ARTHUR
FIELDS:
A Blue Amberol Cylinderography
Note: This new series will examine
in detail the cylinder-record output of popular studio artists. Cylinderographies
of Ada Jones, Irving Kaufman, Billy Murray, and other pioneer recording
artists are currently in development, using the original Edison files
and other primary-source materials.
Related Articles:
Photo Feature: Arthur Fields at Play | The Arthur Fields Song Shop and Melody Records
Synthetic Country: Arthur Fields, Fred Hall, and the Creation of the Hillbilly Stereotype
Arthur
Fields (standing by the phonograph) in Edison’s New York studio, 1919.
Byron
G. Harlan and Arthur Collins are seated to Fields’ left.
(Mainspring Press collection)
Some time ago, a message appeared on a record collectors’
hobbyist newsgroup opining that it was a waste of time and money to collect
post-1914 Blue Amberol cylinders, since they were “just the same stuff as on
the discs.” To grasp the sheer ignorance embodied in this statement,
one need look no further than Arthur Fields’ Blue Amberols.
Edison’s Music Room Committee seems to have
been reluctant to approve Fields’ disc masters. Compared to some other Edison artists, a surprisingly large
number of Fields’ recordings were rejected for issue on the expensive Diamond Discs. Many of
the rejected masters, however, were approved for dubbing onto the much cheaper
and less prestigious cylinder line, and thus (aside from some disc test
pressings of these titles held by the Edison National Historic Site), they exist only as Blue Amberol cylinders.
Fields’ Blue Amberol output falls into two
distinct groups. The first group, issued between August 1916 and November
1919 (plus one 1922 release from a previously rejected 1917 master, dredged up as a catalog-filler), consists of solos and two duets with
Helen Clark. Its end corresponds with Fields’ signing of an exclusive
Emerson contract in October 1919.
The Emerson deal would prove to be a poor decision
on Fields’ part. Just a little over one year later, Emerson filed
for bankruptcy, and circumstantial evidence suggests that the company's receivers refused to honor existing artist contracts. Whatever the case, Fields soon returned to free-lancing, only to find his services were no longer in much demand at the major labels.
Edison would not hire Fields again
until 1926, and many of his remaining Edison recordings would be as a band vocalist, for which the cash books show he was paid $25 per song. (It should be pointed out that aside from Fred Hall, Fields was not employed by the band leaders with whose groups he recorded. Session vocalists were contracted by the recording studio managers, depending mainly on who was available at the moment from a pool of low-cost freelancers like Fields, Arthur Hall, and the Kaufman brothers.)
All of Fields’ Blue Amberols were dubbed
from disc masters. In the data that follow, the disc matrix is shown first,
with the corresponding disc issue (when there was one) shown in parentheses.
Work is ongoing to determine which takes were used for the cylinder dubbings.
All information is from the original files archived
at the Edison National Historic Site (Orange, NJ). Information on Fields’
Edison disc output (which was substantially larger than his Blue Amberol list) will be found in Ray Wile's Edison
Disc Discography series, the first volume of which will be released
by Mainspring in early 2008. For details of other Blue Amberol cylinders,
see Edison Blue Amberol Cylinders (1912–1929),
available from Mainspring Press.
— Allan Sutton
2930 (released Aug 1916)
What’s the use of going home (when there’s nobody
there to love)
(Clarke-McCarthy-Monaco)
Disc mx: 4629 (—)
New York: Apr 4, 1916
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only. Fields received no pay for this session, according to the Edison
studio cash book.
3087 (released Feb 1917)
Honolulu, America loves you (We’ve got to hand it to you)
(Clarke-Monaco)
Disc mx: 5150 (50414-L)
New York: Nov 16, 1916
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Fields was paid $30 for this session. On
his next session his pay would be increased to $35, and on the next
to $40 per solo.
3112 (released Mar 1917)
Don’t leave me, daddy (Verges)
Disc mx: 5203 (50421-R NI)
New York: Dec 7, 1916
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Diamond Disc 50421 was cancelled before
release.
