woensdag 30 maart 2022

Salome (1920) / Sal-O-May (1921) / Abat-Jour (1921) / Abat-Jour (1958) / Romeo (1961) / Salomé (1961)


In 1919 Robert Stolz wrote "Salome" (lyrics by Artur Rebner), the first European foxtrot, based on Salome, a Biblical character, and probably also based on Franzi Ressel 
In 1912 Franzi had married Stolz, for whose career she was important, since she created most of his chansons and hits of the time and took on essential roles in many of his operettas. Together, the two performed very successfully in various cabarets in Vienna (Hölle, Fledermaus, Budapester Orpheum, Simpl, Femina).
In 1919 she separated herself from pride and began a relationship with Otto Hein,  whom she married in 1923.
Otto Hein, owner of Wiener Bohème Verlag (Viennese Bohème publishing house), was not only a business partner, but also a good friend of Stolz. That he had run away with his wife to Rome, did hurt him so much, he wanted to go into the monastery. His friend Fritz Rotter prevented him from doing so.
On December 25 1919 Robert Stolz wrote "Salome", which would be one of his most famous songs. 
And with lyrics by Artur Rebner, in 1920 the song was still published by Otto Hein's Wiener Bohème Verlag, with a beautiful illustration by Gabor Von Ferenchich.
 


It would have been perfect for Franzi Ressel to introduce this song in the cabarets, but it was Viennese cabaret artist Karl Ujvári, who introduced it.


Already the next month an instrumental version of the song was recorded by Dajos Bela.

(o) Odeon-Tanz-Musik (=Dájos Béla) (as "Salome")
Recorded  January 1920 in Berlin
Matrix xxBo 7145-3
Released on Odeon AA 57714
 


Listen here:




A few months later a vocal version, with the lyrics by Arthur Rebner, was recorded.

(c) Odeon-Orchester mit Refraingesang (1920) (as "Salome")
Recorded August 1920 in Berlin
Matrix Xbe 2186
Released on Odeon 311469
 


Listen here:




(c) Odeon-Orchester (1920) (as "Salome") 
Recorded November 1920 in Berlin
Matrix xBe 2323
Released on Odeon 311512
 




(c) Zieh-Harmonika-Duette (1920) (as "Salome") 
Recorded January 1921 in Berlin
Matrix Be 2501
Released on Odeon 311610






(c) Favorite-Orchester (= J Schura Polischuk) (1920) (as "Salome") 
Recorded July 2, 1920 in Berlin
Lindström matrix 30572
Released on Favorite 1-329 and F 248


Also released on Harmonium H 1113-II

The same J Schura Polischuk orchestra recorded another version on September 11, 1920 in Berlin
Lindström matrix 30629
Released on Beka B 3190
Also released on Harmonium H 1116-II
And on Ekophon NS 1625
Also released on Beka 30629 (as by the Marion Orchestra)
 





(c) Kapellmeister Stern (1921) (as "Salome") 
mit seiner Künstler-Kapelle vom Hotel Adlon, Berlin 
Recorded October 1920.
Matrix: 294as
Label: 100280
Released on Polyphon Record #50158




Listen here:





The man who had introduced "Salome", finally made a recording of the song under the musical direction of the composer Robert Stolz himself.

(c) Karl Ujvári (1920) (as "Salome") 
with Favorite-Streichorchester under the direction of Robert Stolz
Recorded around July 1920 in Vienna
Released on Favorite 1-109



Listen here:




(c)  Streich-Orchester Joseph Birnbaum (früher "Palais de Danse") (as "Salome") 
Matrix J16F (=recording date September 16, 1920)
Released on Homocord 16093 
 

Listen here:




(c) Marek Weber mit seiner Kunstlerkapelle vom Esplanade (1920) (as "Salome") 
Recorded October 12, 1920 in Berlin
Matrix 2-2692-2
Released on Parlophon P 1099 and Okeh 3056


Listen here:




(c) Tanz-Orchester "Metropol" (Nicu Vladescu) (1920) (as "Salome")
Recorded end 1920
Matrix: 27889 (8at)
Released on Polyphon 30099 
Also on Reneyphone 30099
 






(c) Mayfair Orchestra (1921) (as "Salome")
Recorded January 20, 1921 in Hayes, Middlesex
Released on His Master's Voice HMV X-893
Also released in Italy as by Orchestra Mayfair on Disco Concerto Grammofono R-8219
 

Listen here:




(c) The Original Piccadilly Four (1921) (as "Salome")
Recorded February 10-12, 1921 in Berlin
Released on Homokord 16198 and Anker 1025
 





(c) Paul Biese Trio (1921)  (as "Sal-O-May")
Recorded July 19, 1921 in New York
Released on Columbia A 3494







(c) Joe Brown's Alabama Band (=Irving Weiss) (1921) (as "Sal-O-May")
Recorded August 1921 in New York
Released on Black Swan 2041




The same recording was also released on Claxtonola 40095, Famous 3089, Paramount 20095 and Puritan 11095 as by FRISCO SYNCOPATORS.



