the popular patriotic song, “God Bless America.” You might have heard her voice singing this patriotic song during the 7th inning stretch at a Yankees game, though she has become somewhat controversial in recent years for racist songs she recorded during her career. This particular song is somewhat sultry and provides a great vehicle to hear her contralto voice.
The song:
Resources
"River, Stay ‘Way from My Door," performed by Kate Smith, Music by Harry M. Woods, Lyrics by Mort Dixon (1931)
Today’s song was number 13 on the top 60 chart of 1932. There are actually two versions that appear in this chart, but this one, sung by Kate Smith, ranked higher. I mostly chose this one because Kate Smith was one of the few (only) women listed in the top 60 for 1932. When I started this project, I wanted to be sure to include at least one female artist for each decade. Of course, the first song I highlighted featured the female vocalist Ivie Anderson, but the song itself was billed as Duke Ellington. (And to be fair, Ellington composed the song and led the band and singer.) Anyway, Kate Smith was a contralto who became so popular that she became known as “the first lady of radio.” She had a popular radio show called, “Kate Smith Sings” on CBS from 1931-1947. During that time, Irving Berlin also granted her exclusive on-air rights to sing the popular patriotic song, “God Bless America.” You might have heard her voice singing this patriotic song during the 7th inning stretch at a Yankees game, though she has become somewhat controversial in recent years for racist songs she recorded during her career. This particular song is somewhat sultry and provides a great vehicle to hear her contralto voice.
The song:
Resources
About Kate Smith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Smith
About Harry M Woods (composer): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_M._Woods
About controversy surrounding Kate Smith: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/04/23/kate-smith-heres-why-her-racist-recordings-are-controversial/3550061002/
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Music Mondays: It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
April 4
"It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)," Music by Duke Ellington, lyrics by Irving Mills (1931)
New month, new decade! We’re now into the 1930s, and I am certain that a much greater number of us have heard of most of these singers and will know a lot more of the songs from here on out.
Let’s start the month out with the legendary Duke Ellington, and his 1931 composition “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got that Swing).” The first recording of this song was released in February 1932, and the singer was Ivie Anderson. This particular recording of the song actually joined the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Interestingly, though the title of the song mentions “swing,” the swing era of music did not really start until several years later. The title of the song is actually attributed to a few different sources, all associated with Ellington’s orchestra. This song actually helped to propel the idea of “swing” into the popular imagination, so even though it did not herald the swing era of jazz, it played an important part in bringing it about. Apparently, Ellington at one point said that the word “swing” was simply “Harlem for rhythm” (https://www.songfacts.com/facts/duke-ellington/it-dont-mean-a-thing-if-it-aint-got-that-swing)
Duke Ellington is well regarded as a great composer and band leader, and this song is the one that really cemented his reputation as a composer. He was known for tailoring his pieces to fit particular soloists. Even today, 90 years later, he and his orchestra are still considered to be models of jazz. Ellington was born in Washington, DC, and later moved to NYC, where he was based for the rest of his life, though he traveled extensively with his orchestra. I think it would be fair to say that we would not know jazz as we do today if not for Duke Ellington.
Ivie Anderson joined Ellington’s orchestra as the lead singer in 1931, and this recording was her first record appearance. It is probably fair to say that her performance on this song helped launch both her and the song itself to stardom. Anderson would tour with Ellington and his orchestra for about a decade, but she unfortunately had to retire in 1942, due to chronic asthma.
Now that you’ve learned just a tad about the composer and the vocalist, go ahead and enjoy this jazz standard.
Song:
Resources:
"It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)," Music by Duke Ellington, lyrics by Irving Mills (1931)
New month, new decade! We’re now into the 1930s, and I am certain that a much greater number of us have heard of most of these singers and will know a lot more of the songs from here on out.
Let’s start the month out with the legendary Duke Ellington, and his 1931 composition “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got that Swing).” The first recording of this song was released in February 1932, and the singer was Ivie Anderson. This particular recording of the song actually joined the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Interestingly, though the title of the song mentions “swing,” the swing era of music did not really start until several years later. The title of the song is actually attributed to a few different sources, all associated with Ellington’s orchestra. This song actually helped to propel the idea of “swing” into the popular imagination, so even though it did not herald the swing era of jazz, it played an important part in bringing it about. Apparently, Ellington at one point said that the word “swing” was simply “Harlem for rhythm” (https://www.songfacts.com/facts/duke-ellington/it-dont-mean-a-thing-if-it-aint-got-that-swing)
Duke Ellington is well regarded as a great composer and band leader, and this song is the one that really cemented his reputation as a composer. He was known for tailoring his pieces to fit particular soloists. Even today, 90 years later, he and his orchestra are still considered to be models of jazz. Ellington was born in Washington, DC, and later moved to NYC, where he was based for the rest of his life, though he traveled extensively with his orchestra. I think it would be fair to say that we would not know jazz as we do today if not for Duke Ellington.
Ivie Anderson joined Ellington’s orchestra as the lead singer in 1931, and this recording was her first record appearance. It is probably fair to say that her performance on this song helped launch both her and the song itself to stardom. Anderson would tour with Ellington and his orchestra for about a decade, but she unfortunately had to retire in 1942, due to chronic asthma.
Now that you’ve learned just a tad about the composer and the vocalist, go ahead and enjoy this jazz standard.
Song:
Resources:
About the song: https://www.songfacts.com/facts/duke-ellington/it-dont-mean-a-thing-if-it-aint-got-that-swing
https://www.kuvo.org/stories-of-standards-it-dont-mean-a-thing-duke-ellington/
About Duke Ellington: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/duke-ellington-about-duke-ellington/586/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington
About Ivie Anderson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivie_Anderson
https://www.kuvo.org/stories-of-standards-it-dont-mean-a-thing-duke-ellington/
About Duke Ellington: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/duke-ellington-about-duke-ellington/586/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington
About Ivie Anderson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivie_Anderson
Monday, March 28, 2022
Music Mondays: My Word, You Do Look Queer, Performed by Ernest Hastings
March 28
"My Word, You Do Look Queer," Written by Bert Lee and R.P. Weston, performed by Ernest Hastings
I chose this piece for the last Music Monday of March (and 1922 number one songs) because I found it so interesting. This is a comedic monologue, set to music. I had no idea that pieces like this were popular, though it certainly makes sense. It’s not like people only started enjoying comedians recently. I suppose it was just interesting to me to see a piece like this on the top 100 list for 1922. I remember during the 1990s a couple of monologue style pieces that became quite popular and were played on the radio. There was a Jeff Foxworthy one that I don’t remember too well, and then there was the famous (infamous?) piece, “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” by Baz Luhrmann that came out in 1999. That piece was played ALL THE TIME, and as a member of the graduating class of 1999, it truly did feel like he was talking directly to us. I think many of us took all of the lyrics of that song to heart.
