ID3 tags. Or--so, that's what they're called!

So, two people have asked me about ID3 tags. So far. And I thought to myself, "ID3 tags? What are those?"

I looked them up and discovered they're the information fields that come up at Musicmatch, Rhapsody, iTunes, etc.

Title, Artist, Genre, and so on.

The tags I've been using from Day One, only I didn't know what they were called. Earth, calling Lee.

Anyway, the latest batch of files--"Lee's 78s"--were uploaded from my HP's music program without the ID3 tags filled in. I did so to save time, figuring I was just going to retag them anyway when they got to Box.net. Except that all I'm doing at Box is renaming the files, not retagging them. Now that I think of it.

Many thanks to the error-pointer-outers--it won't happen again. From now on, my files will go to Box with the artist, title, and (if I know it) year.

Since I rarely download my own files (I check them by playing them at Box.net), it's easy for me to forget such details as proper tagging. Very inconsiderate of me.

At any rate, now I know what those information fields are called. For two years, I've known them only as Those Tags I Fill in.

Space out details? Me? Never!

Sorry 'bout that,


Lee, not up for the 2007 Techie of the Year Award

Lee Whiteman

Courtesy of Ernie (Ernie (Not Bert) ). I've informed Ernie that my lawyer is on the case.

Once my lawyer stops laughing, that is.

Excellent work, no?:
























What can I say? If the head fits....

Lee Whiteman

"Lee's 78s" is here! 21 sides, 1903-1946

"The Birds Is Coming?" you ask. No, no--"Lee's 78s is here"!

And they is. Er, are.












"Lee's 78s" is a new series in which I present 78s that belong to me. I've been presenting 78s at this blog from Day One, but never before have I done so under the title "Lee's 78s." Nor have I featured the doctored photo above (above). Except in the previous post, and then only as a teaser.

I hope that explains everything.

It's also to fend off the question, "Where do you get your 78s?" I get them from me. I'm very generous when it comes to lending them out to me. I trust me. I've only broken two 78s in my entire life--and one of those, I broke in a record store. I remember it vividly--I was pulling a row of discs forward, reached down to pull one out, and back went the row--Snap! Louder than anything. The two owners turned and looked. To see me holding half of a 78.

They were very nice about it. Especially since I bought a bunch of stuff that day.

I'll comment on some of the sides--the magnificent Wang Wang Blues, for instance, the kind of record Paul Whiteman should have made more often. Nothing-left-to-chance Dixieland, maybe, but Dixieland just the same. Its flip--Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere--features an ending we don't expect to hear from 1921--namely, swing-style riffing behind the melody. Plus a countermelody in the trombone. Ignore the ragtime pulse and listen to the precise, orderly three-way dialogue.

1916's Cradle Rock is so jazzy, I prefer to call it jazz. It sounds so much like slowed-down Dixieland that I wonder if that's basically what it is. A mellower version of what W.C. Handy was recording in 1917.

1946's Easy is my favorite Ray Conniff side for Harry James. Arranger Conniff cowrote the tune with James. I got some nice sound from a pretty worn disc.

I'm on the Crest of a Wave, arranged by Ferde Grofe for Paul Whiteman, took a couple of hours to declick, but I'm glad I took the time. One of Grofe's more elaborate charts, and I'm glad he took the time. This Columbia 78 has wonderful detail, but there's not much sense of space. Maybe the studio was cramped....

Enjoy!

Wang Wang Blues (Mueller-Johnson-Busse)--Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orch., 1920. From Victor 78.

Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere ((Max Kortlander)--Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orch., 1920. From 78.

I'd Rather Two-Step Than Waltz, Bill (Medley, Two-Step)--Zonophone Concert Band, 1907. From Oxford 78.

San (McPhail-Michels)--Paul Whiteman and His Orch., 1924. From Victor 78.

Silver Heels (Neil Moret)--Columbia Band, 1908. From Columbia 78.

Tea for Two (Caesar-Youmans)--Benson Orchestra of Chicago, Dir. by Don Bestor, 1924. From Victor 78.

Those Draftin' Blues (Pinkard-Hickman-Williams)--Art Hickman's Orchestra, 1919. From Columbia 78.

Dardanella (Bernard-Black)--Prince's Dance Orch., 1919. From Columbia 78.

Corn Huskin' Dance (Corin)--Victor Dance Orch., 1909. From Victor 78.

Cradle Rock (Abe Frankl-Phil Kornheiser)--Prince's Band, 1916. From 12" Columbia 78.

