Williams & Walker "The Lost Recording" - Good Afternoon Mr. Jenkins - 1901 Victor Monarch Record

You are about to hear one of the "Lost" original recordings of George W. Walker with Bert Williams from their earliest recording session for Victor in Oct. of 1901, singing "Good Afternoon, Mr. Jenkins" (composed by R.C. McPherson & Thomas Lemonier) from the Play/comedy "Sons of Ham". According to the folks at Archeophone Records, no copies of this recording, at the time of their Historic CD release of the "Bert Williams The Early Years, had yet been found". So here for your enjoyment is that historic lost recording, being played here on Youtube. Williams & Walker were one of the first successful African American Comedy duos in the history of the American Theatre, starring in the first Black Produced Musical Comedies at the turn of the last Century. Walker died in 1911, and Williams went on to be one of the most beloved and popular Stars of the Ziegfeld Follies over the next 11 years until his death in 1922. Williams also made many records for Columbia during that time period.Since the lyrics might be a little difficult to make out I have posted them on the screen and you will see them as the record plays, and also here below..
Verse: In upper Broadway where the swells all Congregate,
A dusky Dick-to-do went strolling, and met his fate,
A Saffron Colored lady with a witching smile,
Did this high-toned darkey swell be-guile,
He Wined and dined her on the best at Ca-fe Grand,
Spent his hard earn'd money with a lavish hand,
"Now may I see you home? Said He, I'm sorry Sir it can-not be, for Ma is waiting there for me,
So --
Chorus: "Good Afternoon, Mr. Jenkins, ah'll See you again,
It ain't no earthly use____ for to remain,
'Cause I've enjoyed your Company it's no reason why That I should risk my home for you, So good afternoon, Good bye." Bye__

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Bert Williams
• George W. Walker
• Black Americana
• Phonograph
• Gramophone

[stratocat9999]

Wow, that is a great find! But if this record is indeed an extant example, you may want to contact a professional to have this record properly archived into digital, unless you are so equipped. Playing it with the fiber stylus was a perfect solution for the video.

Archeophone had released 3 CD's of Bert Williams, covering the then known complete catalog , with a few Williams and Walker sides, even though Bert Williams was a minor contributor. Again, Great Find! Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

[victrolaman]

@stratocat9999 Yes, thank you for the suggestion. This record is in fact one of the "Lost Recordings" which according to Archeophone, as stated in the "Liner Notes" from Bert Williams the Early Years, had not yet been found in any collections, and therefore was not included in any of the 3 CD's you mentioned. This "lost" Williams and Walker" will be included in a planned 4th CD release by Archeophone of other W & W recordings that have subsequently surfaced.

Victrolaman

[canonet17]

great find! Where did you find this record? Also, where did you find the fiber needles for the reproducer? i have a 1912 Victrola, floor model in a mahogany cabinet I inherited fro my great uncle.

[victrolaman]

I actually acquired this rare Williams & Walker in a trade with a fellow record collector. He received from me a Mississippi Black Blues record he had been looking for, for many years, knew that I had, and was willing to trade to get it. He is more into blues and Jazz, then the old historic stuff like myself. I was happy, he was happy. Just the kind of trade you like. As for the fiber needles, I had picked up some new old stock fiber needles a few years ago, and used one of them for this video

[Rollich]

This is wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing. One question, however. Didn't the high-toned darky *wine* and dine the lady rather than "whine and dine" her? It may be a pun, of course. ...

He Whined and dined her on the best at Ca-fe Grand,

[victrolaman]

Maybe he did whine a bit and that is why he didn't get to go home with her!! heh, heh, . That was a typo of course which I will correct. Thanks for the heads up and glad you enjoyed this rare historic record by two of the great early African-American stars of Broadway.

[Themaddprof]

Say Victrolaman, you mentioned that other Bert Williams records have surfaced recently. Which ones are they if you know? I'm a big Bert Williams fanatic.

[robchalfen]

piano is likely Victor house accompanist C.H.H. Booth

[EmmetEarwax]

I have many shellac oldies, and I play them on a modern stereo. I have an older phonograph, but the speaker went bummy on me. Jack wires went crazy and I almost just tore them out ! The oldest ones may date to 1908 orf before, but I have very few dates. "Archives.org" was very parsimonious with dates. "Honey Lou " by Lemonier with the singer shooting himself ! May the oldest. A doubledisk 1907-8 demo may be the oldest Columbia disk.

[karlsalz]

great recording

thanks for uploading it

[gmmix]

Not only is this a rare disc, it survives in wonderful condition. So many of the records from this early period are all but worn out. Like some men years ago who would brag how many shaves they could get from a single razor blade, there were people who took much pride in the fact they listened to records all afternoon using one steel needle!

[brodnerart]

Victrolaman:

Thank you so much for this. A "new" piece by these guys is an bright discovery. I am a serious fan. I hear in them the stirring of defiant and proud beating of the drum of ragtime; a black form, to white Broadway. Not what most people see in blackface, but there you are. Grazie.

[magiclard]

I believe they hit Broadway and were accepted there. Im a jonah man? another song?

[magiclard]

@husbondensrost I was told anything from one to ten....one if you want to preserve your record---they came in boxes of up to 100 or more

[tayloreh]

Walker never recorded again after those sessions cos he was so ashamed of how tinny and pathetic he sounded. But Williams kept giving it a shot.

[stratocat9999]

@victrolaman That is great news! I look forward to that release! Thanks!