''Hitchy-Koo'' is a 1912 American

popular song Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Funk ...

and a series of

musical revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...

s, inspired by the song, staged on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

each year from 1917 through 1920 and on tour in 1922. Described by ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' magazine as a "hit song of 1912", the song was composed by

Lewis F. Muir Lewis F. Muir, born Louis Meuer (May 30, 1883 – December 3, 1915) was an American composer and ragtime pianist. Biography Originally a millinery peddler, Muir started as a pianist in St. Louis cafes and played in the St. Louis World's Fair in ...

and Maurice Abrahams with lyrics by

L. Wolfe Gilbert Louis Wolfe Gilbert (August 31, 1886 – July 12, 1970) was a Russian Empire–born American songwriter of Tin Pan Alley. He is best remembered as the lyricist for "Ramona" (1928), the first movie theme song ever written. Biography Born i ...

. Historian

Eve Golden Eve Golden is a biographer whose work focuses on American silent film, theater and early twentieth century actresses. She was born and raised near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bibliography Eve Golden is the author of seven theater and film biograp ...

stated that the song is "a popular standard from the second-wave of

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

tunes". Ian Whitcomb wrote that it was one of the first American popular songs to influence musical taste and culture in the United Kingdom with the "invasion of American popular music" in 1912.

History

First published and performed in 1912, "Hitchy-Koo" was a staple of the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

repertoire in the 1910s and 1920s, enjoying popularity in both American and British theatres. The song was first recorded in 1912 for

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 ...

by the vaudeville comedy duo Collins & Harlan. Other vaudeville entertainers who performed the work included

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. ...

. The song was first introduced to the United Kingdom by the American Ragtime Octette (ARO) at the

Hippodrome The hippodrome ( el, ἱππόδρομος) was an ancient Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. The name is derived from the Greek words ''hippos'' (ἵππος; "horse") and ''dromos'' (δρόμος; "course"). The term is used i ...

in London in 1912. Instantly popular with UK audiences, it was the first ragtime song to achieve popularity with the British public and was instrumental in creating an audience for ragtime in the UK.Whitcomb, chapter: "Invasion" The ARO recorded "Hitchy-Koo" for

The Winner Records The Winner Records was a United Kingdom-based record label from 1912 onwards. Its records were manufactured by the Edison Bell Record Works, London. This company, founded by James Hough, had originated in the early 1890s as an importer of Edison a ...

in 1912. The song became the eponymous inspiration for the ''Hitchy-Koo'' series of

s staged on

from 1917 through 1920; and was the only song repeated across the various iterations of that revue.Larkin, p. 22 Musicologist Derek B. Scott stated that, "'Hitchy Koo!' was the forerunner of many

nonsense song A nonsense song is a type of song written mainly for the purpose of entertainment using nonsense syllables at least in the chorus. Such a song generally has a simple melody and a quick (or fairly quick) tempo.Citron, Stephen (1998). ''Song Writing ...

s of the twentieth century suspected of being indecently suggestive."

Hitchy-Koo revues

There were 4 ''Hitchy-Koo'' revues produced by and starring Raymond Hitchcock that ran on Broadway: *''Hitchy-Koo of 1917'', June 7, 1917 – December 15, 1917; with music by E. Ray Goetz and book and lyrics by

Harry Grattan Harry Grattan (c. 1867 – 25 September 1951) was a British stage actor, singer, dancer and writer best known for his performances in musical comedies in the decades around 1900. Life and career Gratton started early as a child actor (along wi ...

Glen MacDonough Glen MacDonough (1870 – March 30, 1924) was an American writer, lyricist and librettist. He was the son of theater manager Thomas B. MacDonough and actress/author Laura Don. Glen MacDonough married Margaret Jefferson in 1896 in Buzzard's Bay, ...

and E. Ray Goetz *''Hitchy-Koo of 1918'', June 6, 1918 – August 3, 1918; with music by Raymond Hubbell and book and lyrics by Glen MacDonough and E. Ray Goetz *'' Hitchy-Koo of 1919'', October 6, 1919 — November 22, 1919; with music and lyrics by

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

"''Hitchy-Koo of 1919''"
sondheimguide.com, accessed 20 December 2013 *''Hitchy-Koo of 1920'', October 19, 1920 – December 18, 1920; with music by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

, book by Glen MacDonough and lyrics by Glen MacDonough and Anne Caldwell.''Hitchy-Koo'' 1920
ibdb.com The ''Hitchy-Koo of 1922'' began tryouts on October 10, 1922 at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre,

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

, but ran for less than two weeks. The music and lyrics were by Cole Porter and the book was by Harold R. Atteridge. This was the last in the series and the only show not to play on Broadway, although it did tour the United States.Cullen, Frank, Hackman, Florence, McNeily, Donald. ''Vaudeville, Old & New'' (2007), Routledge, , p. 798; and Suskin, p. 20

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * *{{cite book, title=After the Ball: Pop Music from Rag to Rock, author=Ian Whitcomb, year=2013, publisher= Faber & Faber, isbn=9780571299331 1912 songs Songs written by L. Wolfe Gilbert Pop standards Rags Broadway musicals