Another Crass sense of Humor

I did a post a long while back about Russell Hunting's wonderfully crass sense of humor, which was very clear to understand by all of those smut cylinders that he recorded from 1892 to 1896, but I was digging through some of Spencer's talking records from 1898 to around 1903, and have found that Spencer's sense of humor was rather similar in many ways. 

Yep, it was him. 

I already had some notion that Spencer's humor was very similar to that of his recording friends, as from thinking of how much of a riot he was. His auction records are actually the best examples of his sense of humor, more so than one would think at first. They seem like they're just auction records, but they are actually also great examples of the real dark and rude humor that Spencer had, and all the others at Columbia had as well. He did most of these talking records with the assistance of Gilbert Girard, but at Columbia, he did some with yodeler Pete LaMaire. The first take of "An Auction Sale of a Bird and Animal Store" is the Edison take, and I particularly find the Edison take interesting, only because, well, it's Edison, and Spencer did not really work for them very much, as we know he was a Columbia fanatic. In 1902, Edison was finally able to grab him to work for them. Now the main reason I think that this take is interesting is because of how clear and ever so slightly different he sounds on this one than on most of his records, somehow, it seems that he sounds more realistic on this cylinder, and it truly catches all the tones and colours of his speech, more so than many records of his. 

Anyhow, here's that cylinder:

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr+1=1020&num=1&start=1&query=cylinder2641 

Spencer spoke in a wide variety of tones, it was really something that made him so agreeable to record buyers. Some of you might have been able to notice this idiosyncrasy in some of the records I have posted a while back, as it's all over his talking records, but not exactly in all of those many hundreds of songs. I may be Columbia-biased, but I must say, those Edison records that Spencer made in 1902-07 were actually the best examples of what Spencer truly sounded like. As we have all read somewhere that these records only paint a shadow of what these people truly sounded like(though I only half-believe that statement). Though, those Edison cylinders he made were not nearly as interesting content-wise as his earlier recordings for Columbia. Without a doubt, his Columbia's were more full of history and "clan" mirth, but the Edison cylinders caught the tones of his voice better than any other records he made. 

Anyhow, now to move onward to the Victor take of the selection in the link above. The victor of this is just as interesting, and it's great like always, because Spencer often added things in the dialogue, or said things in a different tones. That fact always makes for an interesting variety when digging through Spencer's talking records. Here is that record:

http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000606/Pre-matrix_B-1148-Auction_sale_of_a_bird_and_animal_store

Spencer must have really enjoyed making records with Girard. Especially these auction records, as every time I hear them, I know that Spencer's loving it. Speaking of Girard, I have been meaning to share this image here for a while:

Yep, there's the reason that Spencer had him on all of those auction records. Girard must have also been a real riot! 

Now back to the Victor record, the examples of Spencer's humor can be heard in these quotes here:

"Now, these cats are noted for their gentle disposition, why they'll actually eat off your hand!" 

and this one " they are gentle and affectionate--(cats begin to fight in the cage)"

a little later in the record, you can hear "Carrie Nation, Oh! Don't Axe me madam!"

"This monkey will eat anything, very fond of children!"

I like that he specifically puts emphasis on the final word here. How that joke is terribly wrong, and no one was supposed to laugh at it anyway, though he puts more emphasis on that one than the more common-type of jokes that he tells on the record. That says something about him doesn't it. Now if you listen to the very end of the record, after Girard does the parrot sounds, they left the record going too long and you can hear them beginning to talk at the end. That's always funny, even if it is more likely than not to be unable to understand the speech when this happens. 

You can hear the Columbia version(transferred a little too fast...) here:

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr+1=1020&num=1&start=1&query=cylinder7215

Pete LaMaire does all of the animal sounds and the second voices, which are all hilarious. That other deeper voice in the background is Hylands by the way, it's a little hard to hear though.(recorded in their big room)

Now for the other one of his auction records, the "Auction Sale of Household Goods". Now this one had many variations to it, as expected from Spencer. Here is the Edison cylinder(s):

You can hear Banta playing piano toward the end on both takes listed here.

