Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > April 1998 > 1998.04.17 > 10Prev  Next


Don't Whistle 'St. Louis Tickle'
By Rob DeLand

I can't let this one go without referencing an item in "Rags & Ragtime",
the indispensable book by Jasen & Tichenor.  In an item about Theron
Bennett's composition, 'St. Louis Tickle', the authors say

  "...This was a hit at the [1904 St. Louis World's] fair and became
   one of the most beloved rags of all time.  The tune is a natural for
   strings ... Its second section was a notorious bit of musical
   low-life.  One old timer remembered getting his face slapped as a
   kid for whistling it.  Another reported that in small Missouri towns
   you could be jailed for whistling it.  Another remembered the
   original set of lyrics which began, "Been to the East, Been to the
   West, I found my honey can do it the best."

I'll let you read the rest yourself; it's on page 47 of the Dover
reprint.

And while we all have our copies of Rags & Ragtime out, turn with me
to the photograph section between pages 76 and 77.  The sixth page
of photos depicts "Charles Hunter and girls in a St. Louis parlor in
1900."  Charles is sitting at an upright piano.  But hey, isn't that a
disk music box on the table an the far left?  I wonder if Regina
ever issued Jelly Roll Morton's "Naked Dance" on a 15-1/2" disk.
But seriously, can anyone identify it?  Is it really a music box, or
just my wishful thinking?

Cheers,
Rob DeLand

 [ Maybe it plays, "Meet Me in St. Louis, Louie"   ;)  -- Robbie


(Message sent Fri 17 Apr 1998, 06:21:46 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Don't, Louis, St, Tickle, Whistle

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page