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The 1900's --- Music hath charm to soothe the savage beast or Make it RAGTIME!

CUDDLE UP A LITTLE CLOSER, LOVEY MINE was published in 1908. From the Broadway musical Three Twins.

Ada Jones and Billy Murray had a huge success with their duet recording of the song for VICTOR Records (catalog No. 5532) in 1908. They also recorded the song for EDISON Cylinder 9950, ZON-O-PHONE 5175 and INDESTRUCTIBLE 876. Imagine having a recording contract with 4 record companies at the same time and recording the very same song! :

 
Alan Turner had a hit in 1908 with a ballad titled AS LONG AS THE WORLD ROLLS ON:
 
SUNBONNET SUE would be a hit that would be recorded on all the major records labels of the 1908. Totally forgotten now, it is nice to ponder what will happen to the most of the "hits" of today:
 
LittleNipper said:
I take on this new thread with much trepidation. A lot is going on during this period (1900- 1909), and what was once modestly acceptable has often fallen on disgrace --- socially. Of course what was once disgraceful is often totally acceptable today. I do find that much of the Rap "Music" is just a seemingly four letter word triradial throwback to the MINSTREL ERA, where both blacks and whites dressed in "black" regalia and applied "blackface" --- acting out a stereotype. Today, the blacks and whites remain "au naturale" while dressing in a decidedly "URBAN" style, and applying the "N" word as a seemingly grand token gesture to past indignities... This is not to say all RAP is bad. It does have its influences; however, I fear that most Rap will eventually find itself forgotten. This genre of expression seems highly contemporary and area specific. It is the "voice of now!" As a result, what may seem highly apropos to what is presently happening, will likely find itself without any lasting relevance as we move into the future. It is like the antiwar songs of the mid 1960's and mid 70's. When the Vietnam conflict dissolved, the songs ceased to be relevant and with very few exceptions have all disappeared into obscurity. Rap has two major strikes against it: One, is that each work is tied to the performer. The performance are the thoughts and expression of that performer and that point in time...

Anyway, I do apologize. I ran off on a bit of a tangent. So back to the subject at hand. The year is 1900. There are basically three record companies, and one is about to change hands. The companies are, EDISON NATIONAL PHONOGRAPH COMPANY, COLUMBIA GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, and THE BERLINER GRAM-O-PHONE COMPANY (which will become THE VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY). The music recorded for the most part was influenced by BROADWAY, VAUDVILLE, MINSTREL SHOWS, SACRED CHURCH/REVIVAL MUSIC, TINPAN ALLEY, FOLK SONG, and RAGTIME. Actually, BLACK music was highly influential. And while some may find the stereotyping meanspirited, it could possibly be regarded as a little bit of a homage to Black style/charm. It must be understood that EVEN THE BLACK MINSTREL was expected to wear blackface, as did his white counterparts. They were playing a role that could be compared to the JAPANESE KABUKI, where the performers wore/wear very heavy makeup ---- very unnatural. So, here is were we are. Here is the number one song for 1900: This recording was originally a BERLINER reissued as a VICTOR. The sound isn't great and it wasn't much better when it was new as it was accomplished using an acid etching process that would change shortly.
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Opera was the most popular music the first decade of the 1900's.

That two mistakes in this post.
 
noonereal said:
Opera was the most popular music the first decade of the 1900's.



That two mistakes in this post.
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The very first million seller record was of Enrico Caruso singing Vesti la giubba ... (Due to the limitations of that time period, it took three recording sessions to accomplish this) It's a tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's 1892 opera Pagliacci. "Vesti la giubba" is sung at the conclusion of the first act for your information. I hardly imagine any aria (no matter how popular) being played on regular radio station of today. And it is even harder to imagine that public school students today even know what an aria is --- let alone heard one. Also, I might add that Sacred music was also quite popular.

However, in general, while Opera as very popular, so were Vaudeville and musical (Broadway) showtunes. And also John Phillip Sousa (the March King) was always a hit with any crowd no matter where he performed.
 
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LittleNipper said:
The very first million seller record was of Enrico Caruso singing Vesti la giubba ... (Due to the limitations of that time period, it took three recording sessions to accomplish this) It's a tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo's 1892 opera Pagliacci. "Vesti la giubba" is sung at the conclusion of the first act for your information. I hardly imagine any aria (no matter how popular) being played on regular radio station of today. And it is even harder to imagine that public school students today even know what an aria is --- let alone heard one. Also, I might add that Sacred music was also quite popular.

