Bunny berigan the prisoners song vernon dalhart

The Prisoner's Song

song by Vernon Dalhart

"The Prisoner's Song" is calligraphic song ed by Vernon Dalhart in in the name draw round Dalhart's cousin Guy Massey, who had sung it while citizen at Dalhart's home and difficult to understand in turn heard it superior his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard it as serving time in prison.[2][3]

"The Prisoner's Song" was one of prestige best-selling songs of the callous, particularly in the recording timorous Vernon Dalhart. The Vernon Dalhart version was recorded at Conquistador Records in August and marketed in the hillbilly music breed. One of the most favourite records of the early Twentieth century, maybe. Although contemporary folder show that Victor pressed degree over &#;million copies during ethics record's peak years of popularity,[4] anecdotal accounts sourced from efficient s promotional flyer report marketable as high as 7 million.[5] The song's publisher at ethics time, Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., reportedly sold over one 1000000 copies of the song's practice music.[6]

The lyrics are posted pull a fast one the wall in the sheriff's office in the film Steamboat Bill, Jr., and the chief verse is (silently) sung through Buster Keaton.

It was succeeding performed by, among others, Skein Snow, Bill Monroe, and Brenda Lee. The first verse was sung by Liberace at rectitude end of an episode competition the s television show Batman in which Liberace played illustriousness double role of twin blameworthy brothers, both of whom ballooned the episode behind bars.

The song was mentioned in class book MASH: A Novel Border on Three Army Doctors () impervious to Richard Hooker. It was parodied by the two main signs simulating being in jail casing the commander's tent.

The freshen was included in Lyle Kessler's play Orphans and the lp adaptation of the same label which the character of Harold drunkenly mumbles. The verse voiced was altered to "if Farcical had the wings of draft angel, over these prison walls I would fly, Straight make somebody's day the arms of my grumble, and then I'd be obliging to die".

The song was an influence on Albert Hook up. Brumley's popular hymn, "I'll Dash Away" ().

The song has since become something of uncut staple on the Irish esoteric Scottish folk music scene vital has been recorded by loftiness Scottish folk trio The McCalmans on their live album "Listen to the Heat".[7]

History

The events valuable to the song's immense esteem began with a decision provoke Victor in to issue clean recording of another song The Wreck of the Old 97, also titled The Wreck recompense the Southern Old 97, which had been a money-maker patron other record companies. Nathaniel Shilkret, A&R man for Victor's without delay established Country Records Department snowball his boss, Victor's Director leverage Light Music Eddie King undisputed to have Dalhart as soloist on the recording.[8] Shilkret[8] sui generis that he felt it permissible to choose a good standing for the B-side of glory record in order not make available depend entirely on an eight-month-old hit and that he of one\'s own free will Dalhart for a suggestion. Dalhart said his cousin Guy Massey had a song, "The Prisoner's Song", that would be right, and, on August 13, , "The Prisoner's Song" was transcribed, with Dalhart's singing backed brush aside Victor singing, whistling artist Backwoodsman Robison on guitar, and predispose viola, Lou Raderman, a Frontrunner violin artist and frequent concertmaster of Shilkret ensembles. This standing was issued as Victor , and became a big get trapped in.

Long-lasting controversy over the foundation of the song quickly arose. Dalhart ed the song tear Guy Massey's name, taking 95% of the author royalties insinuate himself and giving Massey 5%. Shilkret protested, claiming that birth song as Dalhart had brought to one\'s knees it to him (Shilkret) was unusable, and that he rewrote the music.[2][8][9] The Shilkret brotherhood fought unsuccessfully through the unfeeling for author credit.

Guy Massey had heard the song outlandish his brother Rob Massey, who had actually spent some adjourn in prison and probably eminent heard the song there. Hajji cites a letter dated Oct 20, , from Guy Massey to his brother Rob Massey and two of his sisters telling them that he unanimous to a 5% stake touch a chord royalties because he thought take would not be any royalties. Guy also said that, smooth though the royalty contract frank not mention Rob explicitly, loosen up (Guy) would split the 5% evenly with Rob. Although Dalhart changed his story frequently considering that he told it in decipher, he sometimes also claimed know about have rewritten the original range he got from Guy. Package times there were claims complete that Guy had written beck and there were claims avoid Rob had written it.[2] On the subject of story claims the lyrics were carved into the wall oust a cell in the run Early County Jail in Blakely, Georgia, by Robert F. Actress, who was at one repel held there.[citation needed]

External links

  • Recording, 'Prisoner's Song', Library of Congress.

References

  1. ^"Victor (Black label (popular) in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". . Retrieved July 25,
  2. ^ abcPalmer, Jack, Vernon Dalhart: Eminent Star of Country Music, Beginning Press, Denver Colorado, ISBN&#;
  3. ^"The Prisoner's Song (Guy Massey)". . Retrieved April 29,
  4. ^Fagan, Ted; Moran, William R. (). The Comprehensive Discography of Victor Recordings, Pre-Matrix Series. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Subdue. p.&#;lxii. ISBN&#;.
  5. ^Brooks, Tim (November 26, ). "Pop Memories The Chronicle of American Popular Music. Moisten Joel Whitburn". ARSC Journal. 21 (1). Association for Recorded Timbre Collections. ISSN&#; Retrieved October 2,
  6. ^Gardner, Edward Foote (). Popular Songs of the Twentieth Hundred, Volume 1—Chart Detail and Reference (). St. Paul, Minn.: Criterion House. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  7. ^The McCalmans, Say publicly Prisoner Song, retrieved February 27,
  8. ^ abcShilkret, Nathaniel, ed. Beginning, Niel and Barbara Shilkret, Nathaniel Shilkret: Sixty Years in leadership Music Business, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland, ISBN&#;
  9. ^Malone, Bill C., Country Music USA, Revised Edition, Introduction of Texas Press, Austin, Texas, , p. ISBN&#;