"Darktown Strutters' Ball" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

by Shelton Brooks, published in 1917. The song has been recorded many times and is considered a popular and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

standard. There are many variations of the title, including "At the Darktown Strutters' Ball", "The Darktown Strutters' Ball", and just "Strutters' Ball".

History

Soon after its 1917 publication, "Darktown Strutters' Ball" was included by

Sophie Tucker Sophie Tucker (born Sofia Kalish; January 13, 1886 – February 9, 1966) was an American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertaine ...

in her Vaudeville routine. The song was recorded on May 9 that year by the Six Brown Brothers. The best-known recording, by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, which was recorded on May 30, 1917, and released by Columbia Records as catalog number A-2297, was inducted into the

Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...

in 2006. More than three million copies of the sheet music were sold.

Recorded versions

* American Republic Band (recorded December 1917, released by Pathe Records as catalog number 20282, with the flip side "Homeward Bound"Abrams, Steven and Settlemier, Tyrone
Pathe Records in the 20001 to 20499 series
Online Discographical Project) * Ray Anthony in Australia on Capitol CP-139, flip side "Deep Night" and in the US as the flip side to the single "

Count Every Star "Count Every Star" is a song written by Bruno Coquatrix and Sammy Gallop and first released by Ray Anthony and His Orchestra. It reached number 4 on the US pop chart in 1950. Other charting versions *Hugo Winterhalter released a version of the ...

". * Allen Broome & His Dixieland All-Stars released a version on his debut solo album ''BucketMouth'' in June, 2013. *

Boswell Sisters The Boswell Sisters were an American close harmony singing trio of the jazz and swing eras, consisting of three sisters: Martha Boswell (June 9, 1905 – July 2, 1958), Connie Boswell (later spelled "Connee", December 3, 1907 – October 11, ...

recorded a version (complete with a rumba section!) on May 23, 1934 in New York but was only issued in Australia on Columbia DO-1255. * Joe Brown on Decca F 11207, 1960, flip side "Swagger"; this was Brown's first single to chart. * The Brown Dots (released by Manor Records as catalog number 1166, with the flip side "As Tho' You Don't Know"). * Phil Brito (released by

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

as catalog number 11687, with the flip side "Memories of Sorrento") * Castle Jazz Band (recorded January 11,

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

, released by Castle Records as catalog number 3, with the flip side "Kansas City Stomps") * Larry Clinton and Orchestra (vocal by

Sylvia Syms Sylvia May Laura Syms (born 6 January 1934) is an English actress, best known for her roles in the films ''Woman in a Dressing Gown'' (1957), ''Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958), ''No Trees in the Street'' (1959), ''Victim'' (1961), and ''The Tamari ...

and the Carillons; recorded January

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

, released by

Bell Records Bell Records was an American record label founded in 1952 in New York City by Arthur Shimkin, the owner of the children's record label Golden Records, and initially a unit of Pocket Books, after the rights to the name were acquired from Benny ...

as catalog number 1035, with the flip side "

Answer Me, My Love "Answer Me" is a popular song, originally titled "Mütterlein", with German lyrics by Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch. "Mütterlein" was published on 19 April 1952. English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman, and the song was published as "Answ ...

") * Arthur Collins & Byron G. Harlan (recorded December 1917, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

as catalog number A-2478, with the flip side "I'm All Bound Round with the Mason Dixon Line"Columbia Records in the A-2000 to A-2499 series
/ref>) *

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

included the song in a medley on his album '' On the Happy Side'' (1962). *

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peop ...

Orchestra with June Richmond; (released by Coral Records as catalog number 60000, with the flip side "Dusk in Upper Sandusky") * Arthur Fields (released by Pathe Records as catalog number 20315B, with the flip side "In the Land o' Yamo Yamo") *

James Gelfand James Gelfand (born April 3, 1959) is a Canadian jazz pianist who has written scores for film and television. Early life Gelfand was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada into a large Jewish family. He is the great-grandson of Jacob Pascal, founder ...

made a version for the Canadian movie ''Jack Paradise (Les nuits de Montréal)'' (2004). * Connie Haines,

Alan Dale Alan Hugh Dale (born 6 May 1947) is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale enjoyed theatre and rugby. After retiring from the sport, he took on a number of occupations, before deciding to become a professional actor at age 27. Dale subsequent ...

, the

Ray Bloch Raymond Arthur Bloch (August 3, 1902 – March 29, 1982) Career During the 1920s, he performed with small groups on piano and also conducted ballroom bands. Later in the decade he began appearing as a pianist on radio stations. He began working as ...

Seven, and Sy Oliver's Orchestra (released by Signature Records as catalog number 15197A, with the flip side "Little Boy Blues" * Phil Harris and his Orchestra (recorded February 27,

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into ...

