josepp

Despite your claims that swing in a jazz sense was widely known to the general public before jazz recordings became popular, I can't see any evidence that you've put forward for that claim.

There certainly were songs with swing in the title, but I've looked at all the sheets in Levy between 1850 and 1920 with it and none (and I include The Trolley Car Swing) seem to indicate swing in the jazz sense. They refer to (i) garden type swings, (ii) the swing-into-line or swing-me-round type from dancing and (iii) swing low sweet chariot and similar.

Regarding The Trolley Car Swing (the product of professional songwriters Joe Young and Bert Grant), it seems to be to the sort of song that could easily appear in a variety show (the cover shows the conductor and a female passenger dancing in the trolley) - it's up-tempo, dotted rhythm and to me the word swing is used purely in a dance meaning. It certainly bears no resemblance to the songs the female jazz or blues singers you mention would have sung.

I believe the word (in the jazz sense) would have become widely known quite quickly once jazz recording and radio broadcasts became popular, but as for the turn of the century I see no evidence yet. (I'm prepared to be persuaded, but you need to produce some decent contemporary accounts to demonstrate it).


Mick