Anyway, this is a fun little piece about a man who has been ill and, having recovered, goes for a walk. But all the people he meets comment on how awful he looks (“My word, you do look queer!”), until he’s basically convinced that he truly is about to die. There is a happy ending, but I’ll let you listen and/or read the lyrics to discover it. The performer, Ernest Hastings, was an English singer, pianist, and composer, who was known for his comedic monologue performances. He toured in both England and Great Britain and became known as “England’s Greatest Entertainer at the Piano.” I guess I just sort of enjoy when something unexpected like this pops up in the top 100. Perhaps some of his other pieces for which he was popular between the 1910s and 1930s reached the top 100 in other years as well. At any rate, I did get a little chuckle out of this one, so give it a listen.
The piece:
Resources
About the piece: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Word,_You_Do_Look_Queer
About the performer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hastings
Lyrics: https://www.monologues.co.uk/Stanley-Holloway/You-Do-Look-Queer.htm
"My Word, You Do Look Queer," Written by Bert Lee and R.P. Weston, performed by Ernest Hastings
I chose this piece for the last Music Monday of March (and 1922 number one songs) because I found it so interesting. This is a comedic monologue, set to music. I had no idea that pieces like this were popular, though it certainly makes sense. It’s not like people only started enjoying comedians recently. I suppose it was just interesting to me to see a piece like this on the top 100 list for 1922. I remember during the 1990s a couple of monologue style pieces that became quite popular and were played on the radio. There was a Jeff Foxworthy one that I don’t remember too well, and then there was the famous (infamous?) piece, “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” by Baz Luhrmann that came out in 1999. That piece was played ALL THE TIME, and as a member of the graduating class of 1999, it truly did feel like he was talking directly to us. I think many of us took all of the lyrics of that song to heart.
Anyway, this is a fun little piece about a man who has been ill and, having recovered, goes for a walk. But all the people he meets comment on how awful he looks (“My word, you do look queer!”), until he’s basically convinced that he truly is about to die. There is a happy ending, but I’ll let you listen and/or read the lyrics to discover it. The performer, Ernest Hastings, was an English singer, pianist, and composer, who was known for his comedic monologue performances. He toured in both England and Great Britain and became known as “England’s Greatest Entertainer at the Piano.” I guess I just sort of enjoy when something unexpected like this pops up in the top 100. Perhaps some of his other pieces for which he was popular between the 1910s and 1930s reached the top 100 in other years as well. At any rate, I did get a little chuckle out of this one, so give it a listen.
The piece:
Resources
About the piece: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Word,_You_Do_Look_Queer
About the performer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hastings
Lyrics: https://www.monologues.co.uk/Stanley-Holloway/You-Do-Look-Queer.htm
Monday, March 21, 2022
Music Mondays: My Buddy, performed by Henry Burr
March 21
“My Buddy,” Music by Walter Donaldson, Lyrics by Gus Kahn, Performed by Henry Burr (1922)
I couldn’t actually find a lot of information about this particular song, but I still felt it was a good one to include in this series. The main reason I chose this song is that, even though it was published 4 years after the end of WWI, it became a popular song at gathering spots for veterans, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. In other words, it became a sort of ballad for veterans who had lost friends in WWI. I felt it was important to include a song that arose from that incredibly important worldwide event that took place in the mid to late 1910s. There is also speculation that the song has homoerotic undertones, which I can see. It was most definitely a time when it would have been too scandalous for a song to be overtly about homosexuality, so something with more of a friendship tone to it would be a good cover. Of course, it’s also okay for men to just be friends and miss one another! It doesn’t always have to be about sex!
Henry Burr was a very popular recording artist of the time, a tenor of the operatic style. He was also a part of the Peerless Quartet, which had several top 100 hits during this era. Burr was the first to record this particular song, though it was also recorded by some other popular singers later. The song apparently also featured in an episode of Boardwalk Empire in 2012. Anyway, enough of the limited information I found on this song. Give it a listen, and consider the feeling of loss it portrays.
The song:
Resources:
Another blogger's thoughts on the song: https://patrickmurfin.blogspot.com/2020/05/my-buddymurfin-home-confinement-music.html
A few thoughts and the lyrics: https://heritageamerican.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/life-is-a-book-that-we-study/
About Henry Burr: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Burr
“My Buddy,” Music by Walter Donaldson, Lyrics by Gus Kahn, Performed by Henry Burr (1922)
I couldn’t actually find a lot of information about this particular song, but I still felt it was a good one to include in this series. The main reason I chose this song is that, even though it was published 4 years after the end of WWI, it became a popular song at gathering spots for veterans, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. In other words, it became a sort of ballad for veterans who had lost friends in WWI. I felt it was important to include a song that arose from that incredibly important worldwide event that took place in the mid to late 1910s. There is also speculation that the song has homoerotic undertones, which I can see. It was most definitely a time when it would have been too scandalous for a song to be overtly about homosexuality, so something with more of a friendship tone to it would be a good cover. Of course, it’s also okay for men to just be friends and miss one another! It doesn’t always have to be about sex!
Henry Burr was a very popular recording artist of the time, a tenor of the operatic style. He was also a part of the Peerless Quartet, which had several top 100 hits during this era. Burr was the first to record this particular song, though it was also recorded by some other popular singers later. The song apparently also featured in an episode of Boardwalk Empire in 2012. Anyway, enough of the limited information I found on this song. Give it a listen, and consider the feeling of loss it portrays.
The song:
Resources:
Another blogger's thoughts on the song: https://patrickmurfin.blogspot.com/2020/05/my-buddymurfin-home-confinement-music.html
A few thoughts and the lyrics: https://heritageamerican.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/life-is-a-book-that-we-study/
About Henry Burr: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Burr
Thursday, March 17, 2022
Music Mondays: Lonesome Mama Blues, performed by Mamie Smith
March 14
“Lonesome Mama Blues,” Music by Billie Brown; Lyrics by Anna Welker Brown and E. Nickel; Performed by Mamie Smith (1922)
Though blues music had been around for quite some time at this point, a style of music called “urban blues” was becoming more popular in the 1920s, particularly in vaudeville. As I mentioned last week with Paul Whiteman, this urban blues style of music was a bit more accessible to the masses and was thus able to help move blues music into the mainstream. Mamie Smith was a popular vaudeville actress who became the first African-American woman to record a blues song in 1920. That song, “Crazy Blues,” became so incredibly popular that it launched her to stardom and made urban blues a household sound. That one recording showed record companies that black women had a sound and a presence that would sell, paving the way for more black women to share their vocal talents with the world.
