The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #173846   Message #4216240
Posted By: Joe Offer
30-Jan-25 - 01:09 AM
Thread Name: Origins: The Lady Red, Tune: The Streets of Cairo
Subject: ADD:The Streets of Cairo(Sol Bloom/James Thornton)
And here's "The Streets of Cairo" by Art Hickman, 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGgaMRE7dpM

This is the original 1895 recording of the song "The Streets of Cairo or the Poor Little Country Maid" by Sol Bloom and James Thornton."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A5yJ5Z2Ezw

This is the original 1895 recording of the song "The Streets of Cairo or the Poor Little Country Maid" by Sol Bloom and James Thornton. The music and lyrics are all in the public domain. I recently learned that Sony is in possession of the rights for this recording. This YouTube posting has a slight speed adjustment from the previously posted version. After I sent the recording I found to Barrett Hansen (aka Dr. Demento) he noted that the speed sounded fast. He adjusted it by ear until he found what sounded most natural. The recording as I had sent it to him was in F#m, but he informed me that old Berliner records were often recorded at a lower speed. After he adjusted it, the pitch was now in Em. Not only does it sound much more natural, but it agrees with the original published sheet music (which was printed in E minor) and it brings the song into a better range for a baritone voice (as Quinn is often described as a baritone).

Dan W. Quinn recorded this song on at least these two occasions:

Berliner 171-Z, 11/3/1895.
Breliner 171-ns 4/17/1896 (Philadelphia)

This is the first, recorded on November 3, 1895.

You can hear my personal recording of the song at    • "The Streets of Cairo or the Poor Lit...

Lyrics:
I will sing you a song, and it won't be very long
'Bout a maiden sweet, and she never would do wrong.
Ev'ryone said she was pretty. she was not long in the city.
All alone, oh, what a pity, poor little maid.

She never saw the streets of Cairo.
On the Midway she had never strayed;
She never saw the kutchy-kutchy,
Poor little country maid.

She was engaged as a picture for to pose,
To appear each night in abbreviated clothes.
All the dudes were in a flurry, for to catch her they did hurry,
One who caught her now is sorry, poor little maid.

She was much fairer far than Trilby,
Lots of more men sorry will be,
If they don't try to keep away from
This poor little country maid.

She never saw the streets of Cairo.
On the Midway she had never strayed;
She never saw the kutchy-kutchy,
Poor little country maid.


Gee, the melody sounds like "The Girls in France (wear tissue paper pants)"