My uncle listened to Larry Clinton records. I remembered the opening notes for Dipsey Doodle but I handn ´t heard the song in years. Good and rare vintage stuff. Thanks for posting.
999, interesting that the festival is so conservative. Is there not a small festival for electric instruments alongside the Main one, near to it but not intrusively so? You could start one! You could play the Gibson ETB-150 Electric Tenor Banjo with a whammy-bar through the fuzz/wah AND a phaser, then through the Marshall. Now THAT would get you noticed (and banned). Would they sell tickets for us to witness your trial as 'a heretic'? I'd buy one.
Hey, why not? There's an electrified ukulele player out there now getting some acclaim! Why not electric tenor banjo? But as I said before I live in an area of Virginia that purports to be the capital AND birthplace of old time music...we have at least one huge festival a year to celebrate and venerate the genre. One of the festival rules is NO ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS! I'd be labeled as a heretic! LOL!
@telsport Well, Bristol is generally regarded as the birthplace of country but evidence has surfaced that Galax VA a few counties to the East was where the first country musicians reputedly banded together and recorded some tunes in NYC. They are said to have predated the Carter Family et al.
Fillra, I just googled it and was astounded at the vintage examples! An electric banjo WITH A WHAMMY BAR!!!! In THAT era??? This is insane!!! Man, to get my paws on one for a day! Oh, I could imagine the traditional players I know just cringing!!! I'd love to hear that thing cranked thru a Marshall! My head is filling with the possibilities !
999manman: No, they wouldn't be angry now we know what it is, ie, a Gibson ETB-150 Electric Tenor Banjo. They'd welcome you into their session, and queue up to have ago themselves!
I just went into goofle andfound out that the banjo player was probably the guitar player Bennie Mortell. See how He picks up the guitar after he puts the banjo down. Also Although Clinton wrote the Dipsy Doodle He couldn't record it at the time because He recorded for RCAVictor same as Tommy Dorsey so therefore Dorsey had the hit record. If You want to hear the words listen to Chick Webb with Ella Firzgerald singing.
Ohhh... 'comment removed by author'... It was a mistaken repeat of the message to 999: ... "999... Roy Smeck...thanks for the tip-off", ie, nothing upsetting or obscene. I clicked too soon!
Although Larry Clinton wrote the song it was a big hit for Tommy Dorsey. " The dispsy doodles a thing to beware, the dipsy doodle will get in Your hair etc.
Thanks for the info about beemp3. I had never heard of that websidte. I went into it but for some reason I wasn't able to open it up to play the song.
Very nice swing number. But it cuts off before the end! Is that Jack Chesleigh playing a solid- body banjo? Sounds more like an amplified guitar. Help!!
Sorry about the ending but, that is the way is was recorded. As to the banjo, I agree with you it does sound like an electric guitar but, I have no way of authenticating no credits were given with the clip.
I think it was a solid-body banjo but if so it was the only one I have ever seen. Wonder what a solid body banjo would even sound like ?
Plus it was strange that the banjo sound was obviously electric yet there was no cord visible to hook it to an amp.
Most reasonable possibility: the song was originally recorded with an electric guitar solo and the band was simply miming it for the video. The player had the banjo handy instead of a guitar and used it .
Yes, 999, he could be miming to fool us. Maybe the banjo had a wooden front and back, but was hollow inside and amplified to give that 'not-quite-banjo' sound. Jack does the elaborate fingering complete with bends and vibrato. Maybe he 'invented' it and it didn't take off. (Maybe his daughter made it for him and he couldn't say No!!!)
Hmmm! Good point! LOL! Where ever the solo came from it was definitely swinging. I thought it was Les Paul at first. Cool bends and vibrato. Considering the telephone cable thick strings they used back then, bending was no easy feat!
If you can, check out the YT vids of Roy Smeck. He was using all sorts of weird techniques in the '20's on banjo and uke and guitar! Two-hand tapping,etc! Quite the showman and musically astounding!
I, too, wonder how he'd go over now! Smeck had awesome chops plus a lotta flash...but audiences can be really fickle. For sure I'd bow at his feet!
Ever take a look at sheet music from that era? Chords all over the place...diminished and augmented chords tossed in as casually as sixths and sevenths. Practicing off those old charts gives one a great lesson in voice leading and modern harmony. Even more so than later jazz forms. Those cats knew their theory!
Mammat, yes, I've seen some of those complicated high-speed chord-charts. I nearly always turn those pages very quickly because the five fingers on my left hand object loudly. Ouch!
I live in an area where banjo players are quite prominent...wonder how they'd react if I showed up for a jam session with a solid-body banjo? They'd probably re-institute lynching!
Hi. My very kind British contact, Paul @ banjolin, tells us that "the banjo is a Gibson ETB-150 Electric Tenor Banjo. If you google that, you'll find several examples."