(c) Queen's Dance Orchestra (=Jack Hylton) (1921) (as "Salome")
Recorded August 30, 1921 in Hayes Middlesex
Released on HMV B-1259



Listen here:




(c) George Hofmann (1921) (as "Salomé")
Dutch lyrics by George Hofmann
Recorded January 1921 in Berlin
Released on Odeon 313511


Listen here:




(c) Kees Pruis (1921) (as "Salomé")
Dutch lyrics by Kees Pruis
Recorded on April 4, 1921 in Paris
Matrix: X-7-32051
Released on Zonophone #3277
 


Also released on Favorite 95377

Listen here:





(c) Joseph C, Smith and his Orchestra (1921) (as "Sal-O-May")
Recorded September 20, 1921 in New York
Released on Victor 18816
 





Or here:




(c) Lou Bandy (1921) (as "Salome")
Dutch lyrics by Ferry (van Delden)
Matrix K11E (=recorded October 11, 1921) in Germany
Released on Homokord 5480
 

Listen here:




(c) Broadway Dance Orchestra (=Louis Katzman) (1921)  (as "Sal-O-May")
Recorded October 18, 1921 in New York
Released on Edison 50874




Or here:




(c) Selvin's Orchestra (1921)  (as "Sal-O-May")
Recorded late October 1921 in New York
Released on Brunswick 2164









After decades in obscurity, the song suddenly became popular again in the sixties.
Early 1961 the Lucas Quartett from Germany had a # 20 hit in the German charts.

(c) Lucas Quartett (1961) (as "Salome")
with Eric Werner Orchestra
Recorded January 1961
Released on Polydor 24 463



Listen here:




After this German success, Jimmy Kennedy was asked to write English lyrics for Salome.
The English version was retitled "Romeo" and Petula Clark recorded it.
The song peaked at # 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1961. Despite peaking lower than her # 1 UK comeback hit "Sailor", "Romeo" earned Clark her first Gold record by selling 400,000 units in the UK. In Ireland "Romeo" reached # 2. 

(c) Petula Clark (1961) (as "Romeo")
English lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy
Released June 1961 on Pye 7N.15361


Listen here:




In 1961, Jean Broussolle, who had translated Clark's precedent hit "Sailor", also translated "Romeo" as "Roméo", which became Clark's first No. 1 hit in France on January 20, 1962.
In France the song was also recorded by Jean Broussolle's own group Les Compagnons de la Chanson, Dario Moreno and Rika Zarai, and Gélou.

(c) Petula Clark (1961) (as "Roméo")
French lyrics by Jean Broussolle
Released October 1961 on Vogue PNV.24.086





(c) Dario Moreno  (1961) (as "Roméo")
Released in 1961 on the next album:



Listen here:




(c) Rika Zaraï (1961) (as "Roméo")


Listen here:




In 1961 Jean Broussolle also arranged a version for his own group Les Compagnons De La Chanson.

(c) Les Compagnons De La Chanson (1961) (as "Roméo")
Released in 1961 on the next album



Listen here:




French rock'n'roll singer Gelou recorded a rocking version of "Salomé".

(c) Gelou (1961) (as "Salomé")
French lyrics by Jacques Battaille-Henri and Louis Lemarchand
Released in 1961 on the next EP



Listen here:




Flemish singer Rina Pia recorded a Dutch version of "Roméo", which reached # 3 on the Belgian chart in the autumn of 1961.

(c) Rina Pia (1961) (as "Roméo")
Dutch lyrics by Jan Remo and Van Aleda
Released on Barclay 60950



Listen here:





In 1921 Italian composer Cobianco had reworked the Stolz-composition (a new melody-line with the same meter) and with Italian lyrics by Ennio Neri, this version was introduced by Anna Fougez in 1921, 
 

This version was also sung by Gino Franzi.


And in 1923 it was also recorded in the USA by Eugenio Cibelli.