Mamie Smith’s performance of “Lonesome Mama Blues” made it to #6 in the US charts in 1922. The song itself isn’t particularly special, aside from being from the heyday of Mamie Smith’s career and a good example of the urban blues genre. That’s not to say it’s not worth a listen - you can hear the roots of R&B music, and the song most definitely evokes a period of time that has been oft portrayed in film and television. To me, it’s interesting to hear the progression of popular music and how it influenced what would come. So give it a listen!
Also, if you're going to read one article about a person today, check out the USA Today article I link below. It's quite interesting.
The song:
Resources
About blues: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues
About Mamie Smith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamie_Smith
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/02/14/black-history-month-trailblazers-blues-icon-mamie-smith-paved-way/9305200002/
“Lonesome Mama Blues,” Music by Billie Brown; Lyrics by Anna Welker Brown and E. Nickel; Performed by Mamie Smith (1922)
Though blues music had been around for quite some time at this point, a style of music called “urban blues” was becoming more popular in the 1920s, particularly in vaudeville. As I mentioned last week with Paul Whiteman, this urban blues style of music was a bit more accessible to the masses and was thus able to help move blues music into the mainstream. Mamie Smith was a popular vaudeville actress who became the first African-American woman to record a blues song in 1920. That song, “Crazy Blues,” became so incredibly popular that it launched her to stardom and made urban blues a household sound. That one recording showed record companies that black women had a sound and a presence that would sell, paving the way for more black women to share their vocal talents with the world.
Mamie Smith’s performance of “Lonesome Mama Blues” made it to #6 in the US charts in 1922. The song itself isn’t particularly special, aside from being from the heyday of Mamie Smith’s career and a good example of the urban blues genre. That’s not to say it’s not worth a listen - you can hear the roots of R&B music, and the song most definitely evokes a period of time that has been oft portrayed in film and television. To me, it’s interesting to hear the progression of popular music and how it influenced what would come. So give it a listen!
Also, if you're going to read one article about a person today, check out the USA Today article I link below. It's quite interesting.
The song:
Resources
About blues: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues
About Mamie Smith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamie_Smith
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/02/14/black-history-month-trailblazers-blues-icon-mamie-smith-paved-way/9305200002/
Monday, March 7, 2022
Music Mondays: Hot Lips, performed by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
March 7
“Hot Lips,” Music and Lyrics by Henry Busse, Henry Lange, & Lou Davis
Recorded by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (1922)
Welcome to the 1920s! Some of the songs from this decade will actually be familiar to more of us than the older songs from the 1900s and 1910s. Many of us will have parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents who listened to these songs, or you may have heard some of them in popular movies and musicals. Jazz music is really taking off in this decade, so we’re starting to hear those sounds more and more in the popular music of the time.
This piece, also known as “He’s Got Hot Lips When He Plays Jazz,” is a foxtrot, a style of dance that was first introduced in the mid-1910s, and gained in popularity throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s. If you look at the top 100 list I’ve shared below, you’ll find quite a few of the songs on it are foxtrots. It was the most popular dance of the period, and the majority of records released over a nearly 30 year period included foxtrots.
I feel it’s also important to mention the performers of this particular piece. Paul Whiteman started his orchestra in the late 1910s, moving it to New York City to record for the Victor Talking Machine Company. During that time, his orchestra recorded so many immensely popular hits that the media began calling him “The King of Jazz.” Some feel that he does not deserve this title, as he took the roots of jazz, in African American cities and juke joints, and commercialized them, by formally orchestrating the compositions and removing many of the improvisational elements. However, it is likely this formalization of the pieces that helped boost their popularity. Additionally, he is the person who commissioned the famous composer George Gershwin to write the equally famous piece, “Rhapsody in Blue.” So Whiteman and his orchestra certainly had an important role to play in increasing the popularity of jazz in the 1920s and 1930s.
Now, you should kick back and enjoy “Hot Lips,” by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Resources
Information about Paul Whiteman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Whiteman
https://syncopatedtimes.com/paul-whiteman-and-his-orchestra/
“Hot Lips,” Music and Lyrics by Henry Busse, Henry Lange, & Lou Davis
Recorded by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (1922)
Welcome to the 1920s! Some of the songs from this decade will actually be familiar to more of us than the older songs from the 1900s and 1910s. Many of us will have parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents who listened to these songs, or you may have heard some of them in popular movies and musicals. Jazz music is really taking off in this decade, so we’re starting to hear those sounds more and more in the popular music of the time.
This piece, also known as “He’s Got Hot Lips When He Plays Jazz,” is a foxtrot, a style of dance that was first introduced in the mid-1910s, and gained in popularity throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s. If you look at the top 100 list I’ve shared below, you’ll find quite a few of the songs on it are foxtrots. It was the most popular dance of the period, and the majority of records released over a nearly 30 year period included foxtrots.
I feel it’s also important to mention the performers of this particular piece. Paul Whiteman started his orchestra in the late 1910s, moving it to New York City to record for the Victor Talking Machine Company. During that time, his orchestra recorded so many immensely popular hits that the media began calling him “The King of Jazz.” Some feel that he does not deserve this title, as he took the roots of jazz, in African American cities and juke joints, and commercialized them, by formally orchestrating the compositions and removing many of the improvisational elements. However, it is likely this formalization of the pieces that helped boost their popularity. Additionally, he is the person who commissioned the famous composer George Gershwin to write the equally famous piece, “Rhapsody in Blue.” So Whiteman and his orchestra certainly had an important role to play in increasing the popularity of jazz in the 1920s and 1930s.
Now, you should kick back and enjoy “Hot Lips,” by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Resources
Information about Paul Whiteman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Whiteman
https://syncopatedtimes.com/paul-whiteman-and-his-orchestra/
Information about the foxtrot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxtrot
Top 100 of 1922: https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1922
Top 100 of 1922: https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1922
Monday, February 28, 2022
Music Mondays: Look What Percy’s Picked Up in the Park, by Joe Burley & Harry Castling
February 28
"Look What Percy’s Picked Up in the Park," by Joe Burley & Harry Castling (1912)
When I first listened to this song, I was really pretty appalled by it. I mean, just check out the lyrics from the 2nd verse:
His little brother said, “I wonder if the thing’s alive”
And then he took a pin and, of course, he stuck it in
Then his Uncle Jeremiah said, “This takes a bun
What funny things you do see when you haven’t got a gun”
The young man lodger came and looked at me and said, “Dear, dear
What curious little insects fly about this time of year.”
