Exotica-Cool Strange Unusual Music Group

Exotica-Cool Strange Unusual Music Group
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Saturday, January 27, 2024

Remastered Rips of Vintage LPs...So Far...

If you came here from The Quiet Village podcast to find the remastered vintage LPs, then here's a set of links to the first ten blog posts in that series:

And don't forget to peruse the rest of our blog!


Monday, January 15, 2024

World Of Music

 Here are some pictures from home where I live surrounded by the music of many countries and many genres.Including 78rpms...45rpm...33rpm..CDs..Sheet Music. The history of music surrounds and comforts me as I pursue the next adventure or discovery in that world.









Saturday, January 13, 2024

Sheet Music Original Versions Part 3

 Here we have Are You Lonesome Tonight written in 1926 with 3 versus and a spoken bridge. Which was printed on the inside of the back cover. The Sheet music also comes with out the bridge printing. I have both.  First recorded  by Charles Hart in 1927..Also in 1927 Vaughn De Leath. both sang 3 verses but no bridge. Henry Burr in 1927 dropped the 3rd verse and no bridge. Then finally in 1928  Stanley Kirkby drop 3rd verse but sang the bridge "Yes you seemed to change you acted strange.......That 3rd verse added so much context. Thats why these early versions just are better. Its funny how the song changes in just a short period of time from the writers original intention.  Again as I've said before the original intention is usually the best.



 
Many others recorded the song through  the years. Above we have the Sheet Music for Elvis Presley's Version from April 1960. Initially he sang this in the studio with the lights out  with his band and the Jordinaires including the bridge. Initially he didn't like how he sang it. but agreed to one more take and that became the master.

Sheet Music Original Versions Part 2


 
Here we have the original sheet music of As Time Goes BY from the Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome  in 1931 sung by Frances Williams in the show. Great picture of her on the cover. The original song was sung with the beginning intro that puts every thing in perspective. Just adds to the song. Rudy Vallee recorded it in 1931 as well as Binnie Hale and Jacques Renard and then many others as the years went by. Most if not all dropped the intro.  ;(


 
 

Here we have the sheet music Of As Time Goes By from Casablanca in 1942. The Canadian version is red. It was sung in the movie by Dooley Wilson. No Intro. He was never able to record it because of the musician strike. In the movie the Piano was played by studio musician because Wilson was a drummer.


Monday, January 8, 2024

78RPM Rare Labels Part 2

 Here we have Rare 78rpm labels from Australia by the Intially known World Record(Australia) Pty. Ltd. in 1924 with name change to Wocord Limited in 1925.


First we have from early 1925 the Austral Record promoted as unbreakable they were pressed on a cardboard base that had a porous nature which when they became damp would fall apart. These lasted until October 1925. I included the VERY RARE  sleeves these would go into
Here we have the Wafer record A single sided Flexible record. They were very fragile and easily damaged by the heavy reproducers and steel needles. Very few have survived and are EXTREMELY RARE.

I count myself very lucky to have these in my possession.

 


Rare 78rpm Part 1

 Here we have RARE  labels from The Unbreakable Record Company from May 1928 to June 1928. These are flexible wafer type records and are VERY RARE!  The company only existed for 2 months.

The first is Aeroplane with great graphics. Initially 8 records were released. With 10 more slated for release in June.

Next .we have Golden Tongue which were recouplings of the Aeroplane issues.They were distributed by Craig Williamson Pty. Ltd. Melbourne.

Next After Unbreakable Record Company failed Clifford Industries pressed them in normal shellac for a short time in 1929.

Next in 1930 another patent was taken out for an improved record by Frederick Mitchell who had started the Unbreakable Record Company in 1928. It was Bellbird With Unbreakable across the top released in May 1930.

After a few months with financial difficulties another patent with improvements to the record. The company was changed to The Flexible Record Co. in Sept 1930..Again this  was a short lived label with the last releases in  June 1931.

For More Info see Sound Beginnings by Ross Laird


Saturday, January 6, 2024

Sheet Music Original versions

Shine On Harvest Moon from 1908 fairly hard to find. Sung originally in 1909 by Miss Walton & Mr. MacDonough, Ada Jones & Bill Murray and Henry Burr & Frank Stanley with the early stanzas sung before the familiar refrain which later versions eliminated,which is a shame because it always adds to the song.


I've Got The Love-Sick Blues from 1922 originally sung by Anna Chandler thenEmmett Miller in 1925 then Rex Griffin in 1939 he rearranged the lyric and chorus and its this version that inspired Hank Williams in 1948


Somebody Loves Me Originally sung by Winnie Lightner Unreleased live performance then in 1924 we had Isabella Patricola, Marion Harris and Cliff Edwards...all versions singing the early stanzas before the familiar refrain.  Later to be sung without the initial stanzas and played by many many artists 


Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody originally sung by Al Jolson In Sinbad in 1918 and Vernon Dahlhart in 1919. In the 50's Judy Garland, Jerry Lewis, Connie Francisand Brenda Lee among others recorded it


A Good Man Is Hard To Find from 1919 originally sung by Marion Harris & Ernest Hare then on 1927 Bessie Smith & Lizzie Miles. Has become a popular jazz standard. Later An answer song I'm The Good Man That Was So Hard To Find was released in 1920.

Friday, January 5, 2024

KING BEE 1ST Post

Hi...Just a little bit about myself. I am what you would consider an Historical Preservationist

and collector of many musical genres. Including 78rpm labels and sleeves from 1900 and 

onward. I collect Prewar US..Postwar US and from many countries around the world. 

Also collect sheet music from 1800's to 1950's. I enjoy determining the chronological 

order of sleeves and matching 78rpm label. I like to take a song and research its beginnings 

and variants. One of the best things is when you can have the original 78..the proper 

sleeve and original sheet music all match for a particular song. Some of these start 

 hundreds of years earlier. I enjoy Blues from 20's to the 50's, Jazz from 20's to the 40's,

Old time Country and appalachian from 20's to 50's, Folk, Rockabilly, Skiffle and 

DooWop, Lounge, Exotic, etc

Of course I have all of these as lps, 45rpm, cds as well. There just is so much great music

out there!! I hope to post more as i become more familiar with this site.

Keep the spirit of the music in you.

James