"Little Brown Jug" is a song written by Joseph Winner, originally published in Philadelphia in 1869 and credited to "Eastburn" (Winner's middle name).
In 1868 a song with the same title, written by George Cooper and W.F. Wellman Jr., was published by C.H. Ditson in New York. As you can see on the link below, this was another song.
In 1869 "Little Brown Jug" was published by S.T. Gordon in New York, claiming the song was written by Betta.
But nowadays most authorities accept Winner as the composer.
It was originally a drinking song. It remained well known as a folk song into the early 20th century.
The first version seems to be recorded by:
(o) Steve Porter (1900) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Nr 3 Hit US Charts
Released on Columbia Cylinder # 4617
This version is on my wishlist.
(c) Arthur Collins and Byron G Harlan (1903) (as "The Dude and the Farmer")
Recorded March 24, 1903 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Released on Victor Monarch 2116
Listen here (at around 2 min and 9 sec on the soundfile below):
(c) Laura C. Herstein (1905) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Recorded September 4, 1905
Released on a Concert Brown Wax Cylinder (this was a home recording)
In 1916 the Victory Mixed Chorus sang "Little Brown Jug" as part of a medley.
(c) Victory Mixed Chorus (1916) (part of the "Songs of the Past No. 20" medley)
Recorded June 28, 1916 in Camden, New Jersey
Released on Victor 35585
Listen here (at around 3 minutes on the sounfile below):
Like many songs which make reference to alcoholic beverages, it enjoyed new popularity during the Prohibition era.
(c) Henry Whitter (1924) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Recorded in New York on February 26, 1924
Released on OKEH 40063
Listen here:
(c) George Reneau (1924) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Recorded in April 18, 1924 in New York.
George Reneau: harmonica/guitar and Gene Austin: vocals/calls
Released on Vocalion 14812
Listen here:
(c) Riley Puckett and Clayton McMichen (1927) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Recorded in Atlanta, GA on April 2, 1927
Released on Columbia 15232
Unlike what it says in the next YT, this version is by Riley Puckety and Clayton McMichen.
In 1939, bandleader Glenn Miller recorded and broadcast his swing instrumental arrangement of the tune with great success, and the number became one of the best known orchestrations of the American Big Band era. His version did not have the lyrics.
(c) Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (1939) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Nr 10 Hit USA Charts
Recorded April 10, 1939
Released on Bluebird B-10286
Listen here:
In the 1948 Famous Studios Screen Song animated short titled "Little Brown Jug", a "bouncing ball" cartoon, it is sung with the music credited to Winston Sharples and entirely new lyrics by Buddy Kaye.
"Little Brown Jug" starts around 4 minutes in the next YT
(c) Richie Blackmore (1965) (as "Little Brown Jug")
Released on Oriole CB 314
(c) Jive Bunny (1989) (part of the "Swing The Mood" medley)
Nr 1 Hit UK)
Listen here (at 4 min and 50 sec in the YT below)
The same melody was used for the song "My Ding-a-Ling" written by Dave Bartholomew in 1952, which became a Number 1 hit in 1972 for Chuck Berry.
(c) Dave Bartholomew (1952) (as "My Ding-A-Ling")
Recorded January 1952
Listen here:
A few months later when Bartholomew moved to Imperial Records, he re-recorded the song under the new title, "Little Girl Sing Ting-a-Ling".
Listen here:
In the summer of 1954 Dave Bartholomew produced a version by The Spiders, which was titled "The Real Thing", which, lyrically, was clearly derived from "My Ding-A-Ling"
(c) The Spiders (1954) (as "The Real Thing")
Listen here:
Only one month later, also in 1954 Dave Bartholomew produced a version by The Bees, which was titled "Toy Bell".
The Bees' "Toy Bell" was more or less the version, which Chuck Berry used for his 1972 live-version, that was a US No 1 Hit.
(c) The Bees (1954) (as "Toy Bell")
Listen here:
Before the famous 1972 live-version, Chuck Berry recorded a studio-version called "My Tambourine" in 1968.
(c) Chuck Berry (1968) (as "My Tambourine")
But the version which topped the charts was recorded live during the Lanchester Arts Festival at the Locarno ballroom in Coventry, England, on 3 February 1972.
The Youtube below is from BBC In Concert, first broadcast on July 22, 1972.
More versions here:
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