It’s really just outrageous and awful, and I felt so sorry for the poor woman in the song. BUT then I started to do some reading about the singer you’ll hear in the linked video (Vesta Victoria) and British music halls and US vaudeville acts, and it made a little more sense to me. I mean, I would never condone a modern song that highlights treating women in this way, nor would I suggest that we should resurrect songs like this for the modern day. Instead, it’s interesting to consider the place a song like this held in 1910s society and why it was so popular.
British music halls, which heavily influenced vaudeville theatre in the US, became popular in the Victorian era. They eventually became places in which “the masses” (i.e. working class, poorer people) could have access to entertainment. Some of the upper classes considered the entertainment on display in these halls to be somewhat vulgar, but it gave working class people an opportunity to relax and laugh and relate to the performers in front of them. Comedic acts and songs were the most popular, and that is partly why you see songs such as this one. Performers would poke fun at the experiences they had and the ways they were treated, and the audience could often relate and laugh at the poor schmuck on the stage. It was almost a form of catharsis for people to laugh off their problems and find relief from the drudgery of workaday life.
The singer of this particular version is Vesta Victoria. She was basically brought up in music halls/vaudeville. Her parents were performers, and they first brought her on stage with them when she was still a newborn. She grew up performing in music halls and eventually became one of the most well-loved performers in both the UK and the US. In fact, she was one of the most famous British performers in the US at the time. During her performing lifetime, she was able to amass quite a fortune of over 3 million pounds (which approaches 1 billion pounds in today’s money). I find it somewhat ironic that she made so much money imitating the working class. Clearly, by the time she retired after WWI, she would never have to live a working class lifestyle (and probably never really had). But I suppose that’s true of many performers today, too.
Anyway, this is the last week of the 1910s for Music Mondays! Next week, we head into the 1920s!
Resources
About British Music Halls: https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Music-Hall/
About Vesta Victoria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesta_Victoria
Monday, February 21, 2022
Music Mondays: The Gaby Glide, Music by Louis A Hirsch, Lyrics by Harry Pilcer
February 21
"The Gaby Glide," Music by Louis A. Hirsch, Words by Harry Pilcer (1911)
Lest you think dance trends inspired by songs (or in this case, songs inspired by dance trends) are strictly a recent phenomenon, this week I’m showcasing “The Gaby Glide.” The song was named for a popular French actress, dancer, and singer, Gaby Deslys, and written for Deslys and her dancing partner, Harry Pilcer (who you mighte note was the lyricist, if you're reading closely). It was part of an operetta, called Vera Violetta in which Deslys and Pilcer both starred. If you click on the link to the PDF of the sheet music, you can see a drawing of how the couple would have performed the dance on the front page. Unfortunately, Deslys became a victim of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. She contracted the flu, which then led to a severe throat infection. Though she had several operations to try to fix the problem, she eventually died from the complications of the infection, at the relatively young age of 38.
The song itself is honestly not really anything to write home about, but I thought it was interesting that it was named not after the character in the operetta (presumably Vera or Violetta) but after the star dancer. This is also the only song I’m highlighting this month that features a male singer. I’m sharing a video of a recording attributed to 1912, but I would also recommend clicking the “kickery.com” link below for a more recent video that’s got a quicker, more rowdy beat. I truly don’t know a ton about ballroom style dancing (which is what I believe this dance falls under), but I think the original version is supposed to be more suited to actually performing the dance, while the modern version is more about making the song exciting. Do you know of any other songs that were written specifically for a dancer and his/her famous dance?
Information about Gaby Deslys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaby_Deslys
Information about the dance: https://www.kickery.com/2020/03/gaby-glide.html
PDF of the sheet music: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/sharris_c/29/
Top 40 of 1912: https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1912
"The Gaby Glide," Music by Louis A. Hirsch, Words by Harry Pilcer (1911)
Lest you think dance trends inspired by songs (or in this case, songs inspired by dance trends) are strictly a recent phenomenon, this week I’m showcasing “The Gaby Glide.” The song was named for a popular French actress, dancer, and singer, Gaby Deslys, and written for Deslys and her dancing partner, Harry Pilcer (who you mighte note was the lyricist, if you're reading closely). It was part of an operetta, called Vera Violetta in which Deslys and Pilcer both starred. If you click on the link to the PDF of the sheet music, you can see a drawing of how the couple would have performed the dance on the front page. Unfortunately, Deslys became a victim of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. She contracted the flu, which then led to a severe throat infection. Though she had several operations to try to fix the problem, she eventually died from the complications of the infection, at the relatively young age of 38.
The song itself is honestly not really anything to write home about, but I thought it was interesting that it was named not after the character in the operetta (presumably Vera or Violetta) but after the star dancer. This is also the only song I’m highlighting this month that features a male singer. I’m sharing a video of a recording attributed to 1912, but I would also recommend clicking the “kickery.com” link below for a more recent video that’s got a quicker, more rowdy beat. I truly don’t know a ton about ballroom style dancing (which is what I believe this dance falls under), but I think the original version is supposed to be more suited to actually performing the dance, while the modern version is more about making the song exciting. Do you know of any other songs that were written specifically for a dancer and his/her famous dance?
Information about Gaby Deslys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaby_Deslys
Information about the dance: https://www.kickery.com/2020/03/gaby-glide.html
PDF of the sheet music: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/sharris_c/29/
Top 40 of 1912: https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1912
Friday, February 18, 2022
Grief and Euthanasia
I've just had to euthanize my second cat in a year and a half, and it's no easier than it was with the first one. Actually, it was both the same and totally different. The first cat I had to say goodbye to back in December 2020, Mattie, was old. She was 16 and had been with me since my first apartment with girlfriends out of college. She was well-traveled, having lived in 3 different states and 5 different households. She had a tortoiseshell coat, a type of cat I'd wanted since third grade, when I checked out a book about cat breeds from the school library. She was quirky and beautiful and sweet and my first baby, before I had my actual baby. She developed chronic kidney disease and lived for about a year, give or take a few months, after her diagnosis. We watched her stop eating and slowly waste away, and I remember this one night when she was so restless and meowing much of the night. She came into our bed, got into my face, and I just read this look in her face that was begging me to help her. I called the vet to schedule the appointment the next day.
The one I just said goodbye to, Ladybug, was just over a year old. She was one of a pair of kittens we had gotten after our mourning period for the older cat, and she was tiny, even as an adult, and so sweet. Every vet I took her to commented on how cute and sweet she was. She had funny back legs that gave her a distinctive kinked walk. I always told people she was like a chihuahua - tiny but afraid of nothing. She started vomiting regularly back in November, and it got progressively worse. We took her to the vet every week and watched her continue to vomit up everything until we ended up at the emergency vet for a few days. The emergency vet was able to do a diagnostic endoscopy, and she was eventually diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, which can often be managed with a combination of diet and steroids. This vet gave me the anti-nausea meds and steroids that we hoped would help her regain her footing. But we think this little one had some sort of congenital issue that made her disease worse. After two weeks at home, she had lost almost another pound. I knew her body was probably starting to break down vital organs for energy, as she had no fat or muscle mass left. When we went for a weekly weight check, and I learned she had lost another 0.3 pounds since the week before, I knew it was time to let her go.
