Palesteena
Palesteena (also Lena from Palesteena ) is a pop song written by J. Russel Robinson (music) and Con Conrad (text) and published in 1920.
background
The song, published in 1920 by Shapiro, Bernstein & Company in New York, was recorded on December 4, 1920 by the Original Dixieland Jass Band (Victor 18 717-B), whose pianist was J. Russel Robinson. The melody of the song had a strong klezmer influence , with the chorus based on a phrase from Nokh a bisl by Jack Kammen. Palesteena was one of a series of early 20th century novelty songs with Middle Eastern themes.
The first verse of the song is:
- In the Bronx of New York City
- Lived a girl, she's not so pretty
- Lena is her name.
- Such a clever girl is Lena
- How she played her concertina
- Really, it's a shame.
- She's such a good musician
- She got a swell position
- To go across the sea to entertain.
- And so they shipped poor Lena
- Way out to Palesteena
Cover versions
The musicians who covered the song from November 1920 included Vincent Lopez ( Columbia A3349), Eddie Cantor (Emerson 10292) and Frank Crumit (Columbia A3324), as well as the Green Brothers Novelty Band (Edison 50 725-L) and in Berlin Dajos Béla (Odeon A 44 155) and Eric Borchard (as Eric Concerto's Yankee Jazz Band ) (Polyphon 50 202 / mx. 159 av).
J. Russel Robinson recorded a piano roll by Palesteena (QRS Roll 1244).
The discographer Tom Lord lists a total of 31 (as of 2015) cover versions in the field of jazz , u. a. by Bob Crosby (1938), Seymour Österwall (1940), Filu and his Swingers (1946), Nappy Lamare (1949), Alan Elsdon (1961), the Old Merry Tale Jazzband with Knut Kiesewetter (1971), Randy Sandke (1990) , Kenny Davern (1998) and numerous American and European Dixieland bands.
Sound documents (selection)
Eddie Cantor, Emerson 10 292 (mx. 41 494)
Frank Crumit, Columbia A3324 (mx. 79 444), recorded October 2nd, 1920.
Billy Jones, tenor, Cleartone Record C-33-A
Dajos Béla (as “Chapel Sándor Józsi”) Odeon A 44 155 (Mat. XBe 3476), open. Berlin, November 14, 1922
Eric Borchard (as Eric Concerto's Yankee Jazz Band ) Polyphonic 50 202 / 100.345 (mx. 159 av) [30 cm]
Bennie Krueger's Orchestra, Pathé B 22 469, rec. Nov. 1920
Vincent Lopez Orchestra, Columbia A 3349 (mx. 79519), recorded November 16, 1920
Green Bros. Novelty Band, Edison Diamond Disc 50 725-L (mx. 7679), rec. Dec. 1920
Original Dixieland Jass Band, Victor 18 717-B (mx. B 24 590-5), rec. Dec. 4, 1920 NY
Orchestrion roll:
QRS # 1244
Web links
- Inclusion in the catalog of the German National Library: DNB 1021020281
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Michael Lasser: America's Songs II: Songs from the 1890s to the Post-War Years . 2014, p. 64.
- ↑ Kammen Dance Folio No. 1, p. 12, cf. Jack Gottlieb: Funny, It Doesn't Sound Jewish: How Yiddish Songs and Synagogue Melodies Influenced Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, and Hollywood. Volume 1. Verlag SUNY Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8444-1130-2 , pp. 125f.
- ↑ complete text and illustration of the sheet music title with illustration at palestineposterproject.org
- ^ Rainer E. Lotz, Borchard Story (Jazzfreund-Publication, Menden 1988), p. 3.
- ↑ a b Tom Lord: Jazz discography (online)
- ↑ listen on youtube
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