Billy Murray Albums (2)
'Comic Songs by Billy Murray & Co. Vol. 3 - The Ragtime Era (Recorded 1913-1'
Tracks 20
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What The Critics Say
The third volume of Vintage Recordings' series of compilations of the recordings of Billy Murray and his associates covers the years leading up to, during, and just following World War I. At this point, Murray, one of the nation's most popular recording artists, was contracted exclusively to Victor Records for discs (while also making cylinders for Edison), and these tracks were all issued on Victor 78s. Only a few of the 20 selections were among Murray's most popular of the period: "Snookey Ookums," Irving Berlin's complaint about the way lovers speak in baby talk to each other; "He'd Have to Get Out and Get Under," which treats the difficulty of conducting a romance in one of those new-fangled automobiles; and "K-K-K-Katy," probably the best remembered of the included songs. Those tunes give a good sense of the kinds of material here. Over and over, Murray -- with duet partner Ada Jones on six tracks -- considers the technological developments of the new century, including the telephone ("Which Switch Is the Switch for Ipswitch") and the record player ("They Started the Victrola") in addition to the automobile. And, especially toward the end, the songs refer to the war and the American excursion to Europe, though always in lighthearted fashion, not only in "K-K-K-Katy," but in the Italian-accented "When Tony Goes Over the Top" and "He'd Say Oo-La-La Wee Wee." As ever, Murray's penetrating voice, precise articulation, and right-on-the-beat timing triumph over the sonic limitations of acoustic recording to reveal the songs' humor and his own sunny personality. He had many more hits in this period than are included here, but the collection is a good sampler nevertheless. (Vintage Recordings, 253 8th Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401) ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'Comic Songs by Billy Murray & Co. Vol. 4 - The Ragtime Era (Recorded 1910-1'
Tracks 15
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What The Critics Say
The fourth volume of Vintage Recordings' series of albums devoted to the music of Billy Murray, solo and with other singers, concentrates on the 1910-1912 period and, more specifically, on Murray's recordings for Edison. At this point, he was contracted exclusively to Edison for cylinders, but also had a contract with Victor for flat discs and often recorded the same songs for each company. The 15 selections here should be considered more a sampling of his lighter Edison fare than a hits compilation. Some of his hits are included, most notable among them "Casey Jones," and there are also songs that were bigger hits for others, but that Murray covered, such as "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?" But other big sellers Murray recorded for Edison, such as "What's the Matter with Father?" and "Gee, But It's Great to Meet a Friend from Your Own Home Town," are missing. If this is not a best-of, strictly speaking, however, it does give a good sense of the breadth of Murray's performances, even within his "comic" persona. There are Irish dialect songs like "Mister Pat O'Hare," light romantic duets with Ada Jones, and dance tunes like "Everybody Two-Step." Murray is often accompanied by an unidentified vocal chorus, but he always stands out from the pack. The cylinder transfers are sometimes very scratchy, but that doesn't keep Murray from being heard, either. His great advantage in the acoustic era was his ability to cut through and articulate clearly, allowing his listeners to get a good sense of the lighthearted lyrics and be encouraged to sing along. Those talents are on display here, as they are on all Murray's recordings. (Vintage Recordings, 253 8th Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401) ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