The burden of being the one who stays with the pet in the euthanasia room is that you carry that image of their life slipping away seared into your brain forever. I mean, I've been incredibly lucky in my life that I haven't had to watch this happen with any of my human loved ones, so I recognize that. I would not want to let them leave this world without one of their humans there with them, but watching a little animal that you love dearly and care for waste away and then be put to sleep is heart-breaking in its own way. I will never forget the way that Mattie looked at me - it was this look that quite clearly said, "How can you do this to me?" I'm sure she was really experiencing something more along the lines of, "I am old and sick, and you brought me here to this damn place that you know I hate. How could you do this to me?" But of course, I immediately wondered if I had made the right decision and felt extreme guilt over it for days. Even now, over a year later, I will sometimes remember her in that room and feel a pang of guilt and sadness that makes me cry. Ladybug was completely different. She actually tried to lick the vet's hand (the vet remembered that she had treat residue on her fingers) as she was giving the injections. It was such a normal, healthy pet response that it made what was happening feel that much more wrong.
I know some people find closure and release in seeing the bodies of their deceased loved ones before burial. I do not feel that way. The image of the dead body is burned into my brain and drowns out the images of the alive, happy being, at least for the first part of the grief. Eventually, that dies down, but I will never lose that image of death, rather than life. I want to remember loved ones (including pets) as alive. I did not want to look at my dad before they closed the casket for his funeral. I didn't want my last sight of him to be death. I find no closure or comfort from that. For now, I am fighting the intrusive images of Ladybug's dead body on that table as I try to drown them out with the good moments from the past year. In time, the snapshots of happier moments will dominate, but I'm not there yet.
It caught me off guard the first night Ladybug was gone when I went to feed the other two cats and found myself crippled over with grief. Why this? Why the simple act of feeding? The next night when the same thing happened, I thought about how cleaning the litter box caused the same type of grief after saying goodbye to the first cat. Then I realized: these were the things that I was so focused on during the final decline of these two cats. With old girl Mattie, we were watching to make sure she was still peeing, drinking enough, and trying to get her to eat, even though she didn't feel so great. It was the thing associated with the litter box (her kidneys) that had taken her from me in the end. With baby Ladybug, I was giving her anti-nausea meds and steroids every day to try to fix her poor little digestive system that wasn't working any more. I was opening 4, 5, 6 cans of food a day to find something she would/could eat and even hand feeding her when she didn't want to eat from the bowl. Eventually, it was the thing associated with food (the failure of her digestive system) that took her from me.
I have no good closure for this. I am still in the midst of my grief, and I am still somewhat surprised that I am so gutted over losing her when we only had her for just over a year. I understood my grief for Mattie more, as I'd had her in my life for close to 16 years. I am thankful that I still have two healthy cats, who are both snugglers, to make the house feel less empty. But there's still a hole in the house. A space where one day, there was a unique individual of a cat, and now there is no longer. I miss her. I wanted her to get better. I hoped that weight check would tell me that she had gained half a pound rather than lost more. I wish I could have made her better. Unfortunately, I could not work that magic. For now, I'll manage my grief the best I can while still being a mom and spouse and cat-mom to two other cats.
(Left) Mattie during her last year with us in 2020
(Right) Ladybug during her last weeks with us in 2022
Monday, February 14, 2022
Music Mondays: O Forrobodo, composed by Chiquinha Gonzaga
Music Mondays: February 14
"O Forrobodo," composed by Chiquinha Gonzaga (1912)
"O Forrobodo," composed by Chiquinha Gonzaga (1912)
I think the top 40 from [enter year here] lists that I found focus on Brazil and the English speaking world. A bit odd (why specifically Brazil?), but I do love “world music,” so we’ll go with it. I also love this particular song because it is by a prolific *female* Brazilian composer. This song is from an operetta of the same name that she released in 1912 that was wildly popular. I have not seen it/listened to the whole thing, but the songs in the operatta apparently describe different types of people one might have met in Brazil at the time of its writing. The different songs also reflect different styles of music that were popular in Brazil. This song has a lovely upbeat feel, and the video I found actually features an old photograph of Gonzaga, as well as some newspaper clippings about the show.
Honestly, Gonzaga herself is pretty interesting, pushing societal norms at a time when women still didn’t have much power in society. She was married at 16, but she ended up leaving the guy because he was ridiculously controlling, forbidding her from playing the piano and guitar. Her parents refused to support her in this, leading her to play piano for money and eventually form her own band. She later met another man with whom she had a child and then left again. Eventually, she settled down with a young man who was 36 years younger than her, telling people he was her son in order to relieve some of the societal disapproval of their relationship. Whether or not you agree with the choices she made in her life, she clearly refused to let the pressures of society dictate who and how she would be in her lifetime, and as a result, she was able to compose and perform a wonderful array of music. If you have time, you should read through the two research links I share below. She is really quite interesting.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Music Mondays: Alexander's Ragtime Band, performed by Prince's Orchestra
Music Mondays: February 7
"Alexander’s Ragtime Band," performed by Prince’s Orchestra
"Alexander’s Ragtime Band," performed by Prince’s Orchestra
Lyrics and music by Irving Berlin (1902)
I’m sure plenty of people have actually heard this song before, perhaps not realizing just how old it is. It was written by Irving Berlin in 1911, though there has been some speculation about how much of the tune he derived from other sources/composers, including an important part of the melody claimed by Scott Joplin. At any rate, the song became a huge hit, after being picked up and recorded by the popular vaudeville singer, Emma Carus. (You can see on the sheet music in the video that Berlin actually credited her for this on the cover page.) Interestingly, though the song is not really a traditional rag, it revived interest in ragtime music, which had been waning after its introduction in the 1890s. The song remained popular through the 1950s and even inspired a movie of the same name in 1939.
This instrumental version is by Prince’s Orchestra, which was formed by Charles Adams Prince in 1905, largely to record music for Columbia recording house’s disc releases. I found this interesting because I didn’t know that recording houses used to have symphonic bands and orchestras specifically to record their music. I have only ever seen music that was recorded by philharmonic orchestras and the like (i.e. New York Philharmonic). I’ll note that the recording sounds more like a symphonic band than an orchestra to me (I can’t hear any strings), so I wonder if it was actually Prince’s Band. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this version and this first week in the 1910s.
