Apr 17, 2021
Cupid on the cake, from Jock McDermott and his New Calton Players starts us off. Cake in the title, perfect. Its on a lovely Piccadilly Record label, the label only ran from 1927 to 1931. Our oldest record for a long time is, By the light of the silvery moon. A 1910 rendition of this classic song by Mr Jack Charman. He sang under at least 25 aliases and was the first artist to record Hinky, Pinky, Parlez vous in 1915. Its a John Bull record label. They sold their records via the 'Tally man' systems- they came to your door and tried to persuade to sign up to a contract to buy a series of records. Also up Leslie (Hutch) Hutchinson, an early recording from 1929, Delia Murphy, Frankie Laine, Nat King Cole, Maurice J Gunsky , Max Bacon and three from the insane Red Ingles, particularly love one of the titles, Git up off the floor Hannah. Duo Norah Blaney and Gwen Farrar sing Ukulele Lady from 1922. They are LGBT icons. Nellie Lutcher is new to me. She influenced Nina Simone, sung, played piano and composed. A cracker of a track from her- He's a real gone guy. Carl Barriteau was one of many black artists and singers who came to Britain between the wars. Born in Trinidad, raised in Venezuela, he came to London in 1937. He eventually joined Ken (Snake hips) Johnston's west Indian band. He was playing with them at the Cafe Du Paris in 1941 when a bomb exploded. It killed Johnston and one other member of the the band. Carl went on to record for Decca and died in Australia in 1998. A local note of interest for Forgotten Songs, Carl was either in residence or played frequently at our local dancehall here in Edinburgh, Leith, The Eldorado- between 1949 and 1951. Two from him, vocals by Mae Cooper. Fascinating artists and lives. It's what Forgotten Songs is all about.