Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

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marcapra
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Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by marcapra »

I just bought the Potato Head Columbia "Makin' Whoopee" by Paul Whiteman. It's what I would call an "easy listening" version of the song. He has a bland singer crooning the lyrics backed up by a band with not an ounce of pep or jazz in it. It's the kind of music to doze off to, whereas the B. A. Rolfe version on Edison is the opposite, with plenty of pep and jazz rhythm to it. Edison really had the hot records in the late 20s!

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by OrthoSean »

Try the George Olsen version on Victor, it's pretty good. Actually, I like it best of all version I can think of.

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by victor 15-1 »

OrthoSean wrote:Try the George Olsen version on Victor, it's pretty good. Actually, I like it best of all version I can think of.

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by OrthoSean »

victor 15-1 wrote:Do not forget the Ben Bernie version on Brunswick!
I did forget that one! Thanks for reminding me of it, I'll dig my copy out and listen to it later, I bet it's been 15-20 years since I've played it.

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by Curt A »

Eddie Cantor did a great rendition in 1929...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbcubbf3pDA

Charlie and His Orchestra also did a German - NAZI - propaganda version...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsPOKoN ... gs=pl%2Cwn
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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by wjw »

IIRC, George Olsen's Orch. played all the numbers in the movie version of "Whoopie". Amazing band.

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by wjw »

Just listened to the Nazi record. OMG what a hoot!

:shock: _ bill

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by marco »

wjw wrote:Just listened to the Nazi record. OMG what a hoot!

:shock: _ bill
I just listened to the Charlie propaganda record also. I never knew these existed. Kinda like Tokyo Rose but worse. Even though it is insulting it actually shows just how stupid the Nazi's were when we think back. I need to make some observations. First--from strictly a quality side--the fidelity and clarity is very good. Wondering if the Nazi's were using their magnetic tape recorders at the time to record the masters? I would like to own one of those just as a conversational and historic piece; as I was raised never to "see" color or race; so please don't "come down" on me. As so many members say--"Just Sayin...." Mark :o

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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by Curt A »

marco wrote:
wjw wrote:Just listened to the Nazi record. OMG what a hoot!

:shock: _ bill
I just listened to the Charlie propaganda record also. I never knew these existed. Kinda like Tokyo Rose but worse. Even though it is insulting it actually shows just how stupid the Nazi's were when we think back. I need to make some observations. First--from strictly a quality side--the fidelity and clarity is very good. Wondering if the Nazi's were using their magnetic tape recorders at the time to record the masters? I would like to own one of those just as a conversational and historic piece; as I was raised never to "see" color or race; so please don't "come down" on me. As so many members say--"Just Sayin...." Mark :o
They are interesting just from a historic perspective showing the type of propaganda that was broadcast from Hamburg and directed at England. I guess they hoped to break down the morale of people at home listening to their radios...

As far as owning one, good luck. They are scarce and expensive, IF you can find one. The records were destroyed by Allied forces leaving very few behind and they are still illegal to own in Germany. The rarest one of these types of records is a Hitler picture disc produced by Patria and the last I heard, were selling for more than $1,000 probably to the skinhead market...
"The phonograph† is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.

"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
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Re: Makin Whoopee by Paul Whiteman vs. B.A. Rolfe

Post by WDC »

I have had several of these Charlie records on the turntable over the years.
They are usually regarded as collectibles for swing music collectors simply because that music wasn't really recorded otherwise in 1944. Personally, I find them musically quite mediocre in quality and any vocals are unpleasant to my ears. That's my Weakness now is really an awful example of this.

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