3163 (released May 1917)
Rolling stones (all come rolling home again) (Gottler)
Disc mx: 5311 (—)
New York: Jan 23, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3197 (released Jun 1917)
Everybody loves a “jass” band (Flatow)
Disc mx: 5451 (50439-L)
New York: Mar 15, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3238 (released Aug 1917)
Hong Kong (Pascoe-von Holstein-Sanders; “Any Old
Thing”)
Disc mx: 5502 (—)
New York: Apr 12, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3245 (released Aug 1917)
The man behind the hammer and the plow (H. von Tilzer)
Disc mx: 5551 (—)
New York: May 10, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3257 (released Sep 1917)
Oh what wonderful things one little girl can do (Schuster-Glogau)
Disc mx: 5461 (—)
New York: Mar 21, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3260 (released Sep 1917)
Where do we go from here? (Johnson-Wenrich)
Disc mx: 5521 (50433-L)
New York: Apr 24, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3266 (released Sep 1917)
My Yokohama girl (Tierney; “Passing Show of 1917”)
Disc mx: 5583 (50442-L)
New York: May 24, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Marion Evelyn Cox, Gladys Rice,
Carolina Lazarri.
3299 (delayed release: Oct 1917)
You may hold a million girlies in your arms (Fisher)
Disc mx: 5312 (—)
New York: Jan 23, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3321 (released Oct 1917)
Goodbye Broadway, hello France! (Reisner-Davis-Baskette)
Disc mx: 5687 (50443-R)
New York: Jul 17, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Harvey Hindermeyer, Steve Porter,
William F. Hooley.
3324 (released Oct 1917)
Send me away with a smile (Weslyn-Piantadosi)
Disc mx: 5712 (50444-R)
New York: Jul 26, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3340 (released Dec 1917)
Mother, Dixie and you (Johnson-Santly)
Disc mx: 5660 (—)
New York: Jul 3, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3350 (released Dec 1917)
Whose little heart are you breaking now? (Berlin)
Duet with Helen Clark (as “Grace Woods)
Disc mx: 5728 (—)
New York: Aug 3, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued as Blue Amberol
only.
3368 (released Jan 1918)
It’s a long way to Berlin, but we’ll get there
(Fields-Flatow)
Disc mx: 5790 (50449-R)
New York: Sep 18, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Chorus is Billy Murray, John Young, Steve
Porter, Donald Chalmers.
3378 (released Jan 1918)
I don’t want to get well (I’m in love with a beautiful
nurse) (Pease-Johnson-Jentes)
Duet with Helen Clark (as “Grace Woods”)
Disc mx: 5847 (50457-R)
New York: Oct 16, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3447 (released Apr–May 1918)
When Yankee Doodle learns to parlez-vous Francais (Nelson)
Disc mx: 5905 (—)
New York: December 4, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and female chorus
Note: Rejected for disc; issued on Blue Amberol
only. Chorus is (?) Collins, Gladys Rice, Marion Evelyn Cox.
3528 (released Aug 1918)
Just like Washington crossed the Delaware, General Pershing will
cross the Rhine (Meyer)
Disc mx: 6125 (50492-R)
New York: Apr 16, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Billy Murray, John Young, Gladys
Rice, Marion Evelyn Cox, Steve Porter, Donald Chalmers.
3531 (released Aug 1918)
That grand old gentleman, Uncle Sam (Edwards)
Disc mx: 6144 (—)
New York: Apr 26, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Rejected for disc; issued only on Blue
Amberol.
3553 (released Sep 1918)
When Alexander takes his ragtime band to France (Bryan)
Disc mx: 6168 (—)
New York: May 9, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued on Blue Amberol
only.
3568 (released Oct 1918)
We’re all going calling on the Kaiser (Caddigan-Brennan)
Disc mx: 6226 (50495-R)
New York: Jun 14, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is John Young, George Reardon, Donald
Chalmers.
3601 (released Nov 1918)
Oh! Frenchy (Conrad-Ehrlich)
Disc mx: 6320 (50476-L)
New York: Aug 1, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3639 (released Feb 1919)
Oh! How I hate to get up in the morning (Berlin)
Disc mx: 6287 (—)
New York: Jul 16, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3642 (released Feb 1919)
I ain’t got weary yet (Johnson-Wenrich)
Disc mx: 6394 (—)
New York: Oct 4, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Rejected for disc; issued on Blue Amberol
only. Chorus is John Young, Billy Murray, Steve Porter, Donald Chalmers.