(Research links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander%27s_Ragtime_Band
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_A._Prince)
I’m sure plenty of people have actually heard this song before, perhaps not realizing just how old it is. It was written by Irving Berlin in 1911, though there has been some speculation about how much of the tune he derived from other sources/composers, including an important part of the melody claimed by Scott Joplin. At any rate, the song became a huge hit, after being picked up and recorded by the popular vaudeville singer, Emma Carus. (You can see on the sheet music in the video that Berlin actually credited her for this on the cover page.) Interestingly, though the song is not really a traditional rag, it revived interest in ragtime music, which had been waning after its introduction in the 1890s. The song remained popular through the 1950s and even inspired a movie of the same name in 1939.
This instrumental version is by Prince’s Orchestra, which was formed by Charles Adams Prince in 1905, largely to record music for Columbia recording house’s disc releases. I found this interesting because I didn’t know that recording houses used to have symphonic bands and orchestras specifically to record their music. I have only ever seen music that was recorded by philharmonic orchestras and the like (i.e. New York Philharmonic). I’ll note that the recording sounds more like a symphonic band than an orchestra to me (I can’t hear any strings), so I wonder if it was actually Prince’s Band. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this version and this first week in the 1910s.
(Research links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander%27s_Ragtime_Band
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_A._Prince)
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Music Mondays: Draw the Circle Wide, Music by Mark Miller; Lyrics by Gordon Light
January 31
"Draw the Circle Wide," Music by Mark Miller, Words by Gordon Light
I know this is a day late, but life things happened that made it hard for me to post on Monday.
Welcome to the first 5th Monday of the month! When I was a teenager in church choir, we used to have fundraisers for our choir tour every 5th Sunday. When I conceived of the idea to focus on songs from different decades each month, I decided that on every 5th Monday in a month (happens quarterly), I would upload a song that *I* wanted to do for my own enjoyment. So this week, you get to hear “Draw the Circle Wide,” music by Mark Miller. I had the incredible fortune (and pleasure) of working with Mark while I was in seminary, as he was the resident musician (and professor) of the chapel at that time. Not only is he an incredible musician and composer, he is a fantastic human being, and I will be forever grateful that I got to know him and experience his music firsthand for those seminary years. I also took several of his classes while in seminary and really enjoyed them, as well.
Anyway, I chose this particular song for a few reasons. 1) I love the harmonies and wanted an opportunity to sing them again. 2) It’s been in my head lately, and I wanted to work on it. 3) I feel like it’s a good concept to keep in mind as we head into the rest of the year. These pandemic years have been hard on pretty much everyone. We’ve had to isolate in ways that we never imagined, but in the midst of it, and all the pain and difficulties that the pandemic has brought for people around the world, we need to remember to draw the circle of love and inclusion wide. There were times in my childhood when I felt excluded, and that made me really sensitive to others’ inclusion. I remember times when I would be standing in a circle talking with people and notice someone standing on the outside. I would say, “Hey everyone! Widen the circle so this person can join!” We need to practice being aware of these people standing at the edges as adults and in our world, as well.
"Draw the Circle Wide," Music by Mark Miller, Words by Gordon Light
I know this is a day late, but life things happened that made it hard for me to post on Monday.
Welcome to the first 5th Monday of the month! When I was a teenager in church choir, we used to have fundraisers for our choir tour every 5th Sunday. When I conceived of the idea to focus on songs from different decades each month, I decided that on every 5th Monday in a month (happens quarterly), I would upload a song that *I* wanted to do for my own enjoyment. So this week, you get to hear “Draw the Circle Wide,” music by Mark Miller. I had the incredible fortune (and pleasure) of working with Mark while I was in seminary, as he was the resident musician (and professor) of the chapel at that time. Not only is he an incredible musician and composer, he is a fantastic human being, and I will be forever grateful that I got to know him and experience his music firsthand for those seminary years. I also took several of his classes while in seminary and really enjoyed them, as well.
Anyway, I chose this particular song for a few reasons. 1) I love the harmonies and wanted an opportunity to sing them again. 2) It’s been in my head lately, and I wanted to work on it. 3) I feel like it’s a good concept to keep in mind as we head into the rest of the year. These pandemic years have been hard on pretty much everyone. We’ve had to isolate in ways that we never imagined, but in the midst of it, and all the pain and difficulties that the pandemic has brought for people around the world, we need to remember to draw the circle of love and inclusion wide. There were times in my childhood when I felt excluded, and that made me really sensitive to others’ inclusion. I remember times when I would be standing in a circle talking with people and notice someone standing on the outside. I would say, “Hey everyone! Widen the circle so this person can join!” We need to practice being aware of these people standing at the edges as adults and in our world, as well.
Monday, January 24, 2022
Music Mondays: In the Good Old Summertime, Music by George Evans; Lyrics by Ren Shields
January 24
In the Good Old Summertime, Music by George Evans; Lyrics by Ren Shields (1902)
This piece was originally published in Tin Pan Alley (see previous Music Monday post!), but it had trouble gaining ground. A popular actress of the day, Blanche Ring, pushed to get it included in her musical comedy show, in which it became immensely popular. It continued to gain popularity and was covered by many singers up through the 1950s, and the melody and a variation of the lyrics are even used in Baylor University’s school song. I include this one not only because it was so popular, but because it represents another commonality in this era - many songs became popular through their inclusion in musical theatre. Of course, we still see this today, though we have the added media of movies that help spring songs to popularity. In general, I feel like nowadays, songs from movies tend to get more popular than songs from Broadway, though there’s always the exception. It continued to be popular throughout the 1950s, partly due to its inclusion in a 1949 movie of the same name, starring Judy Garland.
In looking through popular songs from this era, I found that quartets (think barbershop quartet) were quite popular, too, so this recording is another good example of early 1900s popular music. I also thought those of us in the Northern hemisphere might enjoy thinking about the summer in the middle of winter. (We got snow again last night where I live.)
Youtube link:
Baylor University school song, That Good Ol’ Baylor Line:
(Reference link: http://greatentertainersarchives.blogspot.com/2012/07/history-of-song-in-good-old-summertime.html)
(Top 40 of 1902 here: https://playback.fm/year/1902)
In the Good Old Summertime, Music by George Evans; Lyrics by Ren Shields (1902)
This piece was originally published in Tin Pan Alley (see previous Music Monday post!), but it had trouble gaining ground. A popular actress of the day, Blanche Ring, pushed to get it included in her musical comedy show, in which it became immensely popular. It continued to gain popularity and was covered by many singers up through the 1950s, and the melody and a variation of the lyrics are even used in Baylor University’s school song. I include this one not only because it was so popular, but because it represents another commonality in this era - many songs became popular through their inclusion in musical theatre. Of course, we still see this today, though we have the added media of movies that help spring songs to popularity. In general, I feel like nowadays, songs from movies tend to get more popular than songs from Broadway, though there’s always the exception. It continued to be popular throughout the 1950s, partly due to its inclusion in a 1949 movie of the same name, starring Judy Garland.