I'm on the Crest of a Wave (De Sylva-Brown-Henderson)--Paul Whiteman and His Orch., featuring Bing Crosby and Chorus, 1928. Arranged by Ferde Grofe. From Columbia 78.

Lay Me Down to Sleep in Carolina (Jack Yellen--Milton Ager)--Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orch., Vocal by Charles Kaley, 1926. From Victor 78.

A Stubborn Cinderella (Selection) (Howard)--Arthur Pryor's Band, 1909. From Victor 78.

Arkansas Blues (Anton Lada, Spencer Williams)--The Little Ramblers, 1924. From Columbia 78.

Anona (Vivian Grey)--Columbia Band, 1903. From Columbia 78.

Jolly Fellows Waltz--Columbia Band with Effects, 1908. From Columbia 78.

Easy (James-Conniff)--Harry James and His Orch., 1946. From Columbia 78.

Wild Flower Waltz (Mary Earl)--Yerke's Jazarimba Orchestra, 1919. From Columbia 78.

Bugle Call Rag (Pettis-Schoebel)--Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orch., 1923. From Brunswick 78.

You're Bound to Look Like a Monkey (When You Grow Old) (Clarence Williams-Alex Hill)--Bob Crosby's Bob Cats, 1940. From Decca 78.

Poor Buttermilk (Confrey)--Zez Confrey, piano, 1921. From Brunswick 78.

























Lee

Coming very soon--Lee's 78s!

Sunday morning gospel--Sacred 78s! Bush Brothers, Criterion Quartet, Trinity Choir, more!

Sunday greetings! I spent several hours today (er, yesterday) getting these 78s ready for audio consumption. Lots of work, but I loved every minute of it--though when I first set the stylus on the Criterion Quartet's Old Time Religion, I thought "No way." As in, no way can I save this one.

But I ended up with a pretty good file. Acceptable-, we could grade it. Some fairly worn 78s here, but sometimes they come that way. It means their owners loved them. Which is a good thing. 78s deserve love.

I have no idea what I just typed.

You'll probably recognize the melody to Happy Day as "How dry I am (How wet I'll be, If I don't find the bathroom key....)." It's funny when you're ten.

What else? Um.... Nothing. O.K., to the music:

Old Time Religion (Tillman)--Criterion Quartet, 1907 or so? From Victor 78.

Happy Day (Doddridge-Rimbault)--Trinity Choir, 1913. From Victor 78.

Glory Is Coming--McMillan Quartet, 1927. From Columbia 78.

No Stranger Yonder--McMillan Quartet, 1927. From Columbia 78.

Shall We Meet Beyond the River (Hastings-Rice)--Harry Macdonough--Percy Hemus, 1913. From Victor 78.

Almost Persuaded (Bliss)--Harry Macdonough--Percy Hemus, 1913. From Victor 78.

When the Gates of Glory Open--Bush Brothers, 1928. From Columbia 78.

On the Glory Road--Bush Brothers, 1928. From Columbia 78.

Lead Me to Calvary (Kirkpatrick)--Rev. and Mrs. Raymond Nelson. From 78.

And now some goodies from vinyl. You'll enjoy the quieter surfaces.

What I love about this first number is how Fifties it sounds--it could have been a Top 40 hit for Stuart Hamblen. But, of course, it hails from 1887:

Sunshine in the Soul (a.k.a. Sunshine in My Soul) (Hewitt-Sweney)--White Sisters, 1964. From Word LP.

Here's another one that sounds way before its time--the 1910 classic He Keeps Me Singing. Two things to die for on this recording--the echo and the organ. I love this:

He Keeps Me Singing (Luther B. Bridgers)--Alan McGill, 1960. From LP on Sacred label.

And two gospel standards (written in 1881 and 1914, respectively) performed by the Old Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet:

Lily of the Valley (Fry-Hays)--Old Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet, 1969. From Word label LP.

Sweeter as the Days Go By (James Rowe--Hamp Sewell)--Old Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet, 1969. From Word LP.

Another hymn by Eliza (Sunshine in the Soul) Hewitt, with music by Emily D. Wilson:

When We All Get to Heaven--The Plainsmen Quartet. From LP on the Heart Warming label.

One more by the Plainsmen Quartet--a very similar, but better known, hymn written five years earlier (in 1893). This used to be one of about five gospel hymns I'd heard in my life:

When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder (James M. Black)--The Plainsmen Quartet. From LP on the Heart Warming label.

See ya next Sunday!


Lee