However, in general, while Opera as very popular, so were Vaudeville and musical (Broadway) showtunes. And also John Phillip Sousa (the March King) was always a hit with any crowd no matter where he performed.
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I repeat, Opera was the most popular music from 1900 to 1910.
Google is a friend if you don't believe me.
My guess, you simply don't want to admit you were wrong.
Peace
 
noonereal said:
I repeat, Opera was the most popular music from 1900 to 1910.
Google is a friend if you don't believe me.
My guess, you simply don't want to admit you were wrong.
Peace
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Sir. I've collected records from this period for years. I love acoustic recordings in particular for historical reasons. And while I have come across some operatic records from this time ---- for every operatic recording, there are literally scads of Sousa, Uncle Josh, Ada Jones, Billy Murray, John McCormick, and "barbershop" quartets to be discovered. And usually the Vaudeville, music hall, and music from Broadway productions, etc., are the most worn, while the operatic numbers are often as shinny as the day they were purchased. This is not to say that people didn't purchase records by Caruso, Elma Gluck and the like ----- but they were so much better enjoyed in the Metropolitan Opera House and not reproduced from the tin can sounding talking machines of that period. And often opera stars looked down on the phonographs and gramophones as vulgar misrepresentations of the human voice.

I give you an excellent word of advise ------- don't believe everything you hear on the Internet. Yes, people who could afford the ticket went to the opera, and it was a high mark of social standing among the influential circles of the elite ---- who often held season tickets (as one might have for baseball, today). But the records of the period reflected the tastes of the average citizenry who enjoyed singing and dancing and didn't speak either french, Italian, or German unless they immigrated from abroad. To them SNYDER DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW YOUR OUT, MY MARIACHI TAKE A STEAMBOAT, and MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME ---- were quite enjoyable. Peace to you also.
 
LittleNipper said:
Sir. I've collected records from this period for years. I love acoustic recordings in particular for historical reasons. And while I have come across some operatic records from this time ---- for every operatic recording, there are literally scads of Sousa, Uncle Josh, Ada Jones, Billy Murray, John McCormick, and "barbershop" quartets to be discovered. And usually the Vaudeville, music hall, and music from Broadway productions, etc., are the most worn, while the operatic numbers are often as shinny as the day they were purchased. This is not to say that people didn't purchase records by Caruso, Elma Gluck and the like ----- but they were so much better enjoyed in the Metropolitan Opera House and not reproduced from the tin can sounding talking machines of that period. And often opera stars looked down on the phonographs and gramophones as vulgar misrepresentations of the human voice.

I give you an excellent word of advise ------- don't believe everything you hear on the Internet. Yes, people who could afford the ticket went to the opera, and it was a high mark of social standing among the influential circles of the elite ---- who often held season tickets (as one might have for baseball, today). But the records of the period reflected the tastes of the average citizenry who enjoyed singing and dancing and didn't speak either french, Italian, or German unless they immigrated from abroad. To them SNYDER DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW YOUR OUT, MY MARIACHI TAKE A STEAMBOAT, and MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME ---- were quite enjoyable. Peace to you also.
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I repeat, Opera was the most popular music from 1900 to 1910 no matter what records you have personally purchased. In fact, as I said, it was not even close. Opera was wildly popular.

Learn what a logical fallacy is. You are making inferences based on your personal buying history not on industry statistics where the real answer would lie.
 
noonereal said:
I repeat, Opera was the most popular music from 1900 to 1910 no matter what records you have personally purchased. In fact, as I said, it was not even close. Opera was wildly popular.

Learn what a logical fallacy is. You are making inferences based on your personal buying history not on industry statistics where the real answer would lie.
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Opera never sold sheet music in the numbers of Tin Pan Alley . You can repeat all you wish; however, I would suggest you need some BEANO.
 
My personal favorite artists (Ada Jones and Billy Murray) would have yet another hit with WHEN WE ARE M-A-DOUBLE R-I-E-D in 1908:
 
Another Ada Jones/Billy Murray hit for 1908 was WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HAVE ME FOR A SWEETHEART: This is from the 1907 musical A YANKEE TOURIST.
 
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THE DUSKY SALOME was a comedic song featured in Mr. Hamlet of Broadway in 1908:

The fair Evaline was a ragtime queen
with a manner sentimental;
But she sighed for a chance at a classical dance
with a movement oriental.
When lovesick coons with ragtime tunes
sang, “Babe, you’ve got to show me,”
She’d answer, “Bill, you bet I will,
I’m going to dance Salome.
Oh, oh me, that’ll show me, For

CHORUS: [the music shifts to ragtime]
I want a coon who can spoon to the tune of Salome.
I’ll make him giggle with a brand new wiggle that’ll show me;
In a truly oriental style,
With a necklace and a dreamy smile
I’ll dance to the coon who can spoon to the tune of Salome.

One musical coon said tonight I’ll spoon
where the fair Salome lingers.
When she danced ’round the place he just covered his face
but he looked right thro’ his fingers.
He sighed “It’s grand my heart and hand
I’d give to see you do it,”
She only said: “Give me your head
I’ll dance Salome to it,”
I’ll woo it, that’ll do it. For4
 
At number 18 on the sales charts for 1908, we have from MADAME BUTTERFLY by Puccini

Finale Act I: O Quantiocchi Fisi (O Kindly Heavens) ​


Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini based on the short story Madame Butterfly (1898) by Long, which in turn was based on stories told to Long by his sister Jennie Correll and on the semi-autobiographical 1887 French novel Madame Chrysanthème by Pierre Loti. Long's version was dramatized by David Belasco as the one-act play Madame Butterfly: A Tragedy of Japan, premiering in New York in 1900, and moved to London, where Puccini saw it that summer.