You not only get Spencer and Girard, you get Banta involved as well, laughing at all those points on it, and playing at the sale of the piano. That is a great added bonus! You know what's so odd about this one, it that the piano actually sounds fantastic at that one point it's played, all the notes are fully present, and it reveals the echo of the room more than anything else on the cylinder. Both takes have this amazing characteristic, but the second take specifically has that effect more. I wish there was more playing of that piano on the second take! 

The humor Spencer throws in slyly is just as funny as it was on the Animal store record, though it's not really as dark. These include these statements:

"...there, that'll wake up yer mother-in-law."

Girard: "Why, it's lovely, sounds just like a piano!"

Spencer: "Of course it does."

Only on the second take listed you can hear these:

"Eh, Your name please...(Banta plays part of "And Her Golden Hair was Hanging Down Her Back")

Girard:"And Her Golden Hair was hanging down her back!"

Spencer:"Aww, what a sweet singer, yer address please...(everyone laughs, including Banta!)"

What Spencer says at the very end actually has a little bit of an esoteric connotation to it, more so than it actually does in the situation depicted on the cylinder. It can refer to Spencer's publishing days, as he liked her singing, so he asks for her address, as he did back in 1899 and 1900. I must remember though that this isn't a Columbia cylinder, so Hylands wouldn't be there, to get a little bit cross with him for mentioning that. I know he did a Columbia take of this selection, so I'd be curious to know if he added that dialogue on the Columbia take. Here is the Victor of it:

http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000375/Pre-matrix_B-857-Auction_sale_of_household_goods

The variations on this one include this:

" Why of course it is, what'd ya think it 'd sound like, a Jew's  harp, heh!" 

(that's a quick one...)

Also at about 1:50 when the Bible is being sold, his voice cracks terribly. That's fantastic! It adds to the comedy, even if we know that he didn't at all intend for that to happen. OH! Something I just noticed when listening to this record is what Spencer says here:

"The lady that sells this piano----lady that sells this piano got beautifully carved legs, double back-action, and a patent harp attachment." Oh! What a quick and sly piece of comedy Spencer! Wow, it took me five listens to finally catch the connotation of that statement. Wow. My eyes widened at that one. 

The rudeness of that reminds me of that last line of Spencer singing "I Wish They'd Do it Now" recorded in 1898(with Fred Hylands probably tipsy). Spencer says this:

" They'd take me in to sleep with them-- Ta Re Re Boom De-Ay."

Yep, that's Spencer's humor for ya. In fact, I think that's the most obviously crude piece of Spencer's speech of many of these recordings. 

Now to move to something by Harry Spencer(that Len Spencer recorded at some point). Which is another one of those auction cylinders. This one is called "Auction Sale of a Pawnbroker's Unredeemed pleasures", and it's another great creation of the Spencer brothers, though Harry was more known for it. This first example of this sketch is the 1902-03 take with only Spencer and Hylands. Here is that cylinder:

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr+1=1020&num=1&start=1&query=cylinder4935

The other voice on this cylinder is--Fred Hylands. Yes indeed, and the only thing that really gives it away that it's Hylands is the thing just after Spencer says, "Say Ikey, you can go and shoot Filipinos with that!" 

What Hylands does is really hilarious, and we can actually understand him! Though he doesn't really talk. I like the "Oi! Oi!" at the end of it though...(nice political correctness Hylands). You know what's weird about Hylands on this cylinder(other than the fact that he isn't playing piano at all, and that he's sitting at the piano!), is that it's a very clear cylinder that catches Hylands' voice extremely well. He sounds a little bit like someone else---Byron Harlan. Hmm. Never noticed that before I listened to the cylinder this morning. Just an interesting observation. 

Anyhow, back to the Spencer's. The thing that he says on the cylinder above that is really the funniest thing on there is this:

"Now, this bicycle has two wheels; tireless, shameless, spoke-less, and dan-gerous." 

That, is hilarious. The double meanings really make it so. 

Now, the brown wax version of this is also hilarious, and since it's longer, there's more material. Here's the brown wax:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnGp26zpgO4

Now this one actually has two more recognizable voices behind Spencer. The voices include Russell Hunting and Fred Hylands. 

Hunting says this one thing that give it away, 

"Ow, why ye-o rememba' the Maine!" yep, that's Hunting alright. 