(c) Eugenio Cibelli (1923) (as "Abat-Jour")
Recorded October 25, 1923 in New York
Released on Victor 77192
 



Or here:




In 1958 "Abat-Jour" was provided with its original Stolz melody again. In addition Bixio Cherubini made some minor changes to Ennio Neri's original Italian lyrics from 1921. 

This "new" Abat-Jour" version was recorded in 1958 by Nilo Ossani and Aurelio Fierro.

(c) Nilo Ossani (1958) (as "Abat-Jour")
Released in 1958 on Astraphon PN-4113



Listen here:




(c) Aurelio Fierro (1958) (as "Abat-Jour")
Released in 1958 on Durium Ld A 6417



Listen here:




(c) Emilio Pericoli (1961) (as "Abat-Jour")
This version wrongly credits Cobianco /Neri --> Must be Stolz /Neri



Listen here:




(c) Milva (1962) (as "Abat-Jour")    
#37 hit Italy
Milva's version only credits Stolz  --> must be Stolz /Neri



Listen here:




(c) Henry Wright (1962) (as "Abat-Jour")  
#4 hit Italy
Henry Wright's version only credits Stolz  --> must be Stolz /Neri



Listen here:



Henry Wright's version of "Abat-jour" is prominently featured in the 1963 film "Ieri, oggi, domani": Sophia Loren, playing the prostitute Mara, plays Wright's record as the background music for the strip tease she performs for a client played by Marcello Mastroianni.

Watch it here:




The 1994 film "Prêt-à-Porter" featured Loren and Mastroianni in what was in effect a remake of the strip tease scene from "Ieri, oggi, domani", with Wright's "Abat-jour" again played as background music.



(c) Corry Brokken (1961) (as "Romeo")
Dutch lyrics by Stan Haag



Listen here:




(c) Squallor (1977) (as "Abat-Jour")
This version wrongly credits Stolz /Cherubini --> Must be Stolz /Neri


Listen here:

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zaterdag 26 maart 2022

Colby (1890's ?) / Choucoune (1893) / Yellow Bird (1957) / Don't Ever Love Me (1957) / Sonnenschein (1959)


"Choucoune" is a 19th-century Haitian song composed by Michel Mauléart Monton with lyrics from a poem by Oswald Durand. It was rewritten with English lyrics in the 20th century as "Yellow Bird". Exotica musician Arthur Lyman made the song a hit in 1961.

One of Oswald Durand's most famous works, the 1883 Choucoune is a lyrical poem that praises the beauty of a Haitian woman of that nickname. 

Here's a transcription of the original poem:  Choucoune

Michel Mauléart Monton, an American-born pianist with a Haitian father and American mother composed music for the poem in 1893, appropriating some French and Caribbean fragments to create his tune. 
The song "Choucoune" was first performed in Port-au-Prince on 14 May 1893.


Which French and Caribbean fragments could Michel Monton have used to "compose" the music for "Choucoune" ?

In Donald R. Hill's "Calypso Calaloo", published in 1993, we can read the following:
"The Haitian tune "Chaconné" is another well-known song borrowed by chantwells in the 1890s (from the melody of a song about a hot-air balloon that flew over Trinidad)." 
[Donald R. Hill, Calypso Calaloo, (Gainesville: Univ. Press of Florida, 1993) p.8] 

What melody of a song about a hot-air balloon could Donald R. Hill possibly mean ?

In John Cowley's "Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso" publihed in 1998, we can read the following:
"Stickney and Donovan's Great American Circus – balloon ascent and parachute descent Lord Executor's observation is of great interest in that versions of a song about Stickney and Donovan's Great American Circus can be traced to Martinique and Trinidad. 
The lyrics concern the activities of 'Professor' Colby, whose stunt was to ascend in an hot air balloon and, on reaching a great height, make a parachute jump from the balloon basket. Although New Era (8 November 1899) reported this Circus had arrived direct from New York, it is likely to have proceeded to Trinidad by staging performances island by island. This was a recognized pattern for performers of all sorts throughout the nineteenth century. Thus, Colby would have first presented his display in Martinique. In the French island (presumably at St Pierre, on the Savannah, by the Fort), a wind squall disrupted his first attempt. On the second occasion Colby achieved his aim, dropping by parachute, landing in the sea, and being picked up by boat. 
An appropriate Carnival satirical song, entitled  "Colby", was composed.
And the melody-line of the chorus in "Colby" is similar to the melody-line of "Choucoune"/"Yellow Bird"

The chorus of "Colby" is: 
Jusqu' Colby que lé badiné nous!
Jusqu' Colby que lé badiné nous!
Colby monté, Colby descende,
Colby tombé dans d' l'eau!
Colby monté, Colby descende,
Colby tombé dans lan me!