So I did and it does. Lovely detailed photos. Very interesting.
Wow! This is utterly fascinating!!! I have long loved the sound of a tenor banjo but an electric one??? The mind reels! I will try and research this oddity further. Any idea where I can find more recorded examples? I still suspect this was a guitar overdub but I could be totally wrong because I have never heard an electric banjo enough to make the distinction.
@999manman Get it to Mike Pinder formerly of Moody Blues and let him emulate with a Mellotron....I am sure that John Lodge of the Moodies (their bassist) or Justin Hayward could incorporate it into some first rate classic-symphonic rock and roll as they have NOOOOOOOO restrictions on instrumentation. Talent too.
trippy lyrics XD
PolarBearCult 2 weeks ago
Ella Fitzgerald?
borderpiper1 6 months ago
The late great Danny Stiles always played the Larry Clinton version of this song on his Saturday night radio show with a great female vocalist...
I'd like to see that version...
Who was the great female vocalist on that version of "The Dipsy Doodle"....?
saintquinn007 7 months ago
@saintquinn007
I personally have no idea.
neverknewtillnow 7 months ago
What A PROFOUND response.....
Obviously a genius....
saintquinn007 7 months ago
@saintquinn007
I only respond to the level I feel necessary. Check elsewhere!!!!
neverknewtillnow 7 months ago
Hey A Hole
Who asked YOU?
I didn't know you were the only one using YouTube....
saintquinn007 7 months ago
@saintquinn007 That would be Bea Wain, and God willing she will be 95 years-old this April.
USRoute66 1 month ago
Like russ columbos verison better but cant find it anymore know the song came out in 1937 but dont who did it first
MrDougindixie 10 months ago
@MrDougindixie
Both versions were recorded in 1937 however, Russ 'Colombo's version was instrumental
neverknewtillnow 10 months ago
russ columbo was better with this one 1937 but hard to find
MrDougindixie 11 months ago
My uncle listened to Larry Clinton records. I remembered the opening notes for Dipsey Doodle but I handn ´t heard the song in years. Good and rare vintage stuff. Thanks for posting.
crazyrabbit84 2 years ago
Pleaased you ennjoyed it.
neverknewtillnow 2 years ago
999, interesting that the festival is so conservative. Is there not a small festival for electric instruments alongside the Main one, near to it but not intrusively so? You could start one! You could play the Gibson ETB-150 Electric Tenor Banjo with a whammy-bar through the fuzz/wah AND a phaser, then through the Marshall. Now THAT would get you noticed (and banned). Would they sell tickets for us to witness your trial as 'a heretic'? I'd buy one.
fillra 2 years ago
999, how about an electric banjo with a whammy bar through fuzz and wah-wah pedals and THEN through a Marshall??!!
Free ear-plugs provided, I hope. I'll leave it up to you to put THAT up on youtube!
fillra 2 years ago
Hey, why not? There's an electrified ukulele player out there now getting some acclaim! Why not electric tenor banjo? But as I said before I live in an area of Virginia that purports to be the capital AND birthplace of old time music...we have at least one huge festival a year to celebrate and venerate the genre. One of the festival rules is NO ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS! I'd be labeled as a heretic! LOL!
999manman 2 years ago
@999manman Bristol,eh?
Tom in Utica NY (and Erwin Tn)
telsport 1 year ago
@telsport Well, Bristol is generally regarded as the birthplace of country but evidence has surfaced that Galax VA a few counties to the East was where the first country musicians reputedly banded together and recorded some tunes in NYC. They are said to have predated the Carter Family et al.
999manman 1 year ago
Fillra, I just googled it and was astounded at the vintage examples! An electric banjo WITH A WHAMMY BAR!!!! In THAT era??? This is insane!!! Man, to get my paws on one for a day! Oh, I could imagine the traditional players I know just cringing!!! I'd love to hear that thing cranked thru a Marshall! My head is filling with the possibilities !
999manman 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
999manman: No, they wouldn't be angry now we know what it is, ie, a Gibson ETB-150 Electric Tenor Banjo. They'd welcome you into their session, and queue up to have ago themselves!
fillra 2 years ago
Comment removed
fillra 2 years ago
I just went into goofle andfound out that the banjo player was probably the guitar player Bennie Mortell. See how He picks up the guitar after he puts the banjo down. Also Although Clinton wrote the Dipsy Doodle He couldn't record it at the time because He recorded for RCAVictor same as Tommy Dorsey so therefore Dorsey had the hit record. If You want to hear the words listen to Chick Webb with Ella Firzgerald singing.
