A good friend picked this up for me on a trip to the west coast. Thanks, @wlsallnight !
There are lots of rather silly and soppy “Whiffenpoofish” Yale songs that were recorded in the 78 rpm era – which I find eminently ignorable as a general rule – even as a Yalie myself. But this one has quite an interesting history.
In July of 1927, Cecil H. Taylor, President of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), debuted a new “Yale Dance” set to a blues rhythm in London. Songwriters Collie Knox and Vivian Ellis wasted no time in composing a tune called “The Yale Blues” to accompany Taylor’s dance. They sent a copy to Taylor and he responded by saying “I consider it very good indeed and the rhythm absolutely perfect for the new Yale Dance invented by me.”
Unfortunately for Taylor, many other teachers were introducing new dances around the same time – many of which, such as the Black Bottom, that were imported from American jazz culture. There was an outcry, as “Many professionals feared that the incessant flurry of silly new dances threatened their artistic integrity, and undermined their authority with the dancing public.” (1)
As a result, the ISTD passed a resolution to coordinate efforts so that a single new dance could be introduced every season. The Dancing Times reported: “We don’t want any more ‘freak’ dances exploited by individuals for the sake of personal publicity. They confuse the public.” (1)
While that may have thrown cold water on future dance fads, it certainly did not stop the popularity and success of this song. The tune first made rounds in late 1927 among British dance bands such as the Savoy Orpheans, Harry Bidgood And His Broadcasters, Harry Hudson’s Melody Men, Jack Payne And His Hotel Cecil Orchestra, The Piccadilly Revels Band, and The Savile Dance Orchestra. It made it to the U.S. in early 1928 where it was recorded by Waring’s Pennsylvanians and Jimmy Joy and his Orchestra before being taken up by Emerson Gill and his Bamboo Garden Orchestra.
Emerson Gill led this Cleveland Ohio outfit which performed at the Bamboo Gardens club on East 88th Street and on local radio station WTAM. They recorded sixteen sides for Okeh from 1924-26 and then one session for Columbia in 1928 that resulted in five sides – including this one.
The song lyrics cleverly extol the new dance while managing to get in a dig at those agitated and envious Harvard rivals.
“They say the Yale
is like the walk
of any snail
upon a stalk
Those are the views
of all who do the new Yale Blues
Just close your eyes
you’ll do it soon
a world of sighs
is in the tune
When daylight dies
the stars are dancing those new Yale Blues
When Harvard knew
That syncopation
It sent them simply wild
Their anger grew
When ev-ry nation
And ev’ry little child
Said that the Yale
had put to rest
Beyond the pale
it is the best
Put on your shoes
Suppose you try those new Yale Blues.” (2)
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois on March 27, 1928.
Released as Columbia 1355-D
Credits:
Emerson Gill – violin, director
Joe Aumend, Duke Krovonas, Unknown – trumpet
Don Dupre – trombone
Menden Frye, Willard Pott – clarinet, alto sax
Jim Harry – clarinet, tenor sax
Eddie Robinson – piano
Pinkey Hunter – banjo, vocals
Imo Smith – tuba
Andy Picard – drums
Source:
1. Dancing in the English Style : Consumption, Americanisation and National Identity in Britain, 1918–50 by Allison Abra, Manchester University Press, 2017, p. 72
2. “The Yale Blues” original sheet music, published by Leo Feist, Inc., lyrics by Collie Knox.