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What do you think is the worst songs or song on a cylinder? I'll go first. I used to have this song called Captain Baby Bunting or little baby bunting I forgot the right name but it was one of the most godawful songs I have heard on a cylinder. I ended up shaving it to try to record on it (and get rid of it ).

Hard to think of anything much worse than Captain Baby Bunting. Pretty dreadful.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypad55KxaxI

I'm going to drift this thread unapologetically - here's a wonderfully, gloriously dreadful 78: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlVCkjmTXrY

I would say Poor Butterfly by Helen Clark. while the tune is catchy, the singing and quality of the recording just give me a headache.

Edison BA #5709, I wish I had Died in My Cradle


On disc: Butane Blues, Johnny Hicks (so bad I can't even find it on YouTube)

JerryVan wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2025 9:19 am Edison BA #5709, I wish I had Died in My Cradle


On disc: Butane Blues, Johnny Hicks (so bad I can't even find it on YouTube)

Agree on that 100%. Most of the 5000 series I think kinda sucks.

You may wish to visit this previous thread on a nearly identical topic:

viewtopic.php?t=17696&hilit=hempel

Maybe the subject of another thread is your favorite cylinder recording?
Hard to put a finger on the worst. I think I would credit almost all the earliest cylinder recordings excellent considering the ravages of time and the considerable limitations of the technology back then.
As for choosing the worst, to me it is almost every Blue Damberol. Certainly after the great Edison fire in December 1914, the writing was on the wall pointing to the end of the format.

Governor Flyball wrote: Thu Jan 16, 2025 4:53 pm
As for choosing the worst, to me it is almost every Blue Damberol.

I think you are referring to the Blue Amberols produced by dubbing of the diamond discs, these indeed sound poor, especially in comparison with the original DD recording. The Amberols produced before the dubbing are however very well recorded, probably the best recorded cylinders ever made.

It's not about worst recordings, it's about worst songs.