One Meatball

This "soundie" from the 1940's features a poor old fellow who can only afford one meatball. Doesn't it at least come with a little sauce!?

Soundies were an early version of the music video: three-minute musical films, produced in New York, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences. (The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was released in March, 1947.) The films were displayed on the Panoram, a coin-operated film jukebox or machine music, in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, factory lounges, and amusement centers.

Several production companies filmed the Soundies shorts: James Roosevelt's Globe Productions (1940-41), Cinemasters (1940-41), Minoco Productions (1941-43), RCM Productions (1941-46), LOL Productions (1943), Glamourettes (1943), Filmcraft Productions (1943-46), and Alexander Productions (1946).

Soundies covered all genres of music, from classical to big-band swing, and from hillbilly novelties to patriotic songs. Jimmy Dorsey, Spike Jones, Liberace, Stan Kenton, Gale Storm, Kay Starr, Doris Day, The Hoosier Hot Shots, Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, Gene Krupa, Anita O'Day, Merle Travis, and Lawrence Welk were a few of the Soundies stars. Many nightclub and recording artists also made Soundies, including Gloria Parker, Charles Magnante, Milton DeLugg, and Gus Van. More than 1800 of the Soundies mini-musicals were made, and many of them have been released to home video.

Today Soundies are perhaps best known for the performances of African-American artists who had fewer opportunities to perform in public venues. Fats Waller, Louis Jordan, Dorothy Dandridge, Big Joe Turner, Meade Lux Lewis, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Stepin Fetchit all made Soundies.

Beginning in 1941 Soundies experimented with expanding its format, and filmed comedy Soundies with Our Gang star Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Broadway comic Willie Howard, dialect comedians Smith and Dale, and silent-movie comedians The Keystone Kops. Most of these films were non-musical, and were not as well received as the musical Soundies. Soundies abandoned the comedy-sketch idea, but continued to produce filmed versions of comic novelty songs. They were regularly described and reviewed in the entertainment and music trade publications, such as Billboard.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• meatball
• poor
• broke
• soundie
• waiter
• restaurant
• cashier
• novelty
• number
• song
• Italian
• 16mm
• cinegraphic
• panoram

[PattyPetite666]

@caseyjonessundaynigh - Sorry to disappoint you mate, but the song is much older than that. Indeed, Hy Zaret and Lou Singer picked it up during their time on Tin Pan Alley and "blues-ed it up". The original however was written by George Martin Lee in 1855. Although then titled "The Lone Fish Ball" it became a huge hit with the Harvard students. Later it was even used to raise money for Union soldiers...

[scrapplepig]

Different era, good old days that will never return.

[GrigoriZhukov]

such humour out ot such a sad story...how delightful.

[raynefallz1]

What a wonderful Soundie! From my research the pretty vocalist is Patti Clayton. Patti was the original 1944 voice fof Chiquita Banana, was married to Arthur Godfrey's radio show director, Saul Ochs.

I have also found a reference to Candy Candido (bassist) performing in another soundie of the same name.

All soundies were produced before my birth and it's always a thrill to discover what I missed. It's amazing these entertainment treasures have survived. Thanks for sharing & educating us :)

[justinbieberluva1023]

1:09 lol

[BigAssTuba]

Not exactly a Dish Worth Driving For!

[potrezeb1]

without the gravy !!

[caseyjonessundaynigh]

Hy zaret wrote this song. Josh White sung it in his nightclub act at Cafe Society Uptown. Zaret also wrote a slew of hits including Unchained Melody. Zaret made a fortune with his songs. He was also an attorney and personally managed the publishing rights to his songs. You could call him on the phone just about anytime and talk about music. He once answered the phone telling me “I’m 95 years old and can’t believe I’m still alive.”

[2watermelons]

josh white originally wrote this 

[kristjenM]

who originally wrote this song cause all i see is covers please reply