Hylands can be heard clearly saying "Five dollars!" at 1:02, and a little later in that same bidding, he yells "Seven dollars!"(in a little bit of a different tone of voice). It's indeed that same voice on the later take of this. Though it's hard to tell because both the records are heard at different speeds, the tones and pronunciations of the words are the same as they are on this one Spencer's "Side Show Shouter" from 1898 as well. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if these two cylinders were recorded on the same day, as they're both very similar, and have the same sound to them. Oh! I meant to mention on the 1898 take of the auction sale a little above, try to notice how Hylands says, "Five Dollars." It's very odd, but it's kind of slurred. Really take a few listens!(hmm, maybe a clue into Hylands being a drunk...) 

Also the funny little pun at the sale of the "mouth-organ"(harmonica), Spencer says, "Sold! To that red-head boy over there for 1 cent!" Ha! Hidden Hylands pun, love it. There's another voice at 3:29, and I'm not sure who it is exactly. Does anyone know? It's not Russell Hunting, and not either of the Spencer's. Hm... I don't know if it's Fred Hylands or not, as he's awfully close to the mouth of the horn. I'll try to write out the dialogue exactly as I hear it:

Hylands(?): Why, you'd look here, the tire's busted--

Spencer: So er you--

Hylands(?): I's all full a' holes!

Spencer: Ha ha ha ha! 

Hylands(?): Sa-y, take it back an' get me a ci-gar for it-eh!( said awfully close to the horns...)

Spencer: A cigar! Smoke up Rube, yer goin' out!

If anyone thinks that they know who that voice is, if it's Hylands or not, leave a comment on this post! I would love to have the observations of other ears! 

Anyhow, I love looking into the slightly obscene sense of humor that the Spencer's had, more particularly, Len Spencer's. Their sense of humor was quick, intelligent, and rude, even to modern standards, and it certainly must have been considered as such back when the records were new, take the puns that no one laughs at in the room for example.

I hope you enjoyed this! 

Connecting opposing things, and odd accompaniments

The great Scott Joplin

and fat Freddy Hylands.

What am I planning on connecting with these two completely different composers? Well, I just made an interesting connection this evening between Hylands' playing and Joplin's composing mastery. It's a small connection, that I'm not entirely sure what it means, but it's odd. 

We all know of Mr. Scott Joplin, and his masterful pieces from "Maple Leaf Rag" to "Solace", but the one piece of his I would like to point at is his beautiful work "A Real Slow Drag" from his 1911 opera Treemonisha, which is a fascinating work of Rag-Time history. "A Real Slow Drag" is the main part of the overture in the opera, and reoccurs throughout the overture, and the finale as well. Here's the connection, the link to a gorgeous piano roll is on this link here. The one characteristic about this piece I would like to point out us that left hand pattern at the beginning minor section and the second section which is in F. I realized that these same patterns are one I have heard on records many years before this was written. It was from 1898, 1899 and 1900 that I heard Fred Hylands play these patterns in his improvised accompaniments. The record labels I heard these on vary however, one was on a Zon-O-phone, a Columbia, and another on the obscure American Talking machine label of 1899. Here is the Zon-O-phone from 1900:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6wbJk2iMUw

It's very hard to notice, but just after each of the choruses, you can kind of hear it. It's the same left hand pattern! Played 11 years before Joplin wrote the overture for Treemonisha. Another thing to note about this record, is that on the second attempt at that odd ragged left hand pattern, Hylands speeds up the tempo, only in trying to get it again. 

I'm sure that Hylands probably wouldn't approve of anyone comparing him to Joplin, but it's just an interesting thing to note. I do not know if that means Joplin ever heard Hylands(though he may have, as Hylands was a very skilled and popular accompanist in the time that Joplin had moved to New York). I do not know really how to connect the two things, but where this style of Rag-Time came from, I would like to know. I do not know if it came from Hylands directly, but it sounds slightly tango-ish, or West Indian in a way. I have heard Hylands play it in a variety of ways, from slow drag to quick but Ragged. Just a thought.

Now onto a few odd Hylands accompaniments. I know I use his accompaniment quite a lot on this blog, and I exhaust certain ones sometimes, but this evening I have some ones I don't think I've used. Starting with this odd one with Pete LaMaire, who I would have a picture of here, but have never seen one yet. Yes, it's labeled as George Watson on the video, but that is not who is singing here. Here you go with Pete LaMaire's "Sleep Baby, Sleep", from 1902.

