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MMD > Archives > May 2011 > 2011.05.07 > 04Prev  Next


Wurlitzer Style 155 "Monster" Tune Identified
By John Merchant

I'm pleased to inform everybody that the song named "The Waltz of
the Zebras" on the recording "Music for Carousel Lovers", which
features the Kit Carson County Carousel's Wurlitzer Style 155
"Monster" military band organ, has been identified as "Smarty", by
Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, 1908.

I've subsequently verified this claim by looking up the sheet music
on-line.  While the band organ arrangement plays both the verse and
chorus as a flowing waltz, the sheet music has the verse in straight
2/4 time.  The chorus is a waltz in both versions.  The audio recording
of the Wurlitzer Monster organ can be heard at the following link:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVuqVj1FeQ8 

The sheet music of "Smarty" is available here:

  http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/inharmony/search.do?titleFacet=Smarty 

Click on the picture of the cover, then do the same on the following
page.

I got my copy of the audio recording a number of years ago at Bill
Black's Carrousel Music, http://music.carouselstores.com/  I now
can't find it anywhere on that site.  The recording was made for the
soundtrack of a documentary on Colorado's historical carousels produced
by Mary Brenneman.  The segment featuring the Monster and its carousel
can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D551tQN75ac 

If you can find the recording I highly recommend buying it.  The audio
quality is crystal clear and the organ is well balanced.

John Merchant

 [ Other songs awaiting identification:
 [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg_t8kwGifg  The Sweet Giraffe Waltz (2:08)
 [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bdhu7lVYvw  The Royal Lion's March
 [ -- Editor (Robbie)


(Message sent Sat 7 May 2011, 16:11:03 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  155, Identified, Monster, Style, Tune, Wurlitzer

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