What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Discussions on Records, Recording, & Artists
User avatar
audiophile102
Victor IV
Posts: 1219
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 12:50 pm
Personal Text: Say to yourself I am so happy hurray!
Location: Brookfield, Illinois

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come acro

Post by audiophile102 »

I have a copy of Oh Lawdy by Ada Jones that's pretty offensive. I found a recording on You Tube.
https://youtu.be/sFWhxeZItXs

The other side isn't much better, but it's not on You Tube.
"I want to hold you in my arms."
"You can't take the phonographs nor the money with you, but the contentment the phonographs bring may well make your life better, and happier lives make the world a better place."

User avatar
Curt A
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6434
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
Location: Belmont, North Carolina

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come acro

Post by Curt A »

audiophile102 wrote:I have a copy of Oh Lawdy by Ada Jones that's pretty offensive. I found a recording on You Tube.
https://youtu.be/sFWhxeZItXs

The other side isn't much better, but it's not on You Tube.
"I want to hold you in my arms."
Personally, I don't like the song, but what's offensive about it?
"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."
My Wife

User avatar
audiophile102
Victor IV
Posts: 1219
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 12:50 pm
Personal Text: Say to yourself I am so happy hurray!
Location: Brookfield, Illinois

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come acro

Post by audiophile102 »

Curt A wrote:
audiophile102 wrote:I have a copy of Oh Lawdy by Ada Jones that's pretty offensive. I found a recording on You Tube.
https://youtu.be/sFWhxeZItXs

The other side isn't much better, but it's not on You Tube.
"I want to hold you in my arms."
Personally, I don't like the song, but what's offensive about it?
It's about a black American soldier who returns from WW1 and is caught in a knife fight on his wedding day. He is stabbed and is left to die in the street. His bride receives the news and sings that "He left me the lurch". She goes on to sing that she "will miss his salary." To write such a tune about an American soldier, mocking is death is not only racist, it should offend any patriotic American who is grateful for the sacrifice of ALL who served. I recognize that the recording was made in a different age, but in 2020 it should be pretty easy to see what's offensive with that song.
"You can't take the phonographs nor the money with you, but the contentment the phonographs bring may well make your life better, and happier lives make the world a better place."

User avatar
Curt A
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6434
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
Location: Belmont, North Carolina

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come acro

Post by Curt A »

Thanks for the explanation... My hearing is not so good, so I didn't understand Ada's words. I'm not a fan of her voice or most of those early recordings. Obviously, knowing the essence of the story, I agree with you...
"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."
My Wife

AmberolaAndy
Victor V
Posts: 2423
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 10:15 pm
Location: A small town near Omaha, Nebraska

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Post by AmberolaAndy »

Gonna bump this thread with the one of the most cringe and eye rolling titles I’ve seen on an Edison Diamond disc…
Attachments
3C35DF59-4C77-4D54-B605-06BA27CB95B3.png

User avatar
howardpgh
Victor II
Posts: 425
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 4:34 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Post by howardpgh »

I'm surprised that no one mentioned the "Virginian Judge" series on Victor by Walter C. Kelly. A lot of racial slurs and ethnic stereotyping. Every defendant ends up in jail.

User avatar
Edisonfan
Victor V
Posts: 2095
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:37 pm
Personal Text: Invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration
Location: Frederick Maryland

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Post by Edisonfan »

(Double-click the video above or click this link to watch the video on YouTube in HD.)

The Hayden Quartet. Gramophone Concert Record.

VanEpsFan1914
Victor VI
Posts: 3179
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 11:39 am
Personal Text: I've got both kinds of music--classical & rag-time.
Location: South Carolina

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

AmberolaAndy wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 4:40 pm Gonna bump this thread with the one of the most cringe and eye rolling titles I’ve seen on an Edison Diamond disc…
I've got Dalhart's 1925 "Stone Mountain Memorial" on DD and it's hilariously bad.

User avatar
TinfoilPhono
Victor IV
Posts: 1926
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:48 pm
Location: SF Bay Area, Calif.

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Post by TinfoilPhono »

I have two odd versions of "Mammy's Little Alabama Coon." One is a Lioret No. 2 cylinder that dates to 1896 (shown as #24 in that year's catalog). Lioret made English-language records for the British market, but it's odd to find an American 'coon song' since he had no market in the US. The other is a Royal Purple Edison sung by German soprano Frieda Hempel. It's absolutely dreadful-- and unimaginable. An opera singer doing a rendition of a racist low-brow song? Yikes.
Attachments
lioret.jpg

User avatar
ChesterCheetah18
Victor II
Posts: 289
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2020 7:16 pm

Re: What’s the most offensive/non-PC record you’ve come across?

Post by ChesterCheetah18 »

I suppose with all of the "coon songs" that were recorded over the years, the list could be quite long. Let's not forget the "Two Dark Knights" sides done for Edison, or Correll and Gosden (Amos 'N Andy) for Victor.
Here's a few from my collection:
Edison GM 13551 "The N@@@@@r's Birthday" (Band)
Edison BA 1840 "Just Plain Dog" (Van Avery)
Columbia 15317-D "Oyster Stew" ( Chris Bouchillon)

Steve

Post Reply