3649 (released Feb 1919)
Ja-da (ja da, ja da, jing jing jing) (Carleton)
Disc mx: 6438 (50497-R)
New York: Oct 31, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is John Young, Steve Porter, Donald
Chalmers.
3659 (released Feb 1919)
You’ll find old Dixieland in France (Clarke-Meyer;
Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic)
Disc mx: 6351 (—)
New York: Sep 6, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued on Blue Amberol
only.
3680 (released Mar 1919)
Jim, Jim, I always knew that you’d win (Ryan-Hanlon-H.
von Tilzer)
Disc mx: 6472 (50502-L)
New York: Nov 21, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3704 (released Apr 1919)
Madelon (I’ll be true to the whole regiment) (Bousquet-Robert-Bryan)
Disc mx: 6513 (50512-R)
New York: Dec 19, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is John Young, Billy Murray, Steve
Porter, Donald Chalmers, Edward Meeker.
3713 (released May 1919)
Oh Helen! (McCarron-Morgan)
Disc mx: 6542 (50518-L)
New York: Jan 2, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Billy Murray, Charles Hart, Steve
Porter, and (?) Thomas.
3721 (released May 1919)
Singapore (Gilbert-Friedland)
Disc mx: 6523 (50517-L)
New York: Dec 26, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3730 (released May 1919)
Johnny’s in town (Yellen-Meyer-Olman)
Disc mx: 6607 (50525-R)
New York: Feb 4, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Charles Hart, Steve Porter, (?)
Thomas.
3742 (released Jun 1919)
Bring back those wonderful days (Vincent)
Disc mx: 6631 (50525-L)
New York: Feb 20, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3777 (released Jul 1919)
All those in favor say “aye!” (Kennedy)
Disc mx: 6666 (50538-L)
New York: Mar 13, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Billy Murray, John Young, Steve
Porter, Donald Chalmers, Edward Meeker.
3796 (released Aug 1919)
Don’t forget the Salvation Army (My doughnut girl) (Brown-Frisch)
Disc mx: 6707 (50543-R)
New York: Apr 4, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Billy Murray, John Young, Steve
Porter, Donald Chalmers.
3801 (released Aug 1919)
Heart-breaking baby doll (Mitchell-Hess)
Disc mx: 6753 (—)
New York: Apr 29, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected for disc; issued only on Blue
Amberol.
3836 (released Oct 1919)
Raggin’ the chopsticks (Frankl-Gottler)
Disc mx: 6831 (50584-L)
New York: Jun 1, 1919
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
3855 (delayed release: Nov 1919)
I’m true to them all (Cohan)
Disc mx: 6490 (—)
New York: Dec 5, 1918
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.) and chorus
Note: Rejected for disc; issued on Blue Amberol
only. Chorus is Marion Evelyn Cox and Marie Kaiser.
4587 (delayed release: Sep 1922)
Sweet mama (Donaldson)
Duet with Helen Clark (as “Grace Woods”)
Disc mx: 5644 (—)
New York: Jun 27, 1917
Acc: Orch (probably Cesare Sodero, dir.)
Note: Rejected; later approved for issue only
on Blue Amberol.
5161 (released Jul 1926)
Roses (Britt-Tobias)
Studio vocalist with Jack Stillman’s Orchestra
Disc mx: 10923 (51734-L)
New York: Apr 13, 1926
5162 (released Jun 1926)
That certain feeling (Gershwin-Gershwin; “Tip-Toes”)
Studio vocalist with Nathan Glantz’s Orch (as “Tennessee
Happy Boys”)
Disc mx: 10933 (51736-L)
New York: Apr 20, 1926
Note: The identity of this orchestra is confirmed
in the Edison studio cash book. It is not Harry Reser’s Orchestra, as was previously believed.
5165 (released Jun 1926)
Tie me to your apron strings again (Shay-Goodwin)
Studio vocalist with Nathan Glantz’s Orch (as “Tennessee
Happy Boys”)
Disc mx: 10932 (51736-R)
New York: Apr 20, 1926
Note: See previous entry concerning the identity
of this orchestra.
