Madame Rombro - Po Oolitza

Here's a real mystery record. Po Oolitza, by one Madame Rombro, released in 1899 on Edison brown wax cylinder 7179.

A Google search brings up only the Internet Archive entry where I found the mp3, and a reference to the cylinder having been played before on WFMU. And that's it.

As for the song itself, a book called Travels to the seat of war in the East, through Russia and the Crimea in 1829 by Sir James Edward Alexander mentions "the favorite national air of Russia" as being a song that starts with those words (see image above).

Madame Rombro - Po Oolitza

Erhard Bauschke - Blindekuh

Erhard Bauschke was one of pioneers of German swing music, playing clarinet in the James Kok Tanz-Orchestra, a Berlin band popular for its jazzy interpretations of international hits. The Kok orchestra was dissolved when Kok, along with most of the band's Jewish musicians, were forced to flee to Romania in order to avoid Nazi persecution. Bauschke, together with whatever former members were left, formed his own band. He died in 1945, struck by a speeding motorist in Berlin.

"Blindekuh" is a German children's game in which people are blindfolded and led around.

Erhard Bauschke - Blindekuh

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka - Kamarinskaya

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (seen above in a painting by Ilya Repin) was a key member of "The Five", a cadre of Russian composers who sought to create a new and specifically Russian kind of art music, rather than one that imitated older European tradition.

This is a 1904 recording of "Kamarinskaya" by Glinka, complete with weird bird noises.

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka - Kamarinskaya

Diggity Dave and his Cheap Guitar Band - Dead Puppies

Cover of the infamous 1970s tune from the Ogden Edsl Wahalia Mondo Bizarrio Blues Ensemble Band.

Diggity Dave and his Cheap Guitar Band - Dead Puppies

Harry Pomar and his Hotel Ansley Orchestra - Rainy Days

Who was Harry Pomar? Was he the same man who wrote this book of songs? And who is listed as "lost" here?

Harry Pomar and his Hotel Ansley Orchestra - Rainy Days

Cheeseburger & Fries - Creeps Is In My Head

In celebration of the announcement of Jeffrey Scott Holland's upcoming theatrical tour de force Cheeseburger & Fries: The Musical, we bring you a happy tune you'll love to croon.

From the sacred shoebox of Cheeseburger & Fries cassettes comes this nummy nugget, circa 1996, recorded live on "The Pete Hrabak Show", radio station WRFL, Lexington, KY. A little pinch of Son House, a dash of Billy Childish, and a whole lotta Rockcastle County... the breeze in the trees. Singing weird melodies. They nursed it and never rehearsed it. And they made that the start of the Creeps.

Cheeseburger & Fries - Creeps Is In My Head

Vessella's Italian Band - Beethoven's Funeral March

How long have I been on?

Now here's that swell tune "Vessella's Funeral March" by Beethoven's Italian Band. I think I'll pour me another salad, pally.

How did all you people get in my room?

Vessella's Italian Band - Beethoven's Funeral March