In looking through popular songs from this era, I found that quartets (think barbershop quartet) were quite popular, too, so this recording is another good example of early 1900s popular music. I also thought those of us in the Northern hemisphere might enjoy thinking about the summer in the middle of winter. (We got snow again last night where I live.)
Youtube link:
Baylor University school song, That Good Ol’ Baylor Line:
(Reference link: http://greatentertainersarchives.blogspot.com/2012/07/history-of-song-in-good-old-summertime.html)
(Top 40 of 1902 here: https://playback.fm/year/1902)
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
September 2021 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge: Back to School
Appropriate (for those of us in the States), September's motif was "Back to School," and it asked us to "Read a book with a school setting, featuring a student or educator OR read a book to educate yourself on a topic you’re interested in learning more about." I chose to read a book to educate myself on a topic I had been thinking about and read Half the Sky, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. This book had me alternately enraged and inspired. It focuses on women in developing nations and both the plight that they face and their efforts to improve their situations. There were chapters during which I felt incredibly angry at the world and other chapters during which I felt inspired to help. Sometimes the problems feel so large that they are insurmountable, but the authors do a great job of trying to provide concrete ways that you can help.
There is discussion of rape, prostitution, and other vicious violence, so it may trigger people who have histories with this. However, it is not "trauma porn" or whatever the term is. Indeed, the authors cite studies showing that when people hear about large groups of people suffering, i.e. "The women of XYZ country suffer rape at the hands of soldiers, who use it as a form of warfare," they tend to care less than when they hear specific stories about specific people. There is something about putting an actual name and personal story to an issue that makes people care more about the problem. So the authors use names and stories of women they have met in their journalistic travels to help tell their stories and impress their points. They also have some incredibly helpful appendices in which they share a whole list of organizations with which one can become involved to help women in the situations they describe in the book, as well as other resources.
One of my biggest takeaways from the book was the need to support education for women. Of course, education is important and should be available to all children, but there is an abundance of evidence showing that when girls are educated, poverty decreases and conditions for women (and everyone) improve. It really made me want to use my charitable giving opportunities to support education for girls around the world because this education is likely to improve all the other issues that they discuss in their book. Of course, that doesn't diminish the need to support other problems. For example, I was appalled to read about the state of maternal health in many developing nations. All women deserve basic care for their reproductive systems and child bearing, and some nations need support to improve those systems. However, some nations also do not fully grasp the importance of maternal health, and educating the women and girls in those nations will provide a group of citizens who will advocate for and make ways for improved systems.
I should note that the book is now over 10 years old, so it's possible that things have changed in the intervening time. Some of the figures are certainly outdated, and it's likely that some of the listed charities have changed. Sadly, I would guess that things have gotten better in a few places, worse, in some places, and stayed largely the same in most places. I would love to see an updated edition of the book with updated figures and resources. I found out the book has also been turned into a documentary, which is available on Amazon Prime, and it appears to be more recent than the book itself (which means it should have updated information on some of those 10 year old figures). I am planning to check it out soon, though I haven't yet had a chance.
Buy it here.
Monday, January 17, 2022
Music Mondays: The Mansion of Aching Hearts, by Harry von Tilzer and Arthur J Lamb
January 17
The Mansion of Aching Hearts, Music by Harry von Tilzer, 1902; Lyrics by Arthur J Lamb, 1902
Harry Von Tilzer started his own music publishing business in 1902, in the part of NYC known as Tin Pan Alley (read more about Tin Pan Alley here: Wiki Page). This was one of the first songs he released on his new label, and it became immensely popular. Sometimes people would have a chance to hear songs like this one in vaudeville acts or other stage acts in bigger cities around the US. More often, they would hear it on the radio, so generally, people didn’t have the option to play a song whenever they felt like it. However, this was a time when many people owned and played music on pianos in their homes, so sheet music was incredibly important in the music industry during this time. That’s why the music publishers in places like Tin Pan Alley were so important. It’s interesting to note that these publishers were often also composers, as in von Tilzer’s case.
I know I said I had intended to make my own covers of many of these songs, but 1) I haven’t felt the best this week, so it didn’t get done, and 2) I just feel like there’s something interesting about the original sound of these songs. However, I did find a lovely 2014 cover of this song by an artist named Rivers Rubin. You can hear his version here:
https://youtu.be/iYYJPdXiIjQ
And here’s a recording as it might have sounded back in 1902:
https://youtu.be/Tln8-EKotHo
If you love the song enough to try it yourself, you can download a copy here: https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1893&context=sheetmusic
(Research links: https://www.jewish-music.huji.ac.il/content/harry-von-tilzer)
(Top 40 of 1902 here: https://playback.fm/year/1902)
Monday, January 10, 2022
Music Mondays: Land of Hope and Glory, by Edward Elgar and Arthur C. Benson
January 10
Land of Hope & Glory, music by Edward Elgar, 1901; words by Arthur C. Benson, 1902
This was in the top 40 list I found for 1902, and it was one of two songs performed by a woman in the list. For most of us, the melody will be familiar as the one used in graduation ceremonies (“Pomp & Circumstance” is the title). The music was originally written by Edward Elgar in 1902; these words were written by Arthur C. Benson in 1902. This piece, also known as the “Coronation Ode,” was composed by Elgar, working closely with Benson, for the coronation of Queen Victoria’s successor, Edward VII, who appreciated Elgar’s music so much that he requested this composition. I’m not going to lie - I originally assumed this was for the US, since we are so well known for our patriotism, but it makes sense that a patriotic song would be composed for a coronation. A Youtube search showed me that this is still a popular patriotic song for many Britons. Also, dates in history are not my forte, so I didn’t actually know/remember that Edward VII was crowned in 1902. This song is a good example of how current events influence popular music of the time.
I’ve decided to share a Youtube recording of this for several reasons. One is because I think it really sort of needs the full symphonic band/orchestra behind it for the full effect, and I obviously cannot do that at home. Another is that I was able to find a recording of an old record (the description says it’s actually from 1902), and I think it’s interesting for us to be able to hear what music would have sounded like on a home player in the early 1900s. Finally, being only one of two women singers on the top 40 list I found for 1902, I want to give Ms. Thornton some air time. (Check out the lovely early 1900s portrait in the video as well!) It’s also interesting to me that the two women on the list both have this operatic style of singing, even though the other piece, “Always Do as People Say You Should", is from a musical. It makes me wonder if the most socially acceptable female singing voice at that time was the operatic style, as there seems to be more variation in the male singing style.
