Listening List for November 04, 2025

I know it's a holiday, but... take a few moments from parties to become acquainted with the listening list for this coming week.

 

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

by Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed (1929)

from "Hollywood Revue of 1929)

performed by Ukelele Ike (Cliff Edwards)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRcr_5qWa-o

 

SHOWBOAT

all songs by Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II (1927)

excerpts form 1936 filmed version

 

CAN'T HELP LOVIN' THAT MAN

performed by Helen Morgan, Irene Dunne, Hattie McDaniel, Paul Robeson)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cZmvLixcTA

 

OL' MAN RIVER

peformed by Paul Robeson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df4VdyGIqJ8

 

BILL

performed by Helen Morgan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c83IYf424ak

 

ANYTHING GOES

by Cole Porter (1934)

 

peformed by Cole Porter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN2KHeEWqZM

 

performed by Patti LuPone (song begins at 0:30)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpjaqswBVIA

 

PORGY AND BESS

all songs by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin and DuBose Howard (1935)

 

SUMMERTIME

peformed by Harolyn Blackwell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7-Qa92Rzbk

 

I GOT PLENTY OF NOTHING

Michael Preacely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gg2Jv2ebns

 

IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO

Sammy Davis Jr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ijhn3FlDQs

 

I LOVES YOU PORGY

performed by Cynthia Haymon and Bruce Hubbard (song starts at 2:35)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNYCt1ju8fo

 

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN

all songs by Irving Berlin (1946)

 

YOU CAN'T GET A MAN WITH A GUN

performed by Ethel Merman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAYqKNTP5Q4

 

THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS

pefromed by Ethel Meerman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIiQMsDQ0Uo

Lyrics for October 28, 2025

Here are the lyrics for Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Enjoy!

See y'all in class!

Some Things to Listen to before Class on October 28, 2025

Here some videos to listen to before class on October 28, 2025.

 SONG STRUCTURE

RHYMES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suXGrzXCNzU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCfSSo8W0G4

 

TIME SIGNATURES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fwLCgtlvY8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoSZ1yhxgqA

 

EARLY BROADWAY

THE YAMA YAMA MAN

Karl Hoschna, Collin Davis (1908)

from "The Three Twins"

performed by Ada Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1YVCIkIc6E

performed by Ginger Rogers (as Irene Castle as Bessie McCoy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCB2xsrm4vk

 

ITALIAN STREET SONG

by Victor Herbert, Rida Johnson Young (1910)

from "Naughty Marietta" (1910)

performed by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy (1935)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94pvclfugk

performed by Anna Moffo (televised appearance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9RjDV96Uok

INDIAN LOVE CALL

by Rudolf Frimi, Herbert Stothart, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II (1924)

from "Rose Marie"

performed by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald (1936 film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMD_5H0Nqqo

performed by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald (commercial recording)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyT-VSE6M1k

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

by Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed (1929)

from "Hollywood Revue of 1929)

performed by Ukelele Ike (Cliff Edwards)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRcr_5qWa-o

SHOWBOAT

all songs by Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II (1927)

excerpts form 1936 filmed version

CAN'T HELP LOVIN' THAT MAN

performed by Helen Morgan, Irene Dunne, Hattie McDaniel, Paul Robeson)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cZmvLixcTA

 

OL' MAN RIVER

peformed by Paul Robeson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df4VdyGIqJ8

BILL

performed by Helen Morgan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c83IYf424ak

See y'all in class!

Lyrics for October 21, 2025

This week we will finish Stephen Foster.

We will also begin examining the structure of songs.

Here are the song structure lyrics in Word.

Here are the song structure lyrics in a pdf.

Enjoy!

Lyrics for Class, October 14, 2025

Here are the lyrics for class tomorrow.

Here they are in Word.

Here they are in a pdf.

Enjoy! And See y'all in class!

Listening List for October 14, 2025

Due to beginning of year confusion and a major computer problem (since resolved) I'm a bit behind where I want to be.

Nevertheless, here is a listening list before class.

The lyrics to the songs can easily be found so I'm not including them yet.

The list has two sections. The first is:

BEFORE STEPHEN FOSTER

Old Zip Coon / Turkey in the Straw (1834)
Original (racist) lyrics:
(2nd South Carolina String Band)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubXiEW40bUA


Instrumental
(Tennessee Mafia Jug Band)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Ntl1uIHVc

With new lyrics:
(Andy Z)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0JlANsF9kw

Polly Wolly Doodle (1843)
(Tom Roush)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_xhgRKvQzQ

The second is:
STEPHEN FOSTER

Oh Susanna! (1848)
(Tom Roush)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lhBYeufe1c

Camptown Races (1850)
(2nd South Carolina String Band)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSN5SdL_ohY

Old Folks at Home (1852)
(2nd South Carolina String Band)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksBcIEJ822Y

My old Kentucky home (1853)
(John Prine)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYQ4WnFG_0I

Hard times come again no more (1854)
(Jan de Gaetani)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57iE6ElmdCM

Jeannie with the light brown hair (1854)
(Jan de Gaetani)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvEA0RnX_GU

Old Black Joe (1860)
(Mills Brothers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEw3B5p0Sww

Beautiful dreamer (1864)
(Marilyn Horne)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-drAf-BQaRc

Things to think about:

Why have so many of Foster's songs survived while that of most of his contemporaries has not?

What (if anything) makes Foster's songs sound American (rather than British, Irish or other European)?

Should his, at times, problematic lyrics remain, be changed? 

Is it a good idea to project modern standards into the past?

Materials for Class October 07, 2025

Here are the lyrics for the Class Overview (nb. the lyrics are incomplete as only parts of the songs are played in class).

Here they are in a Word document.

Here is a PDF.

Enjoy!