That was weird.
 I don't really know what was happening in the accompaniment. Especially under the yodelling. I have listened to this record many a time since I found it, and I still don't know what's going on in the accompaniment during the yodelling. Am very unsure about what Hylands is actually doing to create that somewhat quick and slightly syncopated pattern, but I'm guessing by the way that is sounds, that it involves both his hands, not just the left hand. It sounds almost like he's trying to imitate the xylophone in a way, whether that was his intention or not, that's really what it sounds like. It would be similar to if Hylands tried to play the exact melody line of the xylophone on this cylinder here, from 1898.(he's on piano here as well)
This next one is by a singer I don't showcase too often on this blog. 

George J. Gaskin.
Now, I'm not really a big fan of Gaskin,  but his significance in the early recording business overtakes my opinions of his singing style. Here is his and Hylands' "Gwine Back to Arkansaw", from 1898. Hmm...stoptime. Interesting Mr. Hylands. It's some odd stoptime as well. It's not really the easiest to follow along with, as I have tried to play along with this one, and it's a little bit weird. Gaskin didn't normally sing "Coon Songs", and that's what this one just happens to be. They even said that Gaskin singing a coon song was something dreaded by all the people on the staff, so they really must have hated it. There weren't too many things about the singers' choices of songs that were complained about, but this was one exception. They were even alright with Hylands' loud, and somewhat obnoxious voice! It's an interesting cylinder nonetheless, and the piano accompaniment is even more so, with Ragged patterns, and a wirey piano, just like it ought've sounded at Columbia in 1898. 

This last one is one I may have showcased here before, but it's a very odd and amazing example of Hylands' mastery , and it's with Joe Belmont, the human bird:

Here you go with Hylands and Belmont's "The Bobolink" from 1903.
A truly amazing piece of Hylands mastery. He plays it to perfection and it sounds even better in that room that it was recorded in. There's really not much to say here, other than just listening to it to hear how extraordinary it is. When I hear it, I tune out the whistling completely and can hear every single note that is hit on that piano, and how it's hit. This is one of the few records of Hylands where the main performer can be tuned out by the listener and the piano can be heard exclusively. This is usually the case with Belmont's records, as his whistling didn't blend at all with the piano. It makes listening very interesting for the anxiously listening Rag-Time pianist. 

I hope you enjoyed this! 

Mysteries of the Golden and Spencer trio

I have often wondered about the personnel of the Spencer and Golden trio, and many collectors I know have the same feelings about this unconfirmed subject. To many, it would seem impossible to really know who of Len Spencer and Billy Golden's friends were in this ever-changing group. I'm not entirely sure what the original personnel of this group was, but it was certainly started in 1896 by Billy Golden, as he can be heard on Berliner discs from 1896 announcing himself as, "...by Billy Golden of the Golden Trio." one of these announcements can be heard here(music starts at 0:30!).(who's that piano player! My god!)
The main reason why this group hasn't really been considered too often to collectors it because of how few records they made under this name. This group was essentially a smaller installment of "Len Spencer's Minstrels", and from many sections I have read before about Spencer's minstrels, it would seem that this group would perform at the shows, such as many of the ones mentioned in the 1899 issues of The Phonoscope, such as this one: 

That not only proves their usual mix of the "Spencer trio"(which usually was Spencer,  Billy Golden, and Roger Harding), but also that Vess Ossman was also involved in these performances. Was he in blackface? I haven't the least idea. Since this was a minstrel troupe, it's likely that this would be so.

 His handsome pale face done up with Burnt cork? Sure!(that's Ossman in 1898)

Spencer probably first devised this trio not long after Billy Golden started his "Golden Trio" in 1896. I do not really know who was in the "Golden Trio", but I could assume that this involved Billy Golden, Len Spencer, and maybe Billy Williams. Another question I have is, how did Spencer come across Billy Williams? hey certainly met in 1894, as that was when you could see Williams' name mentioned on the official personnel for "The Imperial Minstrels". Williams was an Aussie who came to the U.S. in the early-1890's and became a minstrel and general Vaudeville comic, and somehow, he got tangled up in the mix of "'Phone artists"(as George Gaskin once called it) around 1894. He probably first met Billy Golden, then came Len Spencer. It can be compared to how George W. Johnson got involved with this whole community. 

