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Hi everyone,
I’ve had these two discs in my collection for a few years, and have always been curious about them. They are both on the Columbia “Magic Notes” type label, with one side having a spoken announcement. The announced sides are, Columbia A292 with “The Whistling Coon” by Billy Murray, and Columbia A452, with “Down Where the Suwannee River Flows” by J. W. Myers.
I have always assumed that these were originally released as single sided discs, but why did Columbia keep the announcements when they converted to double discs? I have a later pressing of another Myers record, which appeared to have the announcement removed. How late did Columbia record announced discs? Were discs like these common when Columbia changed to its “Double Disc” format?

Thanks for any insight,
Nathan

If the double disc was pressed from an older master with an announcement, it wasn't going to be able to be removed. Unless the disc was dubbed from another 78, then it would be possible.

I have very few Columbia "double disc" records with announcements. Few that are composed of older masters. I have lots of Victors that are though.

Wolfe wrote:I have very few Columbia "double disc" records with announcements. Few that are composed of older masters. I have lots of Victors that are though.

Thanks for the response! I figured these were just reissues from older masters. I love spoken announcements, so these among my favorite discs. I thought Victor only ever pressed single-sided announced discs.
I do have another question with Columbia discs. What do the raised numbers on the disc mean? For example, "The Whistling Coon" has 211-9-11. Is this entire sequence the matrix number?

211 would be the matrix number (which also was the catalogue number on the single-sided Columbias), 9 the take digit, the 11 (IIRC) would be the stamper number.

Viva-Tonal wrote:211 would be the matrix number (which also was the catalogue number on the single-sided Columbias), 9 the take digit, the 11 (IIRC) would be the stamper number.

Thanks for the help! I tend to focus more on Victor discs, so my knowledge of Columbia is very lacking.

Columbia Master Book says there were 8 matrices, both 7 & 10 inch, both announced & not announced, by George W. Johnson. Take 9 is Billy Murray - and self-announced, whistling probably by Joe Belmont .

ps - Announcements were known to be scraped off - I have at least 2 where you can hear the last syllable before the music starts !

Edisone wrote:Columbia Master Book says there were 8 matrices, both 7 & 10 inch, both announced & not announced, by George W. Johnson. Take 9 is Billy Murray - and self-announced, whistling probably by Joe Belmont .

ps - Announcements were known to be scraped off - I have at least 2 where you can hear the last syllable before the music starts !

Thanks for the info! Does the book give a recording date? I'll have to consider finding a copy of it.

If the disc I have was announced, Columbia also removed the first few notes of the song. When the needle hits the first groove, the song has already begun. It is neat that some still have the last syllable!

Edisone wrote:
Announcements were known to be scraped off - I have at least 2 where you can hear the last syllable before the music starts !

It is true that metal masters can be "scraped" as was (apparently) in these cases or have things obliterated through different means. I just have to wonder why that was important. It was still a Columbia record.

Do you suppose anyone, upon hearing an announcement one of their new Double Disc records turned around and said "Oh, Ethel, how about that announcement? It's so old fashioned!" We're only a few year off from when announcements were still the norm.

"I just have to wonder why that [scraping announcements off metal masters] was important. It was still a Columbia record."

But what if the same master was issued with anonymous credit on the labels as, not a Columbia record, but a Harmony, Standard, Diamond, Republic, or Aretino* record? Spoken announcements identifying the issuing company and the artist would give the "scheme goods" scheme away, wouldn't it?

*I bet I forgot one or two.

victorIIvictor wrote:
*I bet I forgot one or two.

Can you name one? An old Columbia master from ca. 1903 that was issued on a ca. 1920 Harmony or other client label?