The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I Want to Know Where Tosti Went (When He Said Goodbye) by Bert Williams 1920 really makes me smile. It makes fun of, and even musically quotes, Tosti's famous "Good-bye!" song that was so popular with classical singers and audiences at the time. I had forgotten all about this song that I had heard 20 years ago at a friends house. I recently found it and it turned out to be a very nice copy.

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

https://youtu.be/HRWNsenVQ60

The other side is not as fun to me, but it still a pretty great time capsule of this early 20th century Vaudeville and Ziegfeld Follies star.

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

https://youtu.be/pN2TQd9qoVE

Many might find these, and even him, a bit racist as he was a black man that sang in black face. But, this is history and historical context must be applied. He was a huge star for decades.

melvind wrote:I Want to Know Where Tosti Went (When He Said Goodbye) by Bert Williams 1920 really makes me smile. It makes fun of, and even musically quotes, Tosti's famous "Good-bye!" song that was so popular with classical singers and audiences at the time. I had forgotten all about this song that I had heard 20 years ago at a friends house. I recently found it and it turned out to be a very nice copy.

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

https://youtu.be/HRWNsenVQ60

The other side is not as fun to me, but it still a pretty great time capsule of this early 20th century Vaudeville and Ziegfeld Follies star.

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

https://youtu.be/pN2TQd9qoVE

Many might find these, and even him, a bit racist as he was a black man that sang in black face. But, this is history and historical context must be applied. He was a huge star for decades.

But then... there's Louis Armstrong singing "WHITE Christmas", a song written by a Jew... a conundrum worthy of making "woke culture" wither and cry...

I mean I'm not fond of racism- at all- but times change. Rather than suppress, let's be free to enjoy these things in their historical context, be proud that we have come this far, and vow to do even better in the very immediate future.