In English this means:
Even Colby is teasing us
Even Colby is teasing us
Colby goes up, Colby goes down,
Colby falls into the water
Colby goes up, Colby goes down,
Colby fall into the sea

The song was also published in 1930 on page 87 of the songbook: Le carnaval de St-Pierre (Martinique) : folklore martiniquais, 45 chansons créoles, 24 pages de texte, 53 pages de musique, recueillies de 1920 à 1925, par Victor Coridun.
 


But already in 1910 the song "Colby" is mentioned on pages 251 and 252 of the book Trente ans de Saint-Pierre written by Salavina (=Virgile Savane)




Versions were recorded commercially by black migrants from Martinique in France during the 1930s and the song remains well known in the islands.

Donovan's circus arrived in Trinidad on 4 November 1889. They set up on the patch of ground known as Shrine's Pasture (now Victoria Square) in Port of Spain. Colby carried out his first aeronautical operation the following Thursday. As in Martinique, this was aborted, but on 11 November, the balloon reached a height of 500 feet, and there was a successful parachute jump. The exploit and song associated with it was recalled by Patrick Jones, in recorded reminiscences of part Carnival songs, made in 1956. His performance is directly related to the Martinique song about Colby's bravura."
[John Cowley: Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso (New York, Cambridge Press, 1998) pp.119-120]

Patrick Jones: 
"Then in...early nineties, the...one Mr. Colby came here and give an exhibition by going up in a balloon [Cook: "Oh?'] and they sung this...that was one of the themes for the carnival".

Then he sings: 
Monseur Colby qui lé badiné nous.
Monseur Colby qui lé badiné nous!
Balon monté, balon descende,
Balon tombé dans d'l'eau!
Balon monté, balon descende,
Balon tombé dans d'l'eau!

(c) Patrick Jones (1956) (as "Colby")
Released on the album "Calypso Lore and Legend" (Road Recordings 5016)


The same album was re-released in 2006 on Smithsonian Folkways.




Listen here (after 2 min and 49 sec in the soundfile below) 


Or listen here (after 2 min and 51 sec in the YT below)




The first recorded version of the balloon-song "Colby" I could find, is by Maiotte Almaby.
She was born in France, but her parents were from Martinique.
Towards the end of the 1910's she followed her parents back to Martinique. Upon arrival; she obtained a position as a music teacher at the colonial boarding school (high school for young girls at the time.)
On October 15, 1921, she married Monsieur Marcel Almaby Athanase, public works engineer.
At that time, making an artistic career in Martinique turned out to be impossible; at the end of the 1920's, she decided to settle permanently in Paris.


(o) Mme Maiotte Almaby et son Orchestre des Iles (1937) (as "Colby")
Recorded November 25, 1937 in Paris
Released on Odeon 281.229
On the label it says: "Vieil Air de Saint-Pierre, Martinique".
 

Listen here (the chorus with the "Choucoune"/"Yellow Bird" melody-line starts at 46 sec in the YT below):




The first recording of "Choucounne", written in 1893 by Durand and Monton, I could find is by American dancer, choreographer, creator of the Dunham Technique, author, educator, anthropologist, and social activist, Katherine Dunham. 
She was born in Chicago in 1909, and in 1935, Dunham was awarded travel fellowships from the Julius Rosenwald and Guggenheim foundations to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, and Trinidad studying the dance forms of the Caribbean. One example of this was studying how dance manifests within Haitian Vodou. Dunham also received a grant to work with Professor Melville Herskovits of Northwestern University, whose ideas about retention of African culture among African Americans served as a base for her research in the Caribbean.
So she probably picked up "Choucounne" around that time and recorded it 10 years later in New York City for the Decca company.

(c) Katherine Dunham and Ensemble (1946) (as "Choucounne")
with Jean Leon Destine, La Rosa Estrada, Julio Mendez & Orchestra
Recorded November 8, 1945 in New York City
Released on Decca 40028 as part of 78 RPM album Decca A-511
 






Or here:




(c) Lolita Cuebas (1950) (as "Choucoune")
and Quarteto Astoria
Released on Quisqueya Records 108-A
 



A few years later Lolita made a new recording for Moses Asch's Folkways-label.


