On The Trail Of The "Buffalo Skinners" (revised version)

Now available on my website:

• http://www.justanothertune.com/html/buffaloskinners.html

The History Of The "English Guittar" 1753 - 1800

During the 1750s an instrument commonly called the "guittar"  became immensely popular in Britain. This was not a guitar as we know it today but a close relative of the cittern. I have tried to write a little history of this particular instrument that is now available on my website:

• The "Guittar" In Britain 1753 - 1800

New Song History: "I Once Loved A Lass..." - The Story Of The ”False Bride” And Her Forsaken Lover

There is a new song history available on my website Just Another Tune:

• "I Once Loved A Lass..." - The Story Of The ”False Bride” And Her Forsaken Lover

This is about a very old family of songs. The earliest examples - two broadsides and a tune - are from the 17th century. Today "I Loved A Lass" - first recorded by Ewan MacColl in 1965 (here at YouTube) - is quite popular among Folk singers. The song was also known under titles like "The Week Before Easter", "The False Hearted Lover", "The False Nymph", "Love Is The Cause of My Mourning" etc.

"Eileen Aroon" & "Robin Adair"

Now available on my website:

• "Eileen Aroon" & "Robin Adair" -
  A Chronological List: 1729 - ca. 1900

100 Years Ago: "Alexander's Ragtime Band" was published

Exactly a hundred years ago today one of the most successful and influential songs of the 20th century was registered for copyright (Kimball/Emmet, p. 30, see the sheet music at the Levy Collection):

• "Alexander's Ragtime Band; words and music by Irving Berlin. Registered in the name of Ted Snyder Co., under E 252990 following publication March 18, 1911" (quoted from Hamm, p. 112)

[...]

Come on a-long, come on a-long,
Let me take you by the hand
Up to the man, up to the man,
Who's the leader of the band,
And if you care to hear the Swanee River played in ragtime
Come on and hear, come on and hear,
Alexander's Rag-Time Band.

The song was introduced on stage by Emma Carus a month later on April 17 in Chicago (Hamm, p. 132) and it was first recorded by Collins & Harlan on June 7 for Columbia. I found this video on YouTube:

Since then then the song has been performed and recorded by countless artists. Among my favourite versions are those by Bessie Smith (1927, available at the Internet Archive)  and the Boswell Sisters (1935, also available at The Internet Archive).

Two of the more unusual recordings:

• mp3: Fred van Eps Banjo Orchestra (1912 c/o The Internet Archive) 
• mp3: Clayton McMichen's Georgia Wildcats (a Country-version from the 30s, c/o The Internet Archive) 

Literature

• Charles Hamm, Irving Berlin, Songs From The Melting Pot: The Formative Years 1907 - 1914, New York & Oxford 1997 (p. 102 - 136: the best scholarly piece on this song so far)
• Robert Kimball & Linda Emmet (ed.), The Complete Lyrics Of Irving Berlin, New York 2000
• See also Mark Steyn's fine piece, at the moment available at SteynOnline

A  while ago I have written a little bit about Irving Berlin's early songs for my website: 

• Irving Berlin And The "Rhythmic Ballad" (on: JustAnontherTune.com)