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In the 1860s, when the American Civil War breaks out with the racist slave trade at stake, North America had already turned into an unprecedented cultural melting pot. In any case, the movement of populations to the “New World” (sometimes forcibly and sometimes voluntarily) and the multinational settlement and colonization was a constant condition that started from the 16th century and defined the history of the continent. In essence, the now post-Civil War presidential confederation of states, the United States of America, is a microcosm of the globe: a “successful Babel”. Naturally, a unique syncretism also dominates in the field of music. The genesis of discography builds a condition that favors conversation and osmosis between the innumerable ethno-cultural groups that make up the population. These processes will lead to the reinterpretation, updating and renewal of old musical trends that arrive in the United States, and, at the same time, to their re-exportation to the “old worlds”, thus setting up a uniquely multi-layered network. Richard Spottswood’s now monumental multi-volume work “Ethnic Music on Records” vividly reflects the extraordinary record production in the USA. This “convergence” of geographical coordinates is often accompanied by another one, the “convergence” of internal cultural “coordinates”. These are the fields of scholar and popular music, which enter into a creative dialogue in a variety of ways, and often introduce in-between and/or new “places”. The contribution of forcibly transported slaves from the African continent to the musical scene of America, and especially their role in the formation of the genres that are now considered as part of the “national music of the USA”, was more than crucial. Folk, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, soul, jazz, fox trot, rock ‘n roll, charleston, minstrel show, but also symphonic music, waltz, tango, music for the cinema, Italian, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish-speaking and other idioms are recorded and flood the global record market. In this endless body of recordings, we come across instances where Greek-speaking musicians arrange American songs. This appropriation is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they has nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms and in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition and aesthetics, based on their own capabilities and needs.
This recording is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the American song "Yes Sir! That's my Baby", set to music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Gus Kahn.
The musical score was published in New York in 1925 by Irving Berlin Inc.
One of the earliest recordings of the song was made by Gene Austin and Billy "Uke" Carpenter on April 24, 1925, in New York, for Victor (B-32469 - 19656-B). Many covers followed in the same year, but also later, in American and English-speaking discography (see here and here).
The song was a global hit, has been recorded and arranged many times in historical discography, in various forms, languages and locations. For example:
- Jack Hylton and his Orchestra, Hayes, London, June 30, 1925 (HMV Bb-6269-2 - B-2110).
- "Yes Sir! That's my Baby (Küß mich Schnucki-Putzi)", Kapelle Sándor Józsi, Berlin, December 12, 1925 (Odeon Be 4918 - O-3306/A 44669).
- "Yes Sir, Zi iz Mein Kalleh", Peisachke Burstein, New York, December 1925 (Columbia W 106158-2 - 8099-F).
- Gramola Orchester, Vienna, January 27, 1926 (Gramophone BJ 163-1 - 3-940860 AM394).
- "Si, Señor, esa es mi Niña!", Mariano Meléndez, New York, January 29, 1926 (Victor BVE-34377 - 78560).
- "Tak! Panie, to mój dzieciak", Ignacy Ulatowski, New York, July 1926 (Columbia 106983 - 18155-F).
- "Chacun son truc", Maurice Chevalier, probably in Paris, 1926 (Pathé 200439 - 4284).
- "Chacun son truc", M. Louis Lynel, Belgium, 192? (Chantal De Luxe J.M. 682 - 530).
- "ياللي مراتك تحكم فيك", Henri Ould Saud, Paris, 1929 (Perfectaphone 4231 - 4231 - 60.002).
- Peter Rasmussen Och Hans Kvintett, Copenhagen, January 13, 1944 (Sonora Swing 628 - 2246 C NJK).
- Pia Beck En Haar Trio, Netherlands, 1951 (Decca XQ1035NL - M. 33025).
- "Lola", Duo Fasano, Italy, 1951 (Cetra 54485 - DC 52390)
- Fyra Fly-Fingrade Filurer, Stockholm, August 29, 1952 (Musica M 3586 - A-137).
- "Sim senhor e minha pequena", Antônio Bruno, Brazil, 1957 (Continental 11922 - 17466-b).
The presence of the song mostly in American cinema is also noteworthy. So far, it has been featured on the soundtrack of more than ten films, the earliest being "Broadway" (1942) and the most recent being "Dancing at Lughnasa" (1998).
