"Dardanella" is a popular song published in 1919 by McCarthy & Fisher, Inc., a firm owned by Fred Fisher, lyricist, for music composed by Felix Bernard and Johnny S. Black.[2]
| "Dardanella" | |
|---|---|
 Sheet music cover, 1919 | |
| Song by Selvin's Novelty Orchestra | |
| B-side | My Isle of Golden Dreams[1] |
| Published | May 21, 1919 by McCarthy & Fisher, Inc., New York.[2] |
| Released | December 1919[1] |
| Recorded | November 20, 1919, take 3[3] |
| Studio | Victor Studios, New York City[1] |
| Genre | Jazz Dance Band[3] |
| Label | Victor 18633[3] |
| Composer(s) | Felix Bernard, Johnny S. Black[2] |
| Lyricist(s) | Fred Fisher[2] |
Bandleader Ben Selvin (1898–1980) recorded "Dardanella" for several record labels (including Victor and Paramount). His main recording was made for Victor on November 20, 1919, under the name of Selvin's Novelty Orchestra. It was released December 1919,[1] reaching number one the following month, a position It held for 13 weeks.[4] It also ranked number one for the year 1920, and was the second-highest selling single of the 1920s.[5] Selvin's recording broke records by becoming the first record to sell more than three million copies,[6] and would go on to sell more than 5 million.[4]
As with most hit records of the time, the market was soon rife with unauthorized copies of the tune. A front page ad in Variety (January 2, 1920) warned "thieves and pirates" not to "imitate, copy or steal any part of 'Dardanella'." There were, however, a number of other successful recordings in 1920, by Prince's Orchestra, Harry Raderman's Jazz Orchestra, and Henry Burr and Albert Campbell.[7]
Notable subsequent recordings were by Acker Bilk and His Paramount Jazz Band (included in his album A Stranger No More);[8][user-generated source] by Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong on their 1960 album Bing & Satchmo,[citation needed] and by Geoff Muldaur and Maria Muldaur on their 1974 Warner/Reprise album, "Sweet Potatoes," featuring Amos Garrett.[citation needed]
Notes
edit- ^ a b c d "Victor 18633 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ a b c d ""Dardanella"". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ a b c "Victor matrix B-23344. Dardanella / Selvin's Novelty Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ a b Whitburn 1986, p. 379.
- ^ Whitburn 1986, p. 630.
- ^ Whitburn 1986, p. 14.
- ^ Whitburn 1986, p. 490.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
Bibliography
edit- Fisher, Fred (w.); Felix Bernard/Johnny S. Black (m). "Dardanella" (Sheet Music). New York: McCarthy & Fisher (1919).
- Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
External links
edit- "Dardanella" (instrumental), Selvin's Novelty Orchestra (Victor 18633, 1919) at the Internet Archive.