Listen here:




(c) Celia Cruz (1952) (as "Choucoune")
Recorded August 26, 1952 
Released in 1953 on Seeco 7231




Listen here:




(c) The Tarriers (1956) (as "Chaucoun")
Recorded end 1956
Released on Glory 45-254



Listen here:


The Tarriers also lip-synched the version above in the movie "Calypso Heat Wave" (1957)

Watch it here: (The Tarriers sing it at 1 hour 14 min and 10 sec in the YT below)




In the early 1950's Irving Burgie started writing songs based on calypso songs he had heard during his childhood, his mother being from Barbados in the British West Indies. 
Burgie began a career playing and singing in various clubs under the name Lord Burgess.

(c) Lord Burgess' Calypso Serenaders (1954) (as "Choucounne") 



Around the same time, in 1954, Lord Burgess played his first show at the Village Vanguard, where he was heard by a writer for Harry Belafonte's television show.
The next year Burgie wrote/adapted a traditional Jamaican folk song for Harry Belafonte, which became his signature song: "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)".
This was the start of a longtime relationship between Burgie and Belafonte.
Burgie co-wrote/adapted 8 of the 11 songs on Belafonte's 1956 "Calypso" album. 
The next year Burgie co-wrote/adapted 10 of the 11 songs on Belafonte's "Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean", one of them "Don't Ever Love Me", his English adaptation of "Choucounne", which, as we saw here above, he had recorded himself 3 years before.

(c) Harry Belafonte (1957) (as "Don't Ever Love Me") 
Recorded January 27, 1957 at Webster Hall in New York City.
Released on the album "Belafonte Sings Of The Caribean" (RCA Victor LPM 1505)



Listen here:




At about the same time, in 1957, the most popular English version of this Haitian song was written.
The version, "Yellow Bird", first appeared on the album "Calypso Holiday", a 1957 release by the Norman Luboff Choir, with Luboff having arranged the song in the calypso style that became popular in the English-speaking world in the mid-1950s. 
The lyrics for "Yellow Bird", by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, have no connection with the narrative of the Durand poem, other than the poem features the words "ti zwazo" (little bird) in its refrain, and so the original Haitian song is sometimes called "Ti Zwazo" or "Ti Zwezo".

(c) Norman Luboff Choir (1957) (as "Yellow Bird")
Recorded February 1957
Released in April 1957 on the album "Calypso Holiday"



Listen here:



The German version by Caterina Valente and Silvio Francesco, with lyrics by Kurt Hertha, was a Top 10 Hit in the German charts.

(c) Caterina und Silvio (1959) (as "Sonnenschein")
German lyrics by Kurt Hertha
Released on Decca D 18 936


Listen here:



After the German success, 2 years later, Kurt Hertha decided to write another, different German version. 

(c) Ilse Werner (1961) (as "Kleiner Fink")
German lyrics by Kurt Hertha.
Relaesed on Ariola 45 193 A


Listen here:



And in 1980 Kurt Hertha wrote yet another different German version for Rex Gildo.

(c) Rex Gildo (1980) (as "Zwei Wie Wir")
German lyrics by Kurt Hertha.
Released on teh album "Hello Jamaica".




Its most successful incarnation of the song came in the summer of 1961 when Arthur Lyman reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the newly formed Easy Listening chart with their Hawaiian-flavored instrumental version, which bested a rival instrumental single release by Lawrence Welk (number 61).

(c) Arthur Lyman (1961) (as "Yellow Bird")
Released early 1961 on the album "Percussion Spectacular" 


Listen here:




In 1970, Fairport Convention played the song live at the L.A. Troubadour.
This throwaway version was finally released in 1977.

(c) Fairport Convention (1970) (as "Yellow Bird")
Recorded September 1970 live at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, CL



Listen here:





More cover-versions of Colby / Choucoune / Yellow Bird:





Already in 1932 a Colby related song was recorded by Leona Gabriel

Although the orchestra is from Guadeloupe on the label, the biguine "Célestin Roi Diable", recorded in July 1932, is one hundred percent Martiniquan since it is a political song making fun of one of the mayors of Saint-Pierre before the 1902 disaster. 
It is Miss Estrella, alias Léona Gabriel, who gives us the lyrics, ending her song with the chorus composed in honor of Colby, this American aeronaut who amazed the inhabitants of Saint Pierre with his hot air balloon.

(c) L'Orchestre Guadeloupéen A. Kindou (1932) (as "Célestin Roi Diable")
chante par Mlle Estrella (=Leona Gabriel)
Recorded August 1932 in Paris




Listen here:





NB: some sources trace the melody back to an old French chanson from the Anjou region: "Non, Non, Non, Je Ne Marierai Pas". Till now I didn't find any proof for that.



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