, released by

Vocalion Records Vocalion Records is an American record company and label. History The label was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Company, a maker of pianos and organs, as Aeolian-Vocalion; the company also sold phonographs under the Vocalion name. "Aeolian" was ...

as catalog number 3565, with the flip side " Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea"Vocalion Records in the 3500 to 3999 series
/ref>) * Hoosier Hotshots (recorded December 16,

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...

, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 03734, with the flip side "Nobody's Sweetheart"; re-recorded February 26,

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

, released by

Conqueror Records Conqueror Records was a United States-based record label, active from 1928 through 1942. The label was sold exclusively through Sears, Roebuck and Company. History Conqueror was originally owned by the Plaza Music Company, then became part of ...

as catalog number 8661, with the flip side "

You're Driving Me Crazy "You’re Driving Me Crazy" is an American popular song composed (music and lyrics) by Walter Donaldson in 1930 and recorded the same year by Lee Morse, Rudy Vallée & His Connecticut Yankees and Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (with vocal b ...

") *

Pee Wee Hunt Walter Gerhardt "Pee Wee" Hunt (May 10, 1907 – June 22, 1979) was an American jazz trombonist, vocalist, and bandleader. Hunt was born in Mount Healthy, Ohio. He developed a musical interest at an early age, as his mother, Sadie, played the ba ...

(released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...

as catalog number 1691, with the flip side "Oh!" and as catalog number 1741, with the flip side "

Basin Street Blues "Basin Street Blues" is a song often performed by Dixieland jazz bands, written by Spencer Williams in 1928 and recorded that year by Louis Armstrong. The verse with the lyric "Won't you come along with me / To the Mississippi..." was later added ...

") *

Alberta Hunter Alberta Hunter (April 1, 1895 – October 17, 1984) was an American jazz and blues singer and songwriter from the early 1920s to the late 1950s. After twenty years of working as a nurse, Hunter resumed her singing career in 1977. Early life Hu ...

recorded the song on her 1978 comeback album ''Amtrak Blues'' (on Columbia). (The album was inducted into the

Blues Hall of Fame The Blues Hall of Fame is a music museum located at 421 S. Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially, the "Blues Hall of Fame" was not a physical building, but a listing of people who have significantly contributed to blues music. Started in 1 ...

in 2009.) * Brown & Terry Jazzola Boys (recorded June

1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in Brazil. ** The Spanish liner ''Santa Isabel'' bre ...

, released by

OKeh Records Okeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Ott ...

as catalog number 8006B, with the flip side "Hesitatin' Blues". * Jaudas' Society Orchestra issued a version in 1918 on

Edison Records Edison Records was one of the early record labels that pioneered sound recording and reproduction, and was an important player in the early recording industry. The first phonograph cylinders were manufactured in 1888, followed by Edison's found ...

. * Martin & Brown ("The Harmonica Duo") (released by Tennessee Records as catalog number 793, with the flip side " I'll See You in My Dreams") *

Lou Monte Lou Monte (born Louis Scaglione; April 2, 1917 – June 12, 1989) was an Italian American singer best known for a number of best-selling, Italian-themed novelty records which he recorded for both RCA Victor and Reprise Records in the late 195 ...

recorded "Darktown Strutter's Ball (Italian Syle)" in 1954. The RCA release was a major hit, reaching No. 12 on retail sales. He parodies the lyrics, including "I'll be down to get you in a wheelbarrow honey", and asks "Are you from Lyndhurst?", the city of his birth. *

Russ Morgan Russell Morgan (April 29, 1904 – August 7, 1969) was an American big band leader and arranger during the 1930s and 1940s. He was best known for being the one of the composers of the song "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", with Larry Stock ...

and his Orchestra (recorded December 21,

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugosl ...

, released by

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. ...

as catalog number 29032, with the flip side "

There'll Be Some Changes Made "There'll Be Some Changes Made" ("Changes") is a popular song by Benton Overstreet (composer) and Billy Higgins (lyricist). Published in 1921, the song has flourished in several genres, particularly jazz. The song has endured for as many years ...

") * Ruby Newman and his Orchestra (recorded January 21,

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...

, released by Decca Records as catalog number 23621, with the flip side " I'm Just Wild about Harry") * Original Dixieland Jazz Band (recorded May 30, 1917, released by Columbia Records as catalog number A-2297, with the flip side "Indiana One Step" . The ODJB recording was inducted into the

in 2006. * Orlando's Orchestra (recorded January

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

, released by Silvertone Records as catalog number 5007B, with the flip side "

Missouri Waltz "Missouri Waltz" is the official state song of Missouri and is associated with the University of Missouri. History The "Missouri Waltz", which had originally been a minstrel (later ragtime before it finally became country) song, became the ...

