Music and Musicians

"Shaw's Harmony Boys, dance orchestra. J. H. Dubbs, manager, Bell phone 1131J, Lebanon, Pa. Have you heard them?"

See also the back of this handbill: Blowbell Clapper Horns, the Greatest Fun and Noise Makers (below). "If you can sell harmonicas you can surely sell Clapper Horns (Trade mark). A horn, a bell, a rattler, 3 in 1 for the price of one. U.S. Patents, Feb. 25, '08, March 31, '08. Other patents pending. Trade supplied by Albert M. Deichler, 20-22 Chestnut St., Lancaster, Pa."

See also the front of this handbill: If You Can Sell Harmonicas You Can Surely Sell Clapper Horns (below). "Blowbell Clapper Horns (Trade Mark), the greatest fun & noise makers procurable, are made with patent clapper, patent corrugated bell and knocker. Best quality tin and handsomely colored."

"A grand entertainment will be held on Saturday even., April 3, '97, in Cooper's Hall, for the benefit of the Salunga Cornet Band. The comedy-drama 'Tatters' is one of the finest amateur plays that has been written, abounding in the most pathetic and humorous scenes. Good music will add largely to the night's entertainment. Don't fail to come; rain or shine. Admission, 15 cents. Reserved seat, 20 cents. Committee. Pluck Print, 38 East Chestnut Street, Lancaster, Pa."

"To accompany any key the student should know either the name of the key or find the number of sharps or flats in the piece he will play. Then turn the disk until the arrows point to the desired key or key signature...."

A novelty advertising card for country musician Hank Keene's radio show that gives instructions for experiencing an afterimage of Keene's silhouette. Magic Picture - Hank Keene Keep your eyes on the white spots on the face and count slowly up to fifty. Then turn away from the picture and look at one spot on the ceiling. The picture will then appear before your eyes on the ceiling. If you keep your eyes on one spot on the ceiling the picture will appear and disappear several times. Amuse your friends by showing them this magic picture. Tune in on Hank Keene and his Radio Gang on station WHAS, Louisville, Kentucky, every morning except Sunday from 6:00 to 6:30 Central Standard Time.

The sheet music for "Wake Up, America!" appeared in 1916, the year before the United States entered World War I. The cover shows Uncle Sam kneeling next to the Brooklyn Bridge with the Statue of Liberty in the background. He's preparing for war by placing a battleship in New York Harbor. The song urged Americans to "get ready to answer duty's call" in case "we are called to war." A 1916 recording of "Wake Up, America!" is available on the Library of Congress's National Jukebox site. -------- "Wake Up, America!" This is the song that inspired all America. Lyric by George Graff, Jr. Music by Jack Glogau. Leo Feist, Inc., New York. Chorus: Wake up, America, if we are called to war, Are we prepared to give our lives For our sweethearts and our wives? Are our mothers and our homes worth fighting for? Let us pray, God, for peace, but peace with honor, But let's get ready to answer duty's call, So when Old Glory stands unfurled, Let it mean to all the world, America is ready, that's all!

Although "TMI" simply means " too much information " to most of us, residents of central Pennsylvania also use it to refer to the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station , a nuclear power plant situated on an island in the Susquehanna River that's three miles downriver from the borough of Middletown and twelve miles from the city of Harrisburg, the state capital. Thirty-five years ago--on March 28, 1979--one of TMI's two nuclear reactors experienced a partial nuclear meltdown , which the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission still calls the "most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history." The partial meltdown resulted in a release of radioactive materials, and pregnant women and young children living within a 20-mile radius of the plant were advised to evacuate the area. It took several days until plant operators were certain that the situation was under control. Gary and the Outriders, a local music group, recorded an original song, "Goodbye T.M.I. (The Ballad of Three Mile Island)," and released it as a 45 rpm record. Its catchy melody contrasts with its dire refrain: "Goodbye, goodbye to your life, T.M.I." To hear the song, check it out on YouTube: Gary & The Outriders - Goodbye T.M.I. (1979) . For another musical reaction to the TMI accident, see the cover of the record album, Potter County Was Made by the Hand of God But the Devil Made Three Mile Island , on Flickr.

"Whirlpool Humming Spinner. RCA Whirlpool Home Appliances. Spin it!" This 1960s advertising giveaway came with string and instructions for removing the pre-punched center disk, opening holes to thread the string through, and pulling on both ends of the string in order to spin the disk, which produced a humming or whirring sound (the illustrations of the boy and girl show how this worked). Homemade "button buzzer" versions use a button instead of a cardboard disk. I was surprised to discover that this toy has a long and varied lineage. As Wikipedia explains in its buzzer (whirligig) article, "A buzzer (buzz, bullroarer, button-on-a-string) is an ancient mechanical device used for ceremonial purposes and as a toy. It is constructed by centering an object at the midpoint of a cord or thong and winding the cord while holding the ends stationary. The object is whirled by alternately pulling and releasing the tension on the cord. The whirling object makes a buzzing or humming sound, giving the device its common name." Wikipedia also mentions that Native American made buzzers out of wood, bone, and stone for use in ceremonies and as toys as far back as 500 B.C. It's amazing to think that counterparts to the Whirlpool Humming Spinner were in existence more than twenty-five hundred years ago!

