|
Alexander's Rag Time Band
|
|
|
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" is still one of Irving Berlin's best-known pieces. The song was a pivotal point in Berlin's career, but a controversy attached itself to this piece early and continues to crop up:
Rumors flew that Berlin had "stolen" the song from an African-American composer, perhaps even from Scott Joplin. Within a short time after "Alexander's Ragtime Band" was published, Berlin's further compositions demonstrated that he had no need to plagiarize. However, given the state of black-white relations in turn-of-the-century America--as indicated by the rising tide of violence against the black community, the meetings of black leaders beginning in 1905 that came to be called the Niagara Movement, and the founding of the NAACP in 1909--a discussion of the attitudes provoked by this song and ragtime in general could illuminate this complex part of American history and the context in which many important composers worked.
Be that as it may, this toe-tapper entertains the Old Kunnel inspite of any "political correctness" crimes it may have generated. He recommends you just sit back and tap your toes, too.
Melody and Text: Irving Berlin (Israel Baline), 1911
var text = "Do NOT Click Here!"
// Add your website URL between the quotations below
var site = "http://oldkunnel.net/alexanderband.html";
// Add your site description in the quotations below
var desc = "Alexander's Rag Time Band"
var ver = navigator.appName
var num = parseInt(navigator.appVersion)
if ((ver == "Microsoft Internet Explorer")&&(num >= 4))
{
document.write(''+ text + '')
}
else
{
text += " (Ctrl+D)"
document.write(text)
}
(Melody)
Oh, ma honey, oh, ma honey,
Better hurry and let's meander
Ain't you goin', ain't you goin',
To the leader man,
Ragged meter man?
Oh, ma honey, oh, ma honey,
Let me take you to Alexander's
Grand stand, brass band,
Ain't you comin' along?
Oh, ma honey, oh, ma honey
There's a fiddle with notes that screeches,
Like a chicken, like a chicken
And the clarinet
Is a colored pet,
Come and listen, come and listen,
To a classical band what's peaches,
Come now, somehow,
Better hurry along.
(Refrain)
|: Come on and hear, :|
Alexander's Ragtime Band,
|: Come on and hear, :|
It's the best band in the land!
They can play a bugle call
Like you never heard before,
So natural that you want to go to war
That's just the bestest band what am,
Honey Lamb!
|: Come on along, :|
Let me take you by the hand
|: Up to the man, :|
Who's the leader of the band,
And if you want to hear
The Swanee River played in ragtime
|: Come on and hear, :|
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Note: Most MIDI
files are downloadable... ~ CLICK HERE ~!
Music provided by:
MIDI Music Arranged by:
Frank "Grandpa" Schober
Want to buy sheet music, songbooks or guitar tabs?
They have over a quarter million titles to choose from, and you can order online.
Here's your chance to find more MIDI music and vote
on how much you enjoyed the Ol'Kunnel's MIDI music page.
Site search engine hosted by FreeFind.
Free JavaScripts provided
by The JavaScript Source
This page was last modified:
A hobby web site; nothing for sale; no fee, no profit. We just enjoy life on the 'Net using 300 pages with only a partial reflection of my omnivorous interests. Enjoy! Main Key Words: aviation,chat,country,family,friendship,god,honor,music,mankind,military,opinion,fact,fiction,dog,war">
