Woodchopper's Ball by Woody Herman and his Orchestra (1939)

[scotnick59]

an amazing sound from an original 1939 78!

[bugone13]

i like modern jazz and all, but hat happened to jazz like this? it seems to be plain gone. thumbs up for bringing this stuff back!!!!

[LetsRapeAdamLambert]

@OffTopikk I'm also playing this in jazz band - I'm flute.

[shaunsstuff79]

that victrola is not good for ur records guy!! trust me if u want to preservr ur 78s quit playing them on that victrola !!

[44435444]

That sounds like a wonderful turntable, vinyl will always be the best. This song is why I miss college

[Kirke182]

I'm a double bass beginner and I'm learning this one right now.

[ismfoflove182]

playing this in jazz band! it's awesome (:

[aperfectfailyour]

i really appercaite this video, but does anyone know a link to a higher defintion version? i heard this on my pandora today, and im a fallout 3 and new vegas fan and this is a missing track that should of been in both games, exellent song, i used to play the clarinet and i never could make it sound like these guys.

[TrAlA6]

We're playing this for our jazz ensemble tonight!!

[babygurl6696]

We are playing this in8th grade jazz band [: i love it.

[sogrungey]

Isn't this supposed to be like ten times faster?

[babygurl6696]

@sogrungey Depends on the version. there are various speeds

[billthestinker]

great! gives me a woody!

[NorthernPlus]

Have listened to many big band greats. For the dance, consider this the best. It builds and builds to the end. Many were higher on the charts, but this one is for the dancer.

[PageHasTheHammer]

thank you for this post. My dad and all his friends were WWII vets. I used to hear this great classic at his BBQ parties.

[ShawnC15]

dang...that song should've been in Bioshock 2

[to9123]

I play this with the school jazz orchestra, its a great tune.  :)

[Cheesecakemilitia2]

im 13 and into death metal..... but I also love jazz :D

[OmarpopcornGUITAR]

@Cheesecakemilitia2 lol me too

[kurtb8474]

Hello again, kid. You're 13 and you type like a 3 year old. Also, you haven't been around long enough to know what good jazz is. Go back to school and learn how to type complete sentences.

[dancebandleader]

You've got good taste. Although I'm from

the USA, on a trip to England many years

ago I bought an HMV model identical to

this except for case color, and I still have

it. But why not post this tune played back

electronically instead of acoustically?

picked up with a mike, the machine

does not sound as good as hearing it

in person.

[polish41princess]

I play and sing this music in ALfs and nursing homes. We all get up and dance to it. They love it. And the pay is good. I am keeping this music alive. !!

[ijunor]

my great grandfather played this on the bagpipes

[kurtb8474]

@ijunor Really??? I've been playing the pipes for nearly 40 years. Did you record him?

[Cheesecakemilitia2]

Bagpipes suck major shit from an asshole jass trumpet and trombone sax ets are really good bagpipes all the songs sound the same

[kurtb8474]

Son (or young lady, whatever you call yourself), you end each sentence with a period. Then, the first letter of the first word at the beginning of a new sentence is capitalized. You insert a comma after the opening phrase within the sentence. Double-space after each period. Write your sentences this way, and we might be able to tell whether you have a small degree of intelligence, or not.

[HurryHarryNoE]

Our junior Big Band did this recently (it was a slight variation on this) and was fun to play :P

[siolaaduob]

I can not understand, why you must destroy such a rare, precious historic record on that gramophone. The sound is telephone-like, the record being debased by each play - absolutely unnecessary. BTW 1932 there was electricity installed nearly all over and there were electric gramones with light, record saving pick-ups, available for everyone.

[jks2]

search for: ten years after - woodchopper's ball

[darknyro2]

nice, were playing this in my school band.

[fossie32]

Nice

[drcoolguy]

(PART 1)

Great classic. Back in my high school jazz band days we played this tune too. We did take a little bit of liberty with it, though, and played it at probably about 50-60% faster than Woody Herman would. It was always our encore/finale every year and we used to have such a blast really "rippin'" it up. The crowd always loved it too.

[drcoolguy]

(PART 2)

We used to love to play community events, especially senior citizens' centers and nursing homes where we knew we'd have an appreciative audience. This is probably almost 20 years ago now, but I remember one time we were just tearing up the last strain of this one and no lie, I saw a guy who had been clapping in his wheelchair the whole time push himself up and the next thing I know he's high-kicking across in front of the band like Chuck Berry.