"Electric Factory presents Cars, 8:00 pm. Mon., Nov. 24, 1980, at the Spectrum. No cameras / recorders. No refunds / exchanges. Ticketron. Admit one - subject to the conditions on the back hereof. Seat 5, row-box 7, sec. 103, loc. 10 flor." Ticket for The Cars with special guest The Romantics at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pa., on November 24, 1980.

"Free pass when presented at the door the night of the Buddy Deane Hop. All we ask in return is that you tell your friends about the Hop of the Year." -------- Winston "Buddy" Deane was the host of the Buddy Deane Show , which was a popular teen dance show that aired in Baltimore from 1957 to 1964. If you're familiar with the John Waters film (and later musical) Hairspray , then you may know that the Buddy Deane Show was the basis for the film's Corny Collins Show. Deane was also the disc jockey at record hops in Maryland and Pennsylvania during the late 1950s and early 1960s. These were advertised as a "Buddy Deane Hop" or the "Hop of the Year," and they were often sponsored by school and community groups as fundraising events. In the years following the release of the original Hairspray movie (1988), Deane deejayed again, this time for middle-aged fans at record hops in Baltimore . Buddy Deane passed away in 2003 at the age of seventy-eight.

"Erin go Bragh."

"Tune up the Harp! And play a tune. One with an Irish strain that memories recall my childhood days again. Erin go Bragh." Postmarked Bellwood, Pa., March 12, 1911.

"(Happy) Jack True, Ace of the Uke." I suppose that Happy Jack used this as a business card to promote his ace ukulele skills even though it doesn't include any contact information. It's possible that he was connected somehow with Chase V. Bickle's Ukelele School :

"Chase V. Bickle. Ukulele School. Beginners, advanced, melody. Studio: 1905 Elm St. Phone 2-1948." I believe that Mr. Bickle and his school were located in Dallas, Texas. Perhaps he knew Happy Jack True, Ace of the Uke :

According to folklorist Don Yoder, who included an example of this song broadside in his book The Pennsylvania German Broadside: A History and Guide (2005), p. 11, "The Great Know Nothing" song "is a clever takeoff on the political party of the 1850s known as the ' Know-Nothings ,' who ran against both Whigs and Democrats. The song adroitly transfers the 'Know-Nothing' cry of politics to the courting of Philadelphia's young people and the relation of husbands and wives, fathers and children. To get out of work, they all 'know nothing.'" As Yoder mentions, the setting of this amusing political song is Philadelphia, which was also called Quaker City for its association with William Penn and other Quakers . I like the distinctive ornamental border that the printer used on this piece. The Great Know Nothing Song, "I Don't Know." By Francis F. Eastlack, Air--Bow, Wow, Wow. Of all the many mighty things in this here Quaker City, Of dark, and brown, and blue-eyed girls, with cheeks so plump and pretty; Of all the wonders of the day that's horrible or shocking, The greatest question of them all is who are the know nothings? Chorus--I don't know; Nor you don't know, Then don't you ask me any thing, For I don't know. These men wear white hats all turned up, and at you boldly stare, sir, They only speak with nods and winks, and never comb their hair, sir, They beat both Whigs and Democrats, wherever they may go, sir, And if you ask them any thing they'll answer, I don't know, sir. I don't know, &c. The ladies, too, God bless their hearts, I cannot help but love them, For who with all their nods and winks, can ever be above them, No, they know their tricks, their signs, their grips, from head to heel and toe, sir, And should you ask a girl her name, shall answer, I don't know, sir. I don't know, &c. You dare not tell your wife be still, or say she's always squeeling, Or you'll find a great big three legged stool around your head come reeling, And the other day I asked my wife, only to mend my stockings, Now not an other word, she cried, I'm a feminine Know Nothing. I don't know, &c. The other day I came from work, with heat was almost smothered, Says I unto my youngest son, Ho, Sam! where is your mother? Then he turned his fingers on his nose, and with a voice half mocking, Why, dad, says he, why don't you know that I'm a young Know Nothing? I don't know, &c. We took this same smart son of ours one day to a public dinner, And into corn, and pork, and beans, he pitched in like a sinner, Says the lady, Now of all these men, your father to me show, Sam; Then he looked me right straight in the face, and answered I don't know, ma'am. I don't know, &c. Young men, now marry from this lot of pretty girls around you, And when your settled down in life, and family cares surround you, Take the advice of one poor man, who's suffered deepest wo, sir, Don't teach your little ones to say, why really, I don't know, sir. I don't know, &c. Now, ladies, don't you think 'tis hard, and don't you think it's shocking, That we in free America, should all of us know nothing; And don't you say with all your heart, I do believe it so, sir, Or can you say, like all the rest, Why really I don't know, sir? I don't know, &c. Published by H. J. Kehr, Central Hall, Frankford Road and Master Streets, And for sale at all the book stores. Copyright secured.

A real photo postcard of the "Tressler Orphans' Home Band, Loysville, Pa." For another orphanage music group, see Girls' Saxophone Band, Evangelical Orphanage, Lewisburg, Pa.

Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Krejci Studio, 320 West Water St., Milwaukee, Wis." A young man posing with a bandonion , which is a type of concertina.