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1001 Songs Challenge #10: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1932)
Written by E.Y. “Yip” Harburg and composed by Jay Gorney, Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? was included in the 1932 musical, Americana.
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1001 Songs Challenge #9: Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl (1931)
I’ve found from research that Bessie Smith's Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl may be called Dirty Blues as it is full of euphemisms.
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1001 Songs Challenge #8: Minnie the Moocher (1931)
Minnie the Moocher demands audience participation, with Cab Calloway’s use of scat lyrics that sound like absurd mumblings.
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1001 Songs Challenge #7: El manisero (1929)
El manisero means the peanut vendor and this particular song is one of the most famous to come out of Cuba.
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1001 Songs Challenge #6: St. James Infirmary Blues (1929)
A gifted player of the trumpet, Louis Armstrong was also a great singer and St. James Infirmary Blues is one of his earliest efforts.
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1001 Songs Challenge #5: Pokarekare Ana (1929)
This version of Pokarekare Ana is performed by Ana Hato and Deane Warentini and was recorded way back in 1929.
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1001 Songs Challenge #4: Lagrimas negras (1928)
The backing music to Lagrimas negras seems too pleasant for such a sad subject, a peculiar contrast but the mixture still works.
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1001 Songs Challenge #3: Allons à Lafayette (1928)
Recorded by couple, Joe and Cleoma Falcon, Allons à Lafayette is one of the earliest examples of recorded cajun music.
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1001 Songs Challenge #2: Saint Louis Blues (1925)
The definitive version is considered to be this one by Bessie Smith who tragically died in 1937 at the age of 43 in a car crash
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1001 Songs Challenge #1: O Sole Mio (1916)
O Sole Mio is a simple love song but this version from Enrico Caruso is a delightful way to start this journey of 1001 days.
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The Tree of Knowledge: A Fable About Education
The Tree of Knowledge, a short story inspired by my two years of teacher training
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Learning to Fly: An Introduction
An introduction to the blog, All is Ephemeral
