The title of this topic is sure to trigger the alarm bells of email
content checking programs that protect the recipient from undesirable
"sexually oriented" email, so if you don't receive this MMDigest don't
blame me but ask your ISP what happened!

The word "organ" comes from Latin and Greek roots meaning an instrument
or implement that performs a useful task.  But English is about the
only language with only one word for both the musical instrument and
other 'instruments of recreation'; this naturally leads to double
entendre jokes, but only in English.  In French it's l'orgue (Mus.)
and l'organe (Biol.); in German die Orgel (Mus.) and das Organ (Biol.);
in Dutch het orgel (Mus.) and het orgaan (Biol.).

"Organ Grinder Blues", by Clarence Williams (1928), is an inelegant
double entendre song written primarily for 78 rpm "party records"; see
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/2541/blewater.htm#Organ507

It seems that musical instruments heard on the street often suffer
name confusion.  The jolly sound of a small pipe organ wafts around
a corner, and a kid asks, "Mama, what's that sound?"  Mama replies
without thinking, "It's a hurdy-gurdy."  Well, it ain't!

Hurdy gurdy is one of the ancient alliterations for the hand-cranked
wheel fiddle of Medieval Europe that preceded the street organ by a
few centuries.  The sound resembles a cat's yowling, and is equally
as entertaining, but the name persists for any street instrument with
a crank.

 [ Hans van Oost gives these other European names for the wheel fiddle:
 [ "Dutch: Draailier; German: Drehleier; French: vieille a roue, and
 [ it's still in use in some folk bands."

Later another kid's Mama answers, "It's a barrel organ."  Wrong again.
It ain't got no barrel inside -- it plays by a paper music roll!

People speak the first traditional word that comes to mind without
considering if it's accurate.  The words we use today haven't changed
in hundreds of years, even though the hand-cranked street instrument
has changed considerably.

A few weeks ago a visitor to the MMD Archives wrote asking:

> I am trying to find the real name for the organ that people
> used to grind with the monkeys?  Any info?  thanks

I wrote in reply:

  There are lots of names for the organ, depending on the locality.
  It doesn't matter if the monkey is actually present.  ;-)

  The little organ can be called:

    crank organ  (literal translation of the standard German term)
    grind organ (literal translation of one of the French terms)
    organ of Barbary (literal translation of another old French terms)
    street organ (because that's where it's seen)
    barrel organ (old instruments were played by a pinned cylinder)
    belly organ (because that's often where it rests)
    hurdy gurdy (but this name is preferred for the wheel fiddle)

  "Hurdy gurdy" is really the name of the wheel fiddle, but since
  both instruments were played on the street, and both have cranks,
  passersby thoughtlessly called the newer organ by the wrong name.
  This shouldn't be a concern except that the folks nowadays who build
  and play the wheel fiddle rightly want the name "hurdy gurdy" for
  their ancient instrument.

  I prefer "crank organ", because the hand crank is the organs
  distinctive feature and also because the operator is cranking it.
  The French call the action "grinding", like grinding flour with
  a small grinder or mill.

  "Street organ" is also okay, but to me this term includes the
  larger organs (weighing several hundred pounds) also seen on the
  streets in Europe, especially in Holland.

  But you can call it a monkey organ if you like, and most folks
  will know what you mean.

  And no matter the name of the organ, the operator -- the guy
  turning the crank -- is universally called the organ grinder.
  (And the reason, I believe, is because the music seems to grind
  on and on and on...!)

  Ain't language wonderful!

  See the pictures of a popular small "belly organ" at
  http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/JBbellyorgan.html

Only a few days later MMDer Ed Ditto wrote in MMDigest:

> We have started a Yahoo group for Organ Grinders.  Talk anything
> about organ grinding, hand-cranked organs, organettes, discoveries,
> problems, items for sale or wanted.  Anyone interested is welcome
> to join.
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organgrinders/

I asked Ed to pose the same question (What Should We Call Them?) to
the Grinders group.  Several entertaining and revealing replies were
forthcoming, and Ed and the authors have kindly granted permission to
reproduce in MMDigest the excerpts below.

Robbie Rhodes

 = = =

I admit that "monkey organ" isn't very dignified, but I always have
my monkey puppet, George, on my left hand to pull stops and take bows
to applause, so it fits for me.  And besides, we don't want these fun
instruments to seem too dignified (?).

"Street organ" has the problem of referring to the larger, barely
hand-crankable Dutch organs.  Also, I'm as likely to play mine indoors
or in a back yard as in the street or sidewalk.  I don't find many
Americans familiar with the term.

What most people here in Maine call them is "hurdy gurdy."  That's
really the name of an obscure medieval keyboard violin with a cranked
rosin wheel, but it seems to be the classic US name for the, uh, monkey
organ.  My only objection to "hurdy-gurdy" is that it doesn't say
"organ."

"Grind organ" or "Grinder's organ" is a term I don't hear much, but
which people understand as readily as hurdy-gurdy or monkey organ.

"Barrel organ" is well understood, but inaccurate for most of our
organs, and also refers to more classical organs such as in English
rural churches or the Viennese coffee houses where Mozart was played on
the barrels.

"Crank organ" is my own favorite term.  Most people know what I mean,
and it translates nicely the German "Drehorgel."

Mike Knudsen

 - - -

I prefer to use the word "street organ" or "mechanical organ" myself.
No offense to monkeys, but birds such as parrots and even crows were
used with street organs too.  We don't call it a Crow Organ or a Parrot
Organ!

Years ago, Molinari in their catalog called them Hand Organs.  In
Q. David Bowers' Encyclopedia, Bowers called them Hand Cranked Barrel
Organs.  Nowhere in the Encyclopedia did he refer to them as, "Monkey
Organs".   In the end I think that "Street Organ" fits perfectly!

Tim Trager

 - - -

I must admit to favouring "street organ" because that's where it's
roots are ...

Ian Pettigrew

 - - -

Ed Ditto recently mentioned that the organ grinder group prompted mail
from sexually oriented sites.  It reminded me of a story I heard years
ago, I believe from Harvey Roehl.  A collector once put out feeler ads
in various publications saying "Wanted: Monkey Organs".  He received
a reply from a medical supply company offering hearts, brains, etc.
Whether or not the story is actually true, or if the offer was serious,
I thought you would enjoy it.

On the subject of What Should We Call Them, I personally would prefer
_anything_ but Monkey Organs, but realistically I don't think we can
ever get away from it.

Hal O'Rourke

 - - -

I can believe the story from Harvey Roehl about "Monkey Organs" will
be true.  We constantly get offers of human organs, medical supplies
and a fair share of "Adult Orientated" emails with offers we'd have
to refuse!  All because of the name "Organs".

I think time has gone on so much that the general world don't know
what a "Barrel Organ", "Monkey Organ" or any other phrase we may use
actually is.  Maybe a good name is just "Mechanical Pipe Organ" --
that pretty much sums up what they are.

Nick Dean

 - - -

A few years ago a reporter was sent to our home on Grand Lake (N.E.
Oklahoma) because the editor of the local Grove, Oklahoma newspaper
had heard that there were "Monkey Organs on Grand Lake" and he was
curious as to just what anatomic parts were laying around.  Of course,
the subsequent article was toned down and reported our collection but
it was sort of fun -- just thought I would throw that in.

Ron Bopp