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I have a record that is German on the Electrola label. The title is Wir Kurbeln An, Potpourri, Scala Orchester Berlin, Dirigent Otto Stenzeel, Tanz-Orchester mit Refrain-gesang. Kat. Nr. E.G. 2675. B.I.E.M. Electrola Gesellschaft m. b. H. Nowawes und Berlin.

Does anyone know what year or decade this record came out? The title means "We are cranking on". If you know the song, what are the lyrics about? It sounds like popular, cabaret type music with a vocal group.

I found this on YouTube. Is this the same record?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKS6jvq2k8

Dan

marcapra wrote:I have a record that is German on the Electrola label. The title is Wir Kurbeln An, Potpourri, Scala Orchester Berlin, Dirigent Otto Stenzeel, Tanz-Orchester mit Refrain-gesang. Kat. Nr. E.G. 2675. B.I.E.M. Electrola Gesellschaft m. b. H. Nowawes und Berlin.

Does anyone know what year or decade this record came out? The title means "We are cranking on". If you know the song, what are the lyrics about? It sounds like popular, cabaret type music with a vocal group.

I estimate this record from around 1933, based on the catalog number. The word "Potpourri " means it's a medley of popular songs, or better small excerpts of those. These Potpourri records were very popular in Germany. Often times the songs are from popular movies etc. I assume that the Titel refers to kind of cranking on the economy after the crash in the late 1920s.

Hope that helps
Andreas

The actual verb is 'ankurbeln', and while it does mean to crank in its most common sense, it has a business/ economic meaning which is basically what Bush and Obama did after the Great Recession hit, e.g., the government takes measures to stimulate a sagging economy.

I found this on YouTube. Is this the same record?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKS6jvq2k8

Dan

thanks guys for your great replies! Yes, that is the record exactly! German records are pretty rare over here. What does B.I.E.M. mean? Marc.

marcapra wrote:

I found this on YouTube. Is this the same record?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKS6jvq2k8

Dan

thanks guys for your great replies! Yes, that is the record exactly! German records are pretty rare over here. What does B.I.E.M. mean? Marc.

Don't remember the exact acronym but it's an international mechanical copyright group.

alang wrote:I estimate this record from around 1933, based on the catalog number. The word "Potpourri " means it's a medley of popular songs, or better small excerpts of those. These Potpourri records were very popular in Germany. Often times the songs are from popular movies etc. I assume that the Titel refers to kind of cranking on the economy after the crash in the late 1920s.

Hope that helps
Andreas

Yes, Eddie Shaw's D.A.T.E.S. shows EG 2458 to 2863 as issued in 1932.

Orchorsol wrote:

alang wrote:I estimate this record from around 1933, based on the catalog number. The word "Potpourri " means it's a medley of popular songs, or better small excerpts of those. These Potpourri records were very popular in Germany. Often times the songs are from popular movies etc. I assume that the Titel refers to kind of cranking on the economy after the crash in the late 1920s.

Hope that helps
Andreas

Yes, Eddie Shaw's D.A.T.E.S. shows EG 2458 to 2863 as issued in 1932.

Thanks for the clarification.

Andreas

marcapra wrote:

I found this on YouTube. Is this the same record?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKS6jvq2k8

Dan

thanks guys for your great replies! Yes, that is the record exactly! German records are pretty rare over here. What does B.I.E.M. mean? Marc.

B.I.E.M. stands for Bureau International De L-Edition Mechanique, which seems to be an international body to collect royalties for records, as far as I understand it. For more information: https://books.google.com/books?id=qRQrB ... sQ6AEILzAC

Andreas