In Greek historical discography, the song was recorded by Giorgos Vidalis (present recording) and Tetos Dimitriadis.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
In the 1860s, when the American Civil War breaks out with the racist slave trade at stake, North America had already turned into an unprecedented cultural melting pot. In any case, the movement of populations to the “New World” (sometimes forcibly and sometimes voluntarily) and the multinational settlement and colonization was a constant condition that started from the 16th century and defined the history of the continent. In essence, the now post-Civil War presidential confederation of states, the United States of America, is a microcosm of the globe: a “successful Babel”. Naturally, a unique syncretism also dominates in the field of music. The genesis of discography builds a condition that favors conversation and osmosis between the innumerable ethno-cultural groups that make up the population. These processes will lead to the reinterpretation, updating and renewal of old musical trends that arrive in the United States, and, at the same time, to their re-exportation to the “old worlds”, thus setting up a uniquely multi-layered network. Richard Spottswood’s now monumental multi-volume work “Ethnic Music on Records” vividly reflects the extraordinary record production in the USA. This “convergence” of geographical coordinates is often accompanied by another one, the “convergence” of internal cultural “coordinates”. These are the fields of scholar and popular music, which enter into a creative dialogue in a variety of ways, and often introduce in-between and/or new “places”. The contribution of forcibly transported slaves from the African continent to the musical scene of America, and especially their role in the formation of the genres that are now considered as part of the “national music of the USA”, was more than crucial. Folk, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, soul, jazz, fox trot, rock ‘n roll, charleston, minstrel show, but also symphonic music, waltz, tango, music for the cinema, Italian, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish-speaking and other idioms are recorded and flood the global record market. In this endless body of recordings, we come across instances where Greek-speaking musicians arrange American songs. This appropriation is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they has nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms and in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition and aesthetics, based on their own capabilities and needs.
This recording is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the American song "Yes Sir! That's my Baby", set to music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Gus Kahn.
The musical score was published in New York in 1925 by Irving Berlin Inc.
One of the earliest recordings of the song was made by Gene Austin and Billy "Uke" Carpenter on April 24, 1925, in New York, for Victor (B-32469 - 19656-B). Many covers followed in the same year, but also later, in American and English-speaking discography (see here and here).
The song was a global hit, has been recorded and arranged many times in historical discography, in various forms, languages and locations. For example:
- Jack Hylton and his Orchestra, Hayes, London, June 30, 1925 (HMV Bb-6269-2 - B-2110).
- "Yes Sir! That's my Baby (Küß mich Schnucki-Putzi)", Kapelle Sándor Józsi, Berlin, December 12, 1925 (Odeon Be 4918 - O-3306/A 44669).
- "Yes Sir, Zi iz Mein Kalleh", Peisachke Burstein, New York, December 1925 (Columbia W 106158-2 - 8099-F).
- Gramola Orchester, Vienna, January 27, 1926 (Gramophone BJ 163-1 - 3-940860 AM394).
- "Si, Señor, esa es mi Niña!", Mariano Meléndez, New York, January 29, 1926 (Victor BVE-34377 - 78560).
- "Tak! Panie, to mój dzieciak", Ignacy Ulatowski, New York, July 1926 (Columbia 106983 - 18155-F).
- "Chacun son truc", Maurice Chevalier, probably in Paris, 1926 (Pathé 200439 - 4284).
- "Chacun son truc", M. Louis Lynel, Belgium, 192? (Chantal De Luxe J.M. 682 - 530).
- "ياللي مراتك تحكم فيك", Henri Ould Saud, Paris, 1929 (Perfectaphone 4231 - 4231 - 60.002).
- Peter Rasmussen Och Hans Kvintett, Copenhagen, January 13, 1944 (Sonora Swing 628 - 2246 C NJK).
- Pia Beck En Haar Trio, Netherlands, 1951 (Decca XQ1035NL - M. 33025).
- "Lola", Duo Fasano, Italy, 1951 (Cetra 54485 - DC 52390)
- Fyra Fly-Fingrade Filurer, Stockholm, August 29, 1952 (Musica M 3586 - A-137).
- "Sim senhor e minha pequena", Antônio Bruno, Brazil, 1957 (Continental 11922 - 17466-b).
The presence of the song mostly in American cinema is also noteworthy. So far, it has been featured on the soundtrack of more than ten films, the earliest being "Broadway" (1942) and the most recent being "Dancing at Lughnasa" (1998).
In Greek historical discography, the song was recorded by Giorgos Vidalis (present recording) and Tetos Dimitriadis.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