Georgewos 2 years ago
OK, Georgewos, thankyou. Interesting information about the recording policy of RCAVIctor, too.
fillra 2 years ago
Ohhh... 'comment removed by author'... It was a mistaken repeat of the message to 999: ... "999... Roy Smeck...thanks for the tip-off", ie, nothing upsetting or obscene. I clicked too soon!
fillra 2 years ago
999... Roy Smeck... thanks for the tip-off. An amazing musician! How would he fit in these days? A national televised talent show?
fillra 2 years ago
Although Larry Clinton wrote the song it was a big hit for Tommy Dorsey. " The dispsy doodles a thing to beware, the dipsy doodle will get in Your hair etc.
Georgewos 2 years ago
Hi, Georgewos, I couldn't find T.Dorsey's version of Dipsy on youtube, but I got a music download via Google, beemp3, and it's very good.
fillra 2 years ago
Thanks for the info about beemp3. I had never heard of that websidte. I went into it but for some reason I wasn't able to open it up to play the song.
Georgewos 2 years ago
I googled around for Jack Chesleigh, but only got mentions of him playing guitar or (once) bass. Thanks anyway.
fillra 2 years ago
Very nice swing number. But it cuts off before the end! Is that Jack Chesleigh playing a solid- body banjo? Sounds more like an amplified guitar. Help!!
fillra 2 years ago
Sorry about the ending but, that is the way is was recorded. As to the banjo, I agree with you it does sound like an electric guitar but, I have no way of authenticating no credits were given with the clip.
neverknewtillnow 2 years ago
I think it was a solid-body banjo but if so it was the only one I have ever seen. Wonder what a solid body banjo would even sound like ?
Plus it was strange that the banjo sound was obviously electric yet there was no cord visible to hook it to an amp.
Most reasonable possibility: the song was originally recorded with an electric guitar solo and the band was simply miming it for the video. The player had the banjo handy instead of a guitar and used it .
999manman 2 years ago
Yes, 999, he could be miming to fool us. Maybe the banjo had a wooden front and back, but was hollow inside and amplified to give that 'not-quite-banjo' sound. Jack does the elaborate fingering complete with bends and vibrato. Maybe he 'invented' it and it didn't take off. (Maybe his daughter made it for him and he couldn't say No!!!)
fillra 2 years ago
Hmmm! Good point! LOL! Where ever the solo came from it was definitely swinging. I thought it was Les Paul at first. Cool bends and vibrato. Considering the telephone cable thick strings they used back then, bending was no easy feat!
If you can, check out the YT vids of Roy Smeck. He was using all sorts of weird techniques in the '20's on banjo and uke and guitar! Two-hand tapping,etc! Quite the showman and musically astounding!
999manman 2 years ago
999... Roy Smeck... thanks for the tip-off. An amazing musician! How would he fit in these days? A national televised talent show?
fillra 2 years ago
Hey , fillra! Glad ya liked Smeck!
I, too, wonder how he'd go over now! Smeck had awesome chops plus a lotta flash...but audiences can be really fickle. For sure I'd bow at his feet!
Ever take a look at sheet music from that era? Chords all over the place...diminished and augmented chords tossed in as casually as sixths and sevenths. Practicing off those old charts gives one a great lesson in voice leading and modern harmony. Even more so than later jazz forms. Those cats knew their theory!
mammatusofmystery 2 years ago
Mammat, yes, I've seen some of those complicated high-speed chord-charts. I nearly always turn those pages very quickly because the five fingers on my left hand object loudly. Ouch!
fillra 2 years ago
Actually it's me, 999manman, again...I was accidentally logged into my son's account!
I agree! Sometimes ya need 6 fingers to do those chords justice!
999manman 2 years ago
I live in an area where banjo players are quite prominent...wonder how they'd react if I showed up for a jam session with a solid-body banjo? They'd probably re-institute lynching!
999manman 2 years ago
999, I've contacted a British banjo website asking for any info about the solid-body banjo. I'll let you know of any developments.
fillra 2 years ago
Thanks! This should prove to be interesting!
999manman 2 years ago
Hi. My very kind British contact, Paul @ banjolin, tells us that "the banjo is a Gibson ETB-150 Electric Tenor Banjo. If you google that, you'll find several examples."
So I did and it does. Lovely detailed photos. Very interesting.
fillra 2 years ago
Comment removed
fillra 2 years ago
Wow! This is utterly fascinating!!! I have long loved the sound of a tenor banjo but an electric one??? The mind reels! I will try and research this oddity further. Any idea where I can find more recorded examples? I still suspect this was a guitar overdub but I could be totally wrong because I have never heard an electric banjo enough to make the distinction.
999manman 2 years ago
@999manman Get it to Mike Pinder formerly of Moody Blues and let him emulate with a Mellotron....I am sure that John Lodge of the Moodies (their bassist) or Justin Hayward could incorporate it into some first rate classic-symphonic rock and roll as they have NOOOOOOOO restrictions on instrumentation. Talent too.
Tom in Utica NY
telsport 1 year ago
Comment removed
fillra 2 years ago