Silent Photoplay Forum

I agree that maybe quite a few were still using their old cylinders. I mean, there are still some people who use VHS, when we think of those as obsolete now!

Here's a lively ditty! Miss Trombone from Indestructible Military Band (1911)
http://www.library.ucsb.edu/OBJID/Cylinder4062

This one's pretty funny. It's garbled, but I thought it was pretty funny. Part of it is a slightly altered version of this folk song:

When I die, don't bury me at all;
Just pickle my bones in alcohol.
Put a bottle of booze at my feet and head;
If it stays there, you will know I am dead.

http://www.library.ucsb.edu/OBJID/Cylinder13167

They're having a grand old time, probably really drinking. I am going through the personal recordings.

http://www.library.ucsb.edu/OBJID/Cylinder12868

Although the words (to me) are unintelligible, you can still hear the melody. It is hauntingly beautiful!!!

This one is curious only because of the joke that is recited in the beginning. I didn't even get it. Hubby suggested that it could be a joke on where they keep those types of literature, you know, in the arctic where no one goes. WEIRD joke!

The bookworm asked the librarian, "Have you anything on polar and arctic exploration?
"Well, yes," answered the librarian. "We have cookbooks and periodicals."

http://www.library.ucsb.edu/OBJID/Cylinder16084

Edit: The man with the questionable sense of humor is Ralph E. Sunderland, who was a prominent man in Omaha. He worked with his brother for 30 years at The Sunderland Brothers Coal Company. He then became General Manager of Colonial Timber and Coal Corporation in 1919.
The Sunderland Brothers company is still in business, and is a leading dealer in timber and stone in Omaha.

There are so many from this family, all to their father/grandfather James Sunderland. I feel like I sort of know most of these people now. I think this one is super special, because this is clear and pure FUN that they are having. Laughing, having a great time and recording themselves saying Happy New Year! This one actually made me laugh out loud. This is the best one that's come out of this collection so far.

http://www.library.ucsb.edu/OBJID/Cylinder16099

Yes, those Sunderland recordings are very interesting, though I had a hard time making out some of what was being said on this last one. I didn't get the joke, either, but I'm going to do some more thinking about it. That Mary Morgan one was rather haunting and mysterious, wasn't it?

Got it! I had a vague memory of an explorer by the name of Cook. I looked him up, and sure enough... The periodical part took me longer to figure out. Apparently "Peary" is correctly pronounced like "Peery," or at least was then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Cook

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peary

donnie wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:45 pm

Got it! I had a vague memory of an explorer by the name of Cook. I looked him up, and sure enough... The periodical part took me longer to figure out. Apparently "Peary" is correctly pronounced like "Peery," or at least was then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Cook

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peary

I'm impressed!!!! The joke makes so much more sense now! Great sleuthing.

This is something I ran across years ago and was fascinated by, but have never thought to post it. It is thought to be the oldest surviving cylinder recording, made ca. 1878.

The second link gives some further detailed information about attempts to figure out exactly what is on it. It is an interesting—and to me at least—a slightly creepy thing to listen to.

http://www.tinfoil.com/cm-0101.htm

http://pong-story.com/lambert/