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I took the plunge and bought a Okeh Laughing Record...this is the most hideous record I have ever heard. I found this great information on the record.

How many of you own a copy?

I've seen a few on auction lists and stuff and considered buying a copy, but then I stop because I wouldn't play it. I find it more irritating than hideous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZlPNJhlO0

Wolfe wrote:I've seen a few on auction lists and stuff and considered buying a copy, but then I stop because I wouldn't play it. I find it more irritating than hideous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZlPNJhlO0

hahahahahah hahahahahahaha

It is annoying, but you can't help but laugh!!!!!! I have the same reaction to "Toot Toot Tootsie" by Mel Blanc on Capitol. Lunacy at it's best!

Also reissued as a 45 RPM in the 1950's !


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcLpOSuruXs


"Because it was originally released with no credits or names attached, various “histories” of the “Laughing Record” have come into existence over the years. Generally accepted however is that the original recording was made in Berlin, Germany, in 1920 for the Beka label. Supposedly one of six numbers recorded during that day’s session, opera singer Lucie Bernardo is the disc’s female laugher, musician Otto Rathke her male cohort. Felix Silbers is believed to be the record’s put-upon, drowned-out cornet player. The recording itself was an update/remake of an earlier purposefully laugh-centric recording, “The Misfortunes of Youth,” made by Henry Klausen in 1903."

- From an essay by Cary O'Dell for The Library of Congress

HA! HA! HA! HEE! HEE! HEE! HAW! HAW! HAW!

I bet Otto Heineman got a laugh out of that. I hope they were not playing it while they were making motors.

I have the original one, and bought it off Nauck's unsolds list for 3 dollars, just out of curiosity. I never play it, I must admit, but side A is pretty worn, so I guess the previous owners really liked it.

It's one of the records I have in my record storage case in my living room. edisonplayer

The OKeh Laughing Record was in a group of records I bought when I was 13 or 14. Thanks for the link to the great article on it. I, too, had always assumed that the cornet player and male laugher were the same person. It's not a record I ever thought of playing again. However, I do occasionally hear it when listening to cassettes I made as a teen, as it was among those I auditioned for a relative at the time.

For me, I played it now its going to the storage records. I think its just more of a novelty record, and it being on one of the early OKeh Labels is kind of cool.

I think it would be too sinister to have all of the advertisements for the Laughing Record hanging up.