Origins: The old junk man? / Junkman Blues

Subject: Origins: The old junk man?
From: nickp
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 11:44 AM

My grandmother used to have a 78 recording which suddenly slipped back into my mind the other day.
Anybody identify who it was and the title - and fill in the lyrics? Although this was in the UK it may not have been a British band.

Those I can remember go something like:

Has anybody seen the old junk man
Pickin' up all the old junk he can
Nobody knows when he's about
Till they hear him holler and shout
"Any rags and bones today?"
That is what you'll hear him say
He buys old clothes and ???
You'll hear him in the alley shouting "bottles (?) and rags"

And no, it wasn't anything to do with 'Steptoe and Son'. I used to listen to it 40 years ago (sadly it went the way of many 78's and was dropped - along with 'Coney Island Washboard' which I think was on another thread once) and I suspect it was from the 1930's.

Any thoughts??

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 12:30 PM

Sounds a bit like Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Rags and Old Iron" -which would date from early 60's, I guess. Language sounds a bit mixed English/American...

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: Amos
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 12:54 PM

Illustration for you. But I have not found the lyrics, sorry.

A

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 01:42 PM

"Any Rags," not the same, in Levy Collection.
Cho. "Any rags? Rags? Any rags, any bones, any bottles today..."

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 02:21 PM

Q

Interesting one, alright.

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 04:16 PM

I have at least 3 versions of the song. It often is recorded as "the Junkman Blues".

"Junkman Blues - Lew Stone and the Mons Band - voc, Al Bowlly & Nat Gonella - Dec 1932" is available at the Martin's 78 Turntable site:

Martin's 78Turntable

Another version was performed by the "Spirits of Rhythm" in 1934.


"Any Rags, Any Bones, Any bottles Today" was also a refrain in a "Coon Song" sung by Arthur Collins in a 1913 Edison Diamond Disk Recording. It might have been a source of influence on the later recordings but they really are very different songs.

JAB

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: GUEST,cookiekess Nickp
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 05:29 AM

Junkman Blues - yes! yes! That's it and from the arrangement I'm almost certain it was the Stone/Bowlly/Gonella one although it sounds a little different to an old wind up gramophone and a 40 year old memory! Surprisingly....

Many thanks GutBucketeer - and all of you for joining in. And what a fascinating site for 78's! I'll have to add that to my favourites.

Nickp

Subject: RE: Origins: The old junk man?
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 09:11 AM

Yousa Welcome.