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Misirlou

Denis

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Denis @ 2006-03-03 15:46:27 UTC

Misirlou


Looking for the first English performance or recording of this song.

wally creek

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Posts: 9142

wally creek @ 2006-03-09 08:10:41 UTC

http://nfo.net/calendar/sep08.htm

This lists Harry James"s Orchestra in 1941


http://nfo.net/calendar/jul18.htm

Xavier Cugat' & Orchestra in 1941 also


http://www.spaceagepop.com/nearsong.htm

This notes the Wayne King Orchestra, popular aorund the same time.


Even if you meant English vocals, these might contain vocals, being from the time period where bands had singers.

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Denis

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Denis @ 2006-04-04 17:21:39 UTC

Harry James' orchestra recorded it on September 8 1941 (Columbia 36390). I'm not sure if there were vocals on this track.


I have a version recorded June 5 1941 by Woody Herman (Decca 4024). Possibly Woody Herman sings on this track.


wally creek

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wally creek @ 2007-01-22 13:59:27 UTC

I think all roads lead to:


Carol Bruce, Decca 18185 recorded 8/29/41.

Listed as "Miserlou" in the 78s Project database but it is "Misirlou":

http://www.discjj.com/user/cart/gds_detail.php?id=4970

Carol Bruce was an actress, also.


Many sites note the 1941 date and the additional writer credits; here the writers all are proven on the label. The recording date for this is also earlier than Woody Herman (9/5/41 as "Miserlou" in the 78s Project database) and Harry James (9/8/41).


More on the song itself, though you may have found these already:

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=797765

Note copyright dates given in footnotes - 1927 and 1934 is Patrinos(?), 1941 is Roubanis (?). The beguine the writer refers to is the song style in the Carol Bruce version, not to what it links to.


http://www.dinosaurgardens.com/archives/297


http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=23203

many references to Carol Bruce version


http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/1997/091197/letters.html

see “Druze and Surf”.


It's probably noted in one of the sites above, but the translation of the title, the Sephardic/Klezmer references dating to the 1920s, the reference to originating from Greek refugees in the 1920s (both expatriate groups of World War I from the former Turkish Empire) with Patrinos from Smyrna/Izmir, the Dick Dale reference above, all point to Middle Eastern/Arabic origin. I feel the music is "Traditional".

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"One of these days I gotta get myself organized" - Travis Bickle

Denis

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Posts: 9966

Denis @ 2007-02-06 00:28:01 UTC

I think you could be right about both Carol Bruce as orignal English performer and the traditional origin. The music feels traditional to me as well, but should I make a new traditional original for it? The problem is I wouldn't know how to name this original and I lack more accurate info about its origin.

wally creek

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Posts: 9142

wally creek @ 2007-02-06 23:36:23 UTC

The origins are still in doubt, that's for sure. Traditional" is probably also subject to dispute -- if it's "only" from the late 1800s, that's like 6 generations, traditional enough for me, like American blues.


I would still use the Patrinos version as the root, although did you catch the Dinosaur Gardens comment about an earlier reported recording (1927)?; I've found no supporting evidence. Of course, Patrinos could still be first with performances in 1927. Then I would comment that the song is thought to be older, with the country of origin in dispute. At least the title doesn't change much from Greek/Turkish/Arabic although Patrinos sings it as "musurlu".


The more one finds about this song, the less one knows about it. At least it's still a living topic.

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"One of these days I gotta get myself organized" - Travis Bickle

Mixxer

Member
Posts: 15

Mixxer @ 2007-05-06 03:34:54 UTC

Here is some information from Dick Rosemont's site, The Originals Project at http://www.originalsproject.us/


The exact history of "Misirlou" has been lost but it's most likely a Greek song, in the rembetika style, from Smirni (Izmir in Turkey) from the 1910s. The title means "Woman from Egypt" or "Egyptian girl" in Turkish. Many Greeks at that time were living in Turkey, especially Smirni and Istanbul. Even though its authorship is unknown, "Misirlou" has been claimed by many through the years, in particular, Nikos Roubanis. English lyrics were later penned by Fred Wise, Milton Leeds and S.K. Russell.


Patrinos is said to have performed "Misirlou" in Greece as early as 1927, and he is often referenced as the first to cut it, but details are elusive. It's possible he made a recording in Greece around 1930, which was when the poverty-stricken country would have begun to build studio facilities. It's more certain he did at least record it in New York City around 1931.

baggish

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baggish @ 2009-01-07 23:38:08 UTC

While researching something else, I came across http://www.alternet.org/story/109842/, describing how Dick Dale came across the song. The story suggests he came across it independently of the other English language covers mentioned above, but nevertheless he does credit Roubanis, Wise, Russell, Leeds.

Last edit: 2009-01-07 23:44:30 UTC by baggish

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walt

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walt @ 2011-10-25 13:28:45 UTC

The first English recording of this song I found so far is by Xavier Cugat from July 1941.

Last edit: 2012-02-15 00:56:34 UTC by walt