I have never heard the Golden trio, but I sure as heck have heard the Spencer trio. Here are a few example of them(all on Columbia's not surprisingly)

from 1898: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/8000/8392/cusb-cyl8392d.mp3(no Len Spencer here for some reason) So the personnel on this odd minstrel obscurity is Steve Porter(who you hear in the announcement), Roger Harding, and Billy Golden, with their piano man Fred Hylands behind them in brief aid for their singing. Did you hear it? When Golden began his LOUD monologue, you can hear that horn with full effect! Just listen closely to Golden's spiel, it's too much for the long thin horn, which you can clearly hear on this cylinder, more than usual. One more thing about this fascinating minstrel cylinder is that the song at the end given the title "Who Built the Ark" is actually a variant on the popular black gospel song "Who Broke the Lock" (which later was revived by "Red" Allen). I would have a link here to the group Sam Cousins and Demoss version of this record, but it was taken off the Internet years ago, so I cannot share it here, but I will share the other one they made here. (better than all the white Rag-Time recorded in its day, period.)

Now back to the next example of the Spencer trio:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ULZv-1ejsY

Now this is an interesting one. I hear more than three people here. I hear Len Spencer, Harry Spencer, George Gaskin, Pete LaMaire, and of course, their ivory man Freddy Hylands. Now this one seems that it was recorded in 1901(not 1900 dammit!). You may be able to notice that on the first song they sing, Hylands is making it Ragged all around! Also at the "Who Built the Ark"("Who broke the Lock") tune at the end! 

It's records like this that I really ponder on Hylands' playing style and might  with the Rag-Time. Why? Well, he's playing the most non-white type of music on this one, and really plays it with perfect and lazy rhythm, which is exactly what's needed for his style. Really take a close listen to his time choice at the end. 

Hylands had the means and background of a black pianist, but he was too much of a redheaded wasp to truly get it right. 

Now these Spencer trio records are fascinating records of 1890's minstrelsy, almost just a fascinating as the "Imperial Minstrels' records from the same time frame. It would be great though if we actually knew why Spencer constantly changed the personnel of this group, it may have been under his own opinions, or it was just an everyday thing where which ever of his friends in his minstrels showed up would be part of it. The second hypothesis is a little bit more likely though.

Now, to somewhat of stay on the same subject, I would like to go back to the record that I first put the link to on the post. I didn't really realize how much of a "Rag" the piano accompaniment sounded like. I haven't really spoken of the few Berliner's from 1896 that pre-date the 1897 beginning date for Rag-Time to some music historians. That Jan. 1896 record of "Roll On De Ground" by Golden is one of these records. They are really amazing in a multitude of ways, they represent vocal stylings and piano stylings you wouldn't think of hearing on such an early record. The fact that I have heard these two seemingly odd instances on Berliner's makes it even more weird. This is because the pianist at Berliner was Fred Gaisberg in 1894 to 1897. Another one of these records is this one here, by George Gaskin, also from 1896.

Really take a listen to the last chorus. 

It's syncopated just enough to where you can notice it.

Not only does the pianist syncopate slightly, so does Gaskin. How queer is that? Gaskin is the last one I would think of who would do such a thing to any lyrics, and it was recorded in 1896. John Reed-Torres pointed out this observation to me a few months ago, and I quickly took his work for it, and how it's true. 

Now to refer once again back to that first record link on this post, other that that record being itself and amazing example of early Billy Golden, and what a "Rag" would have sounded like back in 1896, it is an interesting one to compare with the later versions of the tune, also by Golden. 

Here is his 1903 Victor(with what sounds like Fred Hylands):

http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200000717/B-377-Roll_on_the_ground

Here's his 1898 Columbia with Fred Hylands(in full Rag-Time):

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/8000/8436/cusb-cyl8436d.mp3

Interesting comparisons no doubt. It's like comparing Golden's numerous versions of "Turkey in the Straw" with the piano accompaniment. 

Well, Sorry about so much of the rather racist material this evening, I just had a curious spark for the Spencer trio and things related, and they all just happen to be on the subject of music and sketches that are not very socially acceptable nowadays. 

With all of this possibly controversial material, I hope you enjoyed this!