". This version was also released, with the name of the orchestra given as the Federal Band, by Federal Records under the same catalog number, with the same flip side) * Preacher Rollo and the Five Saints (Recorded April 18, 1951 in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

, released by

as catalog number 30448B, with the flip side "Original Dixieland One-Step") * The Six Brown Brothers, a comedic musical ensemble, recorded the song in 1917. * Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers (recorded March 29,

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 ...

, released by

as catalog number 15188D, with the flip side "Drink 'Er Down") * Toots' Quartet (released by Decca Records as catalog number 28157, with the flip side "Toselli Jump") *

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

(recorded November 3,

, originally released by

Bluebird Records Bluebird Records is a record label best known for its low-cost releases, primarily of kids' music, blues and jazz in the 1930s and 1940s. It was founded in 1932 as a lower-priced RCA Victor subsidiary label of RCA Victor. Bluebird became known ...

as catalog number 10573B, with the flip side " I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby") *

Chick Webb William Henry "Chick" Webb (February 10, 1905 – June 16, 1939) was an American jazz and swing music drummer and band leader. Early life Webb was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to William H. and Marie Webb. The year of his birth is disputed. ...

recorded a version on January 15, 1934 in New York but was only issued in England on Columbia CB-754. * The

Ted Mulry Gang Martin Albert Mulry (2 September 19471 September 2001) professionally known as Ted Mulry, was an English-born Australian singer, songwriter, bass player and guitarist. As a solo artist, his second single, "Falling in Love Again" (February 1971 ...

released a rock 'n' roll version of the song catalog number Albert AP11004, produced by

Ted Albert Edward Frank Albert (1937 – 11 November 1990) was an Australian early pioneer independent record production and founder of Albert Productions (part of his great grandfather's company Albert Music). In recognition of his contribution to the mus ...

in Australia, in February 1976, reaching no. 3 on the

Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent (historian), David Kent from May 1974 through to January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music ...

. *The Beatles performed "Darktown Strutters' Ball" in their early Liverpool and Hamburg performances, though no recording has ever surfaced. *Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys 1940s.

In popular culture

* ''The Darktown Strutters' Ball'' was the squadron tune of the RFC's elite No. 56 Squadron during the later stages of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. *

Tom and Jerry ''Tom and Jerry'' is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series centers on the ...

1950 animated cartoon ''

Saturday Evening Puss ''Saturday Evening Puss'' is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 48th ''Tom and Jerry'' short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The cartoon was released on January 14, 1950, produced by Fred Quimby, scored by Scott Bradley and ...

'' - Background music as Mammy Two Shoes gets ready for an evening out. *

and Nicole Maurey sang the song in the 1953 film '' Little Boy Lost''. * ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Moo ...

'', as the answer to a " knock-knock" joke: Knock-knock / Who's there? / Anna Maria Alberghetti / Anna Maria Alberghetti Who? / (sung) "Anna Maria Alberghetti in a taxi, Honey..." (similar to the first line of the song). *

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Cec ...

is singing it as he gets ill by the piano in the 1984 movie ''

The Natural ''The Natural'' is a 1952 novel about baseball by Bernard Malamud, and is his debut novel. The story follows Roy Hobbs, a baseball prodigy whose career is sidetracked after being shot by a woman whose motivation remains mysterious. The story mo ...

''. *

Kristin Scott Thomas Dame Kristin Ann Scott Thomas (born 24 May 1960) is a British actress who also holds French citizenship. A five-time BAFTA Award and Olivier Award nominee, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for '' Four Weddings ...

sings a portion of it to

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( ; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. A Shakespeare interpreter, he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shak ...

as they are driving through the desert in 1996 film ''

The English Patient ''The English Patient'' is a 1992 novel by Michael Ondaatje. The book follows four dissimilar people brought together at an Italian villa during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War. The four main characters are: an unrecognisably burn ...

''. * Abe Simpson sings it while getting ready for his date with Beatrice in the "

Old Money Old money is "the inherited wealth of established upper-class families (i.e. gentry, patriciate)" or "a person, family, or lineage possessing inherited wealth". The term typically describes a social class of the rich who have been able t ...

" episode of ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

''. * The opening lines of the song are quoted on the rear cover of The Band's eponymous 1969 album. * In the premiere episode of the TV series M*A*S*H* (1971), it is background music (sung in Japanese) during a party scene. * Performed by

Anissa Jones Mary Anissa Jones (March 11, 1958 – August 28, 1976) was an American child actress known for her role as Buffy Davis on the CBS sitcom ''Family Affair'', which ran from 1966 to 1971. She died from combined drug intoxication at the age of 1 ...

and Pepe Brown in the Elvis movie '' The Trouble with Girls''. * Performed by Antoinette Brown (portrayed by Maura G Hooper) in episode 3 of AMC's

Interview with the Vampire ''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...

(2022)

References

{{authority control Songs written by Shelton Brooks 1917 songs 1910s jazz standards Bluebird Records singles

History

Recorded versions

In popular culture

See also

References