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Song

The Bully 2nd in 1895

Written by
Language
English
Comments
Elijah Wald documents this traditional African American song as being in circulation as early as 1894. W.C. Handy records hearing it sung by roustabouts on the levee at St. Louis. Charles E Trevathan, a white sports writer and amateur guitarist, subsequently claimed authorship of the words and melody. In 1896, it was a hit for May Irwin, a Scots-Canadian singer who performed it with racist lyrics in a production called "The Widow Jones."
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Added by Will Moore

Versions

written by English

Title Performer Release date Info
 PRF,REC First recording on August 16, 1895
First live performance on September 16, 1895
 REL 1896 First release
  July 1907
  April 1926
  May 1926
  1926
  August 1927
  1927
  1929
  November 1936
listen on Internet Archive   November 1938 Medley
  1954
  1956
listen on Internet Archive   August 1961
  January 1963
  August 1965
  1973 Live
  March 1976 Released more than 10 years after its recording
  May 9, 1977
  1982
  1990
  2003
  October 5, 2004 Live
  2011
  June 9, 2013
  2016

written by instrumental

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