Varsity Drag - Spike Jones & His City Slickers

[Emmytaytay1]

Where do you purchase this?

[adoreslaurel]

They dont make trumpet players like George Rock anymore,he could blow any wrong note on command,SENSATIONAL.

[whity72]

His legend says that as a young man in a classics concert he heard the shoe sole of noone less than Strawinsky squeaking and decided to keep those "influences".

[MsConcase]

A true original.....certainly do not see that today.

[DCFunBud]

A total American original -- Spike Jones!

[Ullarsskald1989]

I still have several of my grandmother's Spike Jones 78's, and a Victrola #2 to play them on...

[louswire]

@Ullarsskald1989 I have a 1906 Victor, and my old Spike Jones platters sound just great on it!

[Ullarsskald1989]

@louswire My #2 was shipped in April, 1921, still has the label on the bottom =)

I don't use it too often, save on the 78's that are in better condition.

Got an old Caliphone electric, too; plays 78's, 45's, 33's and 16's...doubles, via the mike jack, as a guitar amp.

[petitequinte]

I think it is physiologically & psychologically impossible to be unhappy while listening to this. That's why all the Spike Jones videos have 0 dislikes. XD

[frimple1]

Such great musicianship on this. Amazing marimba solo. Always a favorite of mine since I was a kid and my mom turned me on to her boxed set of Spike Jones 45s. And of course, great vocals too.

[p717]

Yep. Back in the day when it was talent that made you famous, not who your parents are.  Good old days, ant the folks of that generation didn't even know they were living in the golden age of American creativity.

[CoyoteBuddy]

Brilliant! We need Spike today!

[youngmindedman]

@CoyoteBuddy I totally agreeeeeeee!!!

[ICONOSCOPE1850]

@CoyoteBuddy Weird AL!

[Vitanola]

Who is the trombone player that does such a fine imitation of Louis Pancio in the Isham Jones Orchestra ca. 1922?

[betteroffsingle]

I thought, till now, that I'd heard everything this great band did. Guess not.

Many thanks for posting this. Love it. Always a huge fan of Spike Jones. Part of my boyhood really. And what great musicians all.

[rotunda57]

I ♥ Spike.

[BigDuckKetterer]

OMG Outrageous Outrageous!!! Hahahahaha !!!!!!!!!!!!!Dixieland at it's very best as only Spike and His Band could play it!!!! TenStarsplus !!!!!!!

[JubalCalif]

Ha! Great stuff! Love Spike Jones & his City Slickers! THANKS for posting this delightful "blast from the past" for us to enjoy! May ALL your wishes & dreams come true in the New Year! :)

[fromthesidelines]

This is from Spike's 1950 album, "Spike Jones Plays the Charleston", an album of "Charleston" and "Roaring '20s" tunes he and the City Slickers for RCA Victor that summer. This was a bit more "straight" than his usual "wacky" numbers, but this was still Spike in his "prime". It wasn't until the mid-'50s that he started leaning towards more "coventional" Dixieland arrangments, which he played exclusively the last years of his life.

[poplogan]

I would say from the sound quality, and the "tamer" rendition presented here, that this was late in Spike's career/Life. Certainly not a bad thing, because he never lost it in my estimation, but he became slightly more~ predictable...Love Spike, Love the Varsity Drag! Winning Combo!

[redrosetuba]

I've been listening to Spike for nearly 40 years, and I had never heard this one! Thanks!

[Madhatter1903]

Great stuff, very cartoony! :D

[LShackley]

That's George Rock on trumpet behind Spike in the first picture, and Freddy Morgan on Spike's left playing banjo.

[sturdle]

that is jazz......

[drcoxcentral]

Funny as usual.