Source for dating songs

Subject: Source for dating songs
From: Curtis & Loretta
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 01:07 AM

We're singing for a end-of decade, new millennium party. The theme is "songs through the ages." Though actually, we'll only be doing songs from the 1800 and 1900's.

Does anyone know of a source on-line where I could find dates for old songs? We want to be sure to include songs from each decade, if possible. It's a nursing home, so we'll mostly be doing songs folks are familiar with, such as "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," "Bicycle Built for Two," "Goodnight Ladies," etc, etc. That kind of thing.

I've checked the digi-trad base, and though there are dates on some songs, lots of the songs we do are either not there, and/or do not have dates on them.

Thanks for your help, even if you believe the new millenium won't start till Jan 1, 2001. We still have to go do this gig in a few days!

Loretta (Curtis & Loretta)

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From:
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 01:22 AM

Levy sheet music collection (click here) is the best place to hunt.

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: Marymac90
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 02:06 AM

Dear Curtis and Loretta,

I totally misunderstood the headline-I thought you wanted songs for dating-i.e, going out as a couple!!! Sorry I can't help you date these songs, but I got a good laugh out of my own goof!

Mary Mccaffrey

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 11:38 AM

Anonymous;

Many thanks for the Levy link: I've just found the Rose of Allendale there. It looks to be an extremely useful resource.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 11:56 AM

Malcolm- The Levy site is indeed a useful source. Be careful, though--many songs there are considerably older than the date shown. There's never been much restraint when it comes to copyrighting trad. material. What it tells you is that the song is AT LEAST that old.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amsshtml/
is another useful site.

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From:
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 12:17 PM

How about Lyrics World? It lists songs both by title and decade. There are also lots of sites which are specific by decade, ie 40s, 50s, etc. Those are too numerous to list here but here is the one fore

Lyrics World

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 12:20 PM

Dick

Thanks for the caveat, and the additional URL. I've no illusions about such things as dates, though!

Best wishes

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: MTed
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 12:53 PM

It may be a little late, and this is not on-line, but I have a copy of Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954, which is a compilation of the hit records from every year--granted, he doesn't list the most popular sheet music, but he has the top ten by decade, as well as the top one hundred hits--here's a sample--from 1893, the number one records included: 'The Bowery(sung by Dan Quinn), Oh, Promise Me(George Gaskin), After The Ball(George Gaskin), Daisy Bell (Dan Quinn), The Fatal Wedding (George J. Gaskin)--Yankee Doodle Dandy hit the charts the next year, as did Dem Golden Slippers, and The Sidewalks of New York topped the charts in 1895--

The Levy site is a good place to look if you konw what you want, but it doesn't give you any idea of how popular anything was, and especially no idea of whether people will like it now--

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: Curtis & Loretta
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 01:34 PM

Thank you all so much for all the information. I'm going to delve in and start searching right now. Mary - I re-read my headline, and indeed, it looked like I was looking for songs about dating...!!

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: _gargoyle
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 01:36 PM

Collected by decades 1850 - 1920 the Scriptorium at Duke UniversitySheetmusic is a good reference.

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: Tiger
Date: 28 Dec 99 - 05:38 PM

Don Ferguson's barbershop site at:

http://www.bright.net/~mrbanjo/Barbershop.htm

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 12:05 AM

If you are interested, Levy will send you a copy of the original sheet music for a small fee. Last time I ordered one for my dad it was $3, and they don't take credit cards. Nice phoaks, very helpful via email.

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: DonMeixner
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 08:37 AM

When I first saw this thread I tought you were looking for a website about songs for meeting girls. Then I openned it up and was I ever surprised.

Don

Subject: RE: Source for dating songs
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Dec 99 - 10:42 AM

I did the same thing Don.....but the answers were good. Kind of like the one that just got refreshed titled "Period Songs."

Spaw