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 by F. Bakalis and Tetos Dimitriadis of the American song "The Gay Caballero" set to music and lyrics by Frank Crumit and Lou Klein.

The song was first recorded on October 2, 1928 in New York by Frank Crumit (Victor BVE-47583 – 21735-A).

The musical score was published in 1928, in New York, by F.B. Haviland Pub. Co.

The song became a hit and has been arranged and recorded several times in historical discography, in various languages and locations. For example:

– “Wesoły kawaler”, Fabian Okulski, New York, January 1929 (Columbia W110306 – 18314-F)
– “O cavaliere”, Giuseppe De Laurentiis, New York, January 1929 (Columbia W110323 – 14436-F)
– “Der lustige Kavalier”, Otto Kuster, Camden, New Jersey, February 1, 1929 (Victor CVE-49820). The recording was rejected and was never released.
– “El caballero alegre”, Juan Pulido, New York, February 4, 1929 (Victor BVE-49917 –  46104)
– “Ilonen cabaliero”, Arthur Kylander, New York, February 13, 1929 (Victor BVE-48357 – V-4019)
– “Der Galicianer cavallero”, Paul Burstein, New York, February 1929 (Columbia W110348 – 8185-F)
– “The gay caballero”, The Rexonians, Melbourne, June 1929 (Broadcast AZ312 – 430)
– “Don Juan”, Leif Amble-Næss, Copenhagen, January 17, 1930 (Gramophone 2136-2 – 30-2361, X3350)
– “Wesoły kawaler”, Jerzy Welin, Warsaw, 1931 (Syrena-Electro 22173 – 22173 – 6816)
– “El Lituano”, Max Perlman – Simón Tenovsky orchestra, Buenos Aires, 1929-1958 (RCA Victor 4288-1-P – P-1440)

The first six of the above recordings along with this recording vividly reflect the rapidly developing marketing strategy of the two major American record companies, Victor and Columbia. It is indicative that in a period of two months (January-February 1929) they planned to record the American song in seven languages (Polish, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, Yiddish, Greek, German), attempting to penetrate international markets and increase their sales. The ever-evolving recording industry proves to be centripetal: the decisions that are taken follow the policies centrally dictated by the managements of the companies and their subsidiaries. This entire environment, this entire layered landscape, becomes even more complex in America. There, “national” repertoires live a new, parallel life. This situation is not static and, to a large extent, is molded by discography, which attends to and “tunes” the overlapping relationships that have already developed in the “Old World”. Repertoires communicate with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe. The circulation of musics is already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours, but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography is not only embedded in this context, but also plays a key role in its transformation. This time, the network is adjusted in a programmatic manner, under new terms and via new paths.

In this context, Frank Crumit, trying to capitalize on the song's success, a year or so later recorded another song based on the same tune, as a sequel, under the title “The return of the gay caballero” (New York, September 30, 1929, Victor BVE-56163 – 22154-A).

As Stathis Gauntlett points out (Gauntlett, 2003: 32), this recording, the only one of the song in the Greek-speaking repertoire, was also released by His Master's Voice Australia under the number EB53 and is included in the Australian record catalog published by the company in 1934.

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis