The Complete Victor Releases

The Complete Victor Releases

ASIN: B0007WHAMC

Track Listings

1. I Ain't Got Nobody Much

2. I'm Gonna Make Hay While the Sun Shines in Virginia

3. Don't Leave Me, Daddy

4. My Syncopated Melody Man

5. Paradise Blues

6. I Wonder Why (duet with Billy Murray)

7. They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me

8. Some Sweet Day

9. When I Hear that Jazz Band Play

10. Everybody's Crazy 'Bout the Dog-gone Blues But I'm Happy

11. When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France (rejected take)

12. When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France

13. There's a Lump of Sugar Down in Dixie

14. Mammy's Chocolate Soldier

15. Good-Bye Alexander (Good-Bye Honey Boy)

16. After You've Gone

17. For Johnny and Me

18. A Good Man Is Hard to Find

19. Jazz Baby

20. Take Me to the Land of Jazz

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Between 1916 and 1919, Marion Harris was the first female vocalist to record songs with "jazz" and "blues" in their titles. Performing the songs of African-American songwriters such as Creamer and Layton, Harris represents a pivotal moment in recording history, when ragtime and jazz met up. When she returned in 1927 to the label where she began her career, Marion Harris brought a new and understated style of singing to bear on hits that would become tomorrow's classics.

Now in its second edition, this collection of Marion Harris' songs has been completely remastered and features a bonus track, a rejected take of one of Ms. Harris' best-known songs, "When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France." The accompanying notes have been expanded to 20 pages, featuring several rare illustrations and new revelations about Marion's early life. Archeophone proves again why they are the leaders in reissuing acoustic-era material.

Tracks:

I Aint Got Nobody Much
Im Gonna Make Hay While the Sun Shines in Virginia
Dont Leave Me, Daddy
My Syncopated Melody Man
Paradise Blues
I Wonder Why (duet with Billy Murray)
They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me
Some Sweet Day
When I Hear that Jazz Band Play
Everybodys Crazy Bout the Dog-gone Blues But Im Happy
When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France (rejected take)
When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France
Theres a Lump of Sugar Down in Dixie
Mammys Chocolate Soldier
Good-Bye Alexander (Good-Bye Honey Boy)
After Youve Gone
For Johnny and Me
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Jazz Baby
Take Me to the Land of Jazz
Did You Mean It?
The Man I Love

Album Description

Between 1916 and 1919, Marion Harris was the first female vocalist to record songs with "jazz" and "blues" in their titles. Performing the songs of African-American songwriters such as Creamer and Layton, Harris represents a pivotal moment in recording history, when ragtime and jazz met up. When she returned in 1927 to the label where she began her career, Marion Harris brought a new and understated style of singing to bear on hits that would become tomorrow's classics.

Customer Reviews:

22 Pieces of American musical history.......2005-03-16

Once upon a time there was a fetching comedienne named Marion Harris whose name was well known to vaudeville audiences and record collectors, but it strikes no bells today. This was a serious loss until one of my favorite "bring back the golden oldies" companies, Archeophone, brought out 22 of her recordings on "Marion Harris: the Complete Victor Releases" (ARCH 5001A).

It seems she did not have a very good voice but what she had was just right for songs like "I Ain't Got Nobody Much," "They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me," "I Wonder Why" (a very early Jerome Kern show tune), and "When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France." What made her really interesting is that she was possibly the first white female performer to popularize songs and lyrics written by black artists such as Henry Creamer and J. Turner Layton.

As is true with many of the Archeophone compilations of music recorded at this time, there is some "racially derogatory language." What is one to make of a line that says a black will be a hero in wartime because his color will not run? This was meant as a high compliment-but is of course an embarrassment today. Still, as Archeophone said about an earlier release, we cannot ignore the sins of the past if it means suppressing historical material such as that on this CD. I would like to hear your comments on this subject.

The booklet is loaded with all sorts of background material and photographs about the singer and the songs, including "Victor Supplements," printed comments that the Victor company included with the original discs. Fascinating.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music