[drcoolguy]

(PART 3)

I've done college bands, jazz combos, junior and senior drum corps, and I've had the chance to perform in front of some great crowds but I will never forget that gentleman as the greatest audience I ever got to play for. Still brings a smile to my face.

[holymadgod]

That story is bullshit

[packerfan413]

hehe, yea. I'm playing this in a U-Jay group at UWM (Milwaukee) and for the Woody Herman Festival that's in Milwaukee and the guest soloist is one of the drummer they had for a long time, Joe Pulice. Which is kind of ironic that I'm going to the same high school he went to and my dad also went there with him, so kind of epic if you think about it.

[doctorwholordotime]

we are playing this in band right now its awsome and i agree the nursing home would be a nice place to play make their days

[GreenMachineJazz]

Our high school band did the same thing. We took this song so fast, and it was our ender. Always one of our favorites.

[bulldogbarks55]

@drcoolguy My high school band played this at halftime of a basketball game in 1959! We turned out all the lights and read our music with a little pen-light that was attached to our caps. Towards the end we put a spotlight on a couple that did the jitterbug. We were rockin' that night! I was so into it that I jumped a note on my trumpet. I heard myself on the taped playback. I immediately became Sgt. Schultz, "I know nussing!" Great times!

[SynysterPancake]

we play this in jazz band at my school

[munerider]

This was my mother's fav song. I love swing, blues, jass, big band. Learned it from her! I just never got this song. Oh well, I'll keep trying.

[mrmott44]

I like the Ten Years After version

[spacepatrolman]

me too its heavy and jazzy

[MileyandZanessafan5]

i play this in my jazz band

[southwind73]

Great music I have to say one of my favorites from the big band era.

[Swampgirly]

My uncle, Steadman "Steady" Nelson, is the one playing the trumpet solo on this recording. He started out with Mr. Herman in 1939, but left in 1942, as my aunt wanted him to leave the road. He was my mom's oldest brother, and I can't believe that she never had any of his records.

[thestrip]

Hullo from Canada Swampgirly. If you search for 'jivin' jacks and jills' on you tube there's a video of them dancing to woodchoppers ball. The clip is from the movie 'What's Cookin' in which Woody plays 'Amen' and 'Golden Wedding' (featuring Frankie Carlson on drums) as well. In Golden Wedding the camera zeros in on the trumpet player and I've always wondered who he was. The film was made in early 1942 and I don't think 'Steady' was playing with him then.

Regards - Lou J (aka 'thestrip')

[hajune]

Woody at his best! One of the best 10 swing songs ever in my opinion. Thanks for posting.

[AlexWantsToHaveFun]

Danke, Louise! Es freut sich über Dein Kompliment..

Alex :-)

[kridoprincess]

Das Grammophon hat einen wunderbaren Klang!

Alles Liebe

Louise

[kamenson]

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[2agray]

In the American Decca pressings there is one pressing of this song with an alternate take that is pretty rare. You have to look at the matrix number. Probably an oops in the pressing plant with the wrong master.

[panzerschnott]

This is the April 1939 recording that turned Woody Herman's musical career around. A Great Blues Romp. From 1939 onward, Woody never looked back.

[123BubberMiley]

this is awesome music right here. wish i had vintage records like that. I've only got this on cd. still great though.

[MISFITROBBY138]

very cool,and a awesome setup both worth alot im sure.

[GOD711]

I love all types of music, with the exceptions of hip hop and rap. Frankly, the swing era holds a special place in my heart. Miller (and the members of his band who later had their own ensembles i.e. Gray, Beneke, etc.) Goodman, Herman, the Elgarts, and a host of other greats. I just hope this music is handed down from generation to generation. I don't know of many songs out today that will be around in fifty or sixty years and sound wonderful. "Honey, they're playing our song". Sure.

[admiralcapn]

I have this same recording on CD. I have a few swing compilations on vinyl though.

[RonSea38]

Great entertainment for us "seniors"! Hopefully, the "now generation" can appreciate it, too!

[clskmstg]

What a great example of "how it was" - you know, it sounds pretty good! What a treat!

[2885701]

perfection the origonal recordings make me smile swing style

[Peppone15]

have you buy this 78rpms on ebay? From Germany, ? Because i habe sell 66 78rpms with white lables from "Deutsche Grammophon" "Musterplatte".

[PhillySouth]

Thank-you very much! One my big band faves