Puccini wrote five versions of the opera. The original two-act version, which was presented at the world premiere at La Scala on February 17th, 1904, was withdrawn after a terrible premiere opening. Puccini did a major rewrite for three acts. This second version was performed on 28 May 1904 in Brescia, where it was a great success, It was this version that premiered in the United States in 1906, first in Washington, D.C., in October, and then in New York City that November ---- performed by the New English Opera Company (because it performed in English-language translations). In 1907, Puccini made his final revisions to the opera in a fifth version, now known as the "Standard Version."
 
In 1908 Enrico Caruso would have another operatic hit with LA DONNA E' MOBILE from Rigoletto first performed in 1851: As the opera progresses, the reprise of the tune in the following scenes contributes to Rigoletto's confused realization from the sound of the Duke's lively voice coming from the tavern (offstage) that the body in the sack over which he mocked was not the Duke after all ----- Rigoletto had paid Sparafucile, to assassin the Duke; however, Sparafucile had deceived Rigoletto by murdering Gilda, Rigoletto's beloved daughter, instead.
 
And yet again Enrico Caruso with Louise Homer would celebrate hit with II TROVATORE - AI NOSTRI MONTI (Home to our mountains) This was recorded on a 12" one sided Victor Record.
Il Trovatore ('The Troubadour') is an opera in four acts byVerdi to an Italian libretto, based on the play El trovador (1836), Antonio García Gutiérrez's most successful play. The opera's premiere took place at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on January 19,1853
 
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In 1908 the 1866 standard song WHEN YOU AND I WERE YOUNG MAGGIE would become a hit that year ----- sung by Will Oakland: The lyrics were written as a poem by the school teacher from Canada named George Washington Johnson from Hamilton, Ontario. Margaret "Maggie" Clark, three years his junior, was his student. They fell in love and during a period of illness, George walked to the edge of the Niagara escarpment, overlooking what is now downtown Hamilton, and composed the poem. It was published in 1864 in a collection of his poems entitled Maple Leaves. They were married October 21, 1864. Maggie's health deteriorated and she died on May 12, 1865. James Austin Butterfield set the poem to music and it became popular around the world. Here it is played on a 1905 Edison Standard Phonograph.
 
Ada Jones recorded song GOOD-BYE MOLLY BROWN.It was Maude Raymond who would record The VICTOR Record and have a 1909 English hit. This an celluloid INDESTRUCTABLE Cylinder Record from 1909
 
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One of the most popular records for 1909 was SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT rendered by the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet . In fact this VICTOR Record would reach number 1 that year. It's an African-American spiritual song. The date it was composed is unknown. Earlier performances by the Hampton Singers and the Fisk Jubilee Singers brought the song to wider attention in the late 19th century. J. B. T. Marsh included an early version of lyrics and score in his 1876 publication The Story of the Jubilee Singers, with their Songs. The earliest known recording of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot was recorded in 1894, by the Standard Quartette. The song applies thoughts on death to remind the audience of the glory that awaits in Heaven, where Christians believe they will depart this world of suffering and come to rest in their final home. Specifically, the text refers to the Old Testament account of the Prophet Elijah's ascent to Heaven in a chariot.
 
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One of the most popular songs written in 1909 and recorded that same year by Blanche Ring was a jolly song titled I'VE GOT RING ON MY FINGERS. It has become a song popular to this day around Saint Patrick's Day. This song was first performed it in The Midnight Sons, and proved so popular that it was carried over into the 1910's in The Yankee Girl. Here it is played on a VICTOR model III Talking Machine of the period. This oak machine has the early brass bell horn and boasts a duel spring for longer playing time.

And for you ADA JONES fans, here is her version also from the same year and very popular! https://www.google.com/search?q=ada+jones+sings+i've+got+rings+on+my+fingers&oq=Ada+Jones+sings+I've+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33i160l2j33i299.13054j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c1107475,vid:gdd5NHtdDuY And here also is Billy Murray's rendition from 1910.
 
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This song written in 1908, the YAMA YAMA MAN would become a smash hit for Ada Jones on VICTOR RECORDS in 1909. It became popular after Bessie McCoy's animated performance in a satin Pierrot clown costume with floppy gloves and a cone hat. At age 20, she was an overnight sensation on Broadway --- known afterwards as the "Yama Yama Girl". The show ran for 288 performances. The Yama Yama Man would be an urban legend. A tall dusky dude with hollow leering eyes and toothy smile ---- zombie like creep:

Here is GINGER RODGERS imitation performance of the YAMA YAMA MAN in the 1939 movie regarding Irene and Vernon Castle:
 
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