Thought it might be good to have a thread to discuss Twenties records that were either novelty songs or just plain fun. This is one of my favorites, sung by Frank Crumit. "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" (1927) supposedly helped popularize the scat phrase "vo-de-o-do," which was, as the lyrics attest, rather in vogue already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRDW30ujGCY
Twenties Jazz Age fun
- dachshundonstilts
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Twenties Jazz Age fun
"I feel so low, old chap, that I could get on stilts and walk under a dachshund." - Monty, It (1927)
Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
- dachshundonstilts
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Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
Ah, yes! Same songwriters, Yellen and Ager, as "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune"! And Harry Richman... did he marry Clara Bow or just get engaged to her?
"I feel so low, old chap, that I could get on stilts and walk under a dachshund." - Monty, It (1927)
- BettyLouSpence
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Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
They were only ever engaged.dachshundonstilts wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2017 10:47 pmAnd Harry Richman... did he marry Clara Bow or just get engaged to her?
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
~ Cicero, Letters to Friends, Book IX Letter IV
~ Cicero, Letters to Friends, Book IX Letter IV
- dachshundonstilts
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Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
Thanks!BettyLouSpence wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2017 2:23 amThey were only ever engaged.dachshundonstilts wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2017 10:47 pmAnd Harry Richman... did he marry Clara Bow or just get engaged to her?
"I feel so low, old chap, that I could get on stilts and walk under a dachshund." - Monty, It (1927)
Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
Both those songs are catchy and fun to listen to. If I had a neighbor singing the same thing over and over with a ukelele until 3 in the morning, I'd kick them in the vo-de-o-do, too.
Harry Richman sounds an awful lot like Al Jolson—he uses many of the same techniques and mannerisms (deliberately?) Also, the timbre of his voice sounds like Jolson.
Harry Richman sounds an awful lot like Al Jolson—he uses many of the same techniques and mannerisms (deliberately?) Also, the timbre of his voice sounds like Jolson.
Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
I totally agree! Maybe that style of singing was popular in the 20s.
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
- dachshundonstilts
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Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
I think those techniques were generally associated with the blackface minstrel style.
Here's an interestingly bipolar instrumental... with Joe Venuti on violin and Eddie Lang on guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXDaqKiP2-s
"I feel so low, old chap, that I could get on stilts and walk under a dachshund." - Monty, It (1927)
Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
I'd heard Joe Venuti on several recordings but didn't realize the full extent of his abilities until hearing this one. He was really quite an artist! He often performed with Adrian Rollini on bass sax. I'm pretty sure that's Rollini taking the break at :45. He would often play solos like that exclusively in the high register and then you could hear the low notes of the bass sax elsewhere in the accompaniment. I've heard that guitarist a lot, too, but don't know who he is.
Edit: I see you mentioned Eddie Lang as the guitarist—should read more carefully!
Edit: I see you mentioned Eddie Lang as the guitarist—should read more carefully!
Last edited by donnie on Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:10 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Twenties Jazz Age fun
Dad had tons of sheet music in his shop when I was little. He had some framed and put on the wall. This is one of them! Yes, we have no bananas!
https://youtu.be/MpbC_j5Xb4k
https://youtu.be/MpbC_j5Xb4k
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)