Also, if you were so enthralled with this piece that you’d like to download it and learn it yourself, it is in the public domain and can be downloaded here: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/5040/
(reference material: http://www.know-britain.com/songs/land_of_hope_and_glory.html)
(Here’s the top 40 for 1902 again: https://playback.fm/year/1902)
Land of Hope & Glory, music by Edward Elgar, 1901; words by Arthur C. Benson, 1902
This was in the top 40 list I found for 1902, and it was one of two songs performed by a woman in the list. For most of us, the melody will be familiar as the one used in graduation ceremonies (“Pomp & Circumstance” is the title). The music was originally written by Edward Elgar in 1902; these words were written by Arthur C. Benson in 1902. This piece, also known as the “Coronation Ode,” was composed by Elgar, working closely with Benson, for the coronation of Queen Victoria’s successor, Edward VII, who appreciated Elgar’s music so much that he requested this composition. I’m not going to lie - I originally assumed this was for the US, since we are so well known for our patriotism, but it makes sense that a patriotic song would be composed for a coronation. A Youtube search showed me that this is still a popular patriotic song for many Britons. Also, dates in history are not my forte, so I didn’t actually know/remember that Edward VII was crowned in 1902. This song is a good example of how current events influence popular music of the time.
I’ve decided to share a Youtube recording of this for several reasons. One is because I think it really sort of needs the full symphonic band/orchestra behind it for the full effect, and I obviously cannot do that at home. Another is that I was able to find a recording of an old record (the description says it’s actually from 1902), and I think it’s interesting for us to be able to hear what music would have sounded like on a home player in the early 1900s. Finally, being only one of two women singers on the top 40 list I found for 1902, I want to give Ms. Thornton some air time. (Check out the lovely early 1900s portrait in the video as well!) It’s also interesting to me that the two women on the list both have this operatic style of singing, even though the other piece, “Always Do as People Say You Should", is from a musical. It makes me wonder if the most socially acceptable female singing voice at that time was the operatic style, as there seems to be more variation in the male singing style.
Also, if you were so enthralled with this piece that you’d like to download it and learn it yourself, it is in the public domain and can be downloaded here: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/5040/
(reference material: http://www.know-britain.com/songs/land_of_hope_and_glory.html)
(Here’s the top 40 for 1902 again: https://playback.fm/year/1902)
Sunday, January 9, 2022
August 2021 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge: Bag of Tricks
August's motif was "Bag of Tricks," and it asked you to "Read a book featuring any kind of magic, illusion, super powers, or enchantments." I chose to read A Secret History of Witches, by Louisa Morgan. I really enjoyed this book. It walks through several generations of a family of witches and the good and bad that each woman experiences. It particularly focuses on the discrimination that women who practice witchcraft experience and how that affects current and future generations of women. It's also interesting to see how the choices the women make affect their futures and the futures of their children. Each woman discovers that there is a cost to their magic and has to deal with the consequences, which sometimes happen immediately and other times happen after years. The book is richly detailed, drawing me into the lives and settings, and I was impressed by how much information there was about the practice of witchcraft. I do not personally practice Wicca (which I think is the correct term for modern people who practice traditional witchcraft?), but the rituals and terminology in this book seemed to me to be correct.
The characters are relatively well-rounded, having both flaws and virtues, and most of them are likable and easy protagonists. The only true villains in the story are what can basically be called witch-hunters. Some characters are more likable than others, and the various ways in which mothers and daughters interact are well represented. I particularly liked the author's idea that each new generation has a whole history of forebears who go with her, providing help in their own way (sort of reminds me of the Christian idea of the "cloud of witnesses"). These forebears give their descendants strength to continue the craft and make it through difficult times in their lives. There are also some objects that pass through the various generations, which appeals to the romantic part of me that finds meaning in heirloom objects.
In general, it's a good book, and I would recommend it, especially if you have an interest in witchcraft and/or generational histories.
Monday, January 3, 2022
Music Mondays: "The Entertainer," by Scott Joplin
Welcome to Music Mondays for 2022!
I had the idea to try to learn more about music throughout the 20th and 21st centuries by choosing songs from each decade for the last 120 years each month. January will focus on a few songs from 1902. I will attempt to represent a variety of music from each decade, including at least one instrumental piece per month. For some songs, I will make my own versions, and for others, I will provide links for listening. I also plan to provide a bit of history for each song/decade so we can walk through the history of music (mostly in the US) together. I've used a top 40s list from here: https://playback.fm/year/1902, but I've also tried to focus on pieces that were actually published in the year on which I'm focusing. I hope you enjoy!
January 3 "The Entertainer," by Scott Joplin, 1902
I want to include an instrumental piece from each decade, if I can find a popular one, so we’re starting off with Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer.” Joplin published his first rag, “Maple Leaf Rag,” in 1899, which is when ragtime music started to become popular. “The Entertainer” was published in 1902. This was the first piece I ever played for an audience, and I have pretty much always loved it. The version I played was simplified for a still-learning child to play, but that didn’t ruin my appreciation for the piece. I cannot do the piece justice, so I am providing a link to a Youtube video that will play his entire “Ragtime” album, if you want. “The Entertainer” is the first piece, so you can just listen to that, but I recommend giving the whole thing a listen. It’s only about 35 minutes long, and ragtime music really does have a unique and enjoyable sound.
I had the idea to try to learn more about music throughout the 20th and 21st centuries by choosing songs from each decade for the last 120 years each month. January will focus on a few songs from 1902. I will attempt to represent a variety of music from each decade, including at least one instrumental piece per month. For some songs, I will make my own versions, and for others, I will provide links for listening. I also plan to provide a bit of history for each song/decade so we can walk through the history of music (mostly in the US) together. I've used a top 40s list from here: https://playback.fm/year/1902, but I've also tried to focus on pieces that were actually published in the year on which I'm focusing. I hope you enjoy!
January 3 "The Entertainer," by Scott Joplin, 1902
I want to include an instrumental piece from each decade, if I can find a popular one, so we’re starting off with Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer.” Joplin published his first rag, “Maple Leaf Rag,” in 1899, which is when ragtime music started to become popular. “The Entertainer” was published in 1902. This was the first piece I ever played for an audience, and I have pretty much always loved it. The version I played was simplified for a still-learning child to play, but that didn’t ruin my appreciation for the piece. I cannot do the piece justice, so I am providing a link to a Youtube video that will play his entire “Ragtime” album, if you want. “The Entertainer” is the first piece, so you can just listen to that, but I recommend giving the whole thing a listen. It’s only about 35 minutes long, and ragtime music really does have a unique and enjoyable sound.
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