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The Man with the Big Cigar

Oldiesmann

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Posts: 2749

Oldiesmann @ 2020-09-06 21:43:07 UTC

Going through the album Propaganda Swing Vol. 2, I found a song called "The Man with the Big Cigar". The only other piece I can find with this title is a British comedy piece by Tommy Handley, which is mostly spoken word (not sung like this). Anyone know what this is based on?


Scousedave

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Posts: 533

Scousedave @ 2020-09-07 14:41:44 UTC

The attached link (1st contribution) certainly seems to imply that there was an original version where the lyrics were changed - to Churchill's amusement.


https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=213338


The Tommy Handley version seems more of an answer song comparing Hitler to Charlie Chaplin.

Last edit: 2020-09-07 14:46:52 UTC by Scousedave

Oldiesmann

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Posts: 2749

Oldiesmann @ 2020-09-07 17:03:02 UTC

Oldiesmann


I presume that GEMA stops me watching the video you attached.


It's an auto-generated video so whoever holds the rights to that particular recording must not have rights to it in your country. This one should work though.


Scousedave

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Posts: 533

Scousedave @ 2020-09-07 17:16:36 UTC

Cool.


Found it on ITunes - audio only.


Hence my subsequent postings.

jojo

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Posts: 1766

jojo @ 2020-09-07 17:37:01 UTC

I found a version by Billy Cotton recorded on September 8, 1941 in London.

Released on Rex 10037. According to British Dance Bands on Record by Brian Rust and Sandy Forbes.


http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Rex.htm


Composed by Art Noel and Don Pelosi


attachment


Listen to a fragment here: https://www.muziekweb.nl/en/Link/LEX0018/Statesmen-of-Britain-Speeches-of-Church…


Here's a labelscan of the Charlie and his Orchestra cover-version.

This one was recorded around December 1941 in Berlin.


According to Horst H. Lange's "Die Deutsche "78er" Discographie der Hot-Dance-und Jaz-Musik 1903-1958"


attachment



JoJo greets

Last edit: 2020-09-07 17:45:41 UTC by jojo


Attachments:

Scousedave

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Posts: 533

Scousedave @ 2020-09-07 17:47:21 UTC

I would say that you have found it.


Timing is right - Sept 1941 for Billy Cotton and Dec 1941 for the German response/parody


Propaganda is right.

Oldiesmann

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Posts: 2749

Oldiesmann @ 2020-09-08 03:36:19 UTC

ISWC also credits someone named John Rivers for the original. Any idea why he's not listed on the sheet music?

Scousedave

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Posts: 533

Scousedave @ 2020-09-08 06:21:00 UTC

And none of the ISWC three are mentioned below.


A different song judging by the lyrics.


Last edit: 2020-09-08 10:17:45 UTC by Scousedave

Oldiesmann

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Posts: 2749

Oldiesmann @ 2020-09-09 01:51:44 UTC

Yes, that is a different one. The one that jojo found appears to be the one that the Germans parodied, as both of the authors shown on the sheet music are also shown in ISWC, along with someone named John Rivers.