5202 (released Aug 1926)
My dream of the big parade (Dubin-McHugh)
Disc mx: 11034 (51786-R)
New York: Jun 8, 1926
Acc: Orch (A. Aslanoff, dir.; R. Elkins, effects)
5224 (released Oct 1926)
Looking at the world through rose-colored glasses (Malie-Steiger)
Studio vocalist with California Ramblers (as “Golden
Gate Orchestra”)
Disc mx: 11159 (51814-R)
New York: Aug 10, 1926
5266 (released Jan 1927)
Thinking of you (Donaldson-Ash)
Studio vocalist with Oreste & his Queensland Orchestra
(Oreste Migliaccio, dir.)
Disc mx: 11322 (51885-R)
New York: Nov 19, 1926
5323 (released May 1927)
In a little Spanish town (’twas on a night like this)
(Wayne-Lewis-Young)
Disc mx: 11545 (51967-R)
New York: Mar 1, 1927
Acc: Orch (Irwin Schloss, dir.)
5329 (released May 1927)
Me too (Woods-Tobias-Sherman)
Studio vocalist with California Ramblers (as “Golden
Gate Orchestra”)
Disc mx: 11160 (51820-L)
New York: Aug 11, 1926
5360 (released Jul 1927)
Hallelujah! (Youmans; “Hit the Deck”)
Studio vocalist with California Ramblers (as “Golden
Gate Orchestra”)
Disc mx: 11681 (52014-R)
New York: May 3, 1927
5431 (released Dec 1927)
Is it possible? (That she loves me) (Woods-Dixon)
Vocalist with Arthur Fields & his Assassinators
Disc mx: 11969 (52123-R) [electric]
New York: Oct 20, 1927
Note: Most discographies identify this group
as Fred Hall’s Orchestra. However, the studio cash book shows
that payment was made to Fields, not Hall, suggesting that Fields contracted
the session idependently, perhaps employing some of Hall’s musicians.
5523 (released Jul 1928)
Hello, Montreal (Warren-Rose-Dixon)
Vocalist with Arthur Fields & his Assassinators
Disc mx: 18344 (52264-R) [electric]
New York: Mar 28, 1928
Note: See comments under the previous entey concerning
this group’s identity.
5525 (released Jun 1928)
Well, the Irish and the Germans got together (Turk-Ahlert)
Disc mx: 18419 (52283-L) [electric]
New York: Apr 19, 1928
Acc: Orch (Irwin Schloss, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Charles Hart, Fred Vettel, Andrea
Sarto, Donald Chalmers.
5526 (released Jun 1928)
They landed over here from over there (Kennedy-Donovan)
Disc mx: 18418 (52283-R) [electric]
New York: Apr 19, 1928
Acc: Orch (Irwin Schloss, dir.) and chorus
Note: Chorus is Charles Hart, Fred Vettel, Andrea
Sarto, Donald Chalmers.
5546 (released Jul 1928)
Laugh, clown, laugh (Lewis-Young-Fiorito)
Disc mx: 18349 (52316-R) [electric]
New York: Mar 30, 1928
Acc: Orch (Irwin Schloss, dir.)
5550 (released Jul 1928)
She’s a great, great girl (Woods)
Vocalist with Arthur Fields & his Assassinators
Disc mx: 18343 (52264-L) [electric]
New York: Mar 28, 1928
Note: See comments under 5431 concerning this
group’s identity.
5619
Pop Collins (Old Timber) & his Boys
The “Pop Collins” recordings are not the work of Arthur Fields,
although they have been misidentified as such in Russell’s Country
Music Records and other works. The studio cash book confirms that
“Collins” is Jerry Macy, accompanied by two of Fred Hall’s
musicians.
5684 (released Apr 1929)
I faw down an’ go boom! (Brockman-Stevens)
Vocalist with Arthur Fields & his Assassinators
Disc mx: 19074 (52553-R) [electric]
New York: Mar 20, 1929
Note: See comments under 5431 concerning this
group’s identity.
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