The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My friend and I acquired a large lot of records this weekend. In sorting them, I came across a record by the Jockers Brothers, "Full O' Pep" (One-step) b/w "Aloma" (Fox Trot). Hmmm, I thought, these might be fun. I rather like the Jockers. Let's watch what happens when you put on "Full O' Pep":
Hey! That doesn't sound right! Maybe it's just a purposely dreary intro, soon to break out into the advertised peppy one-step -- y'know, for humorous contrast. But noooo -- it's the whole dreary song.

Now what happens when we play "Aloma"? Here's what:
Uh-oh! What a merry mix-up! Somebody at the factory must have had some 'splainin' to do!

Label mixups are not uncommon. I have a few Pathés like that. Maybe some workman had too much alcohol during lunch break.

Yeah, what some guys called "liquid lunch" back in my factory days came to my mind too.

What's especially funny with this one is that the substituted song is about a hundred and eighty degrees from anything that could be called "Full O' Pep"!

Kind of wonder how blunders like this actually managed to get shipped, though.

Slightly off topic, some Polyphon musical box discs were printed with the title before being stamped out, and where some titles were slow to sell the blanks were turned over and given another title.

A well known example was "Nearer my God to Thee" which was turned over and issued as "Beer, Glorious Beer".

Heh. Sister Hepzibah Smith cues up "Nearer My God to Thee" for a rousing, inspirational sing-along at the monthly WCTU meeting. Hilarity ensues!