Chansons

1931 · réf. 10087 — Indianapolis 1931. Manuscript. Typescript 10.4x8" unpaginated typed rectos only. Red pebbled title page with inset photo of Raymer lettered in manuscript. Heavy duty metal post binding in black buckram boards. Covers rubbed and soiled pages somewhat toned and with smudging a few instances of edge chipping and wear. Title page with some moisture damage. Good sound condition. An exceptional collection of folk cowboy and mountain song lyrics compiled and typed by the little-known performer Morell Raymer. As the title page notes the material was "First broadcasted Feb. 3 1931 over the radio station WKBF in Indianapolis Ind." Raymer was known professionally as the "Yodeling Kid" and apparently performed on Midwestern radio as well as for local social gatherings. The entire collection appears to be original typed pages from at least two different typewriters with hundreds of songs included. 32 songs at the end of the book have chord notations in manuscript along with a guitar chord chart also in manuscript at the rear. While preserving many familiar folk standards the collection is particularly notable for the large number of songs of limited or apparently regional circulation. Works associated with performers such as Jimmie Rodgers Roy Acuff and the Carter Family are represented alongside numerous cowboy and western songs that appear to have enjoyed only local or regional popularity. Many of the songs also preserve verses omitted from commercial recordings; for example "Red River Valley" is present in a nine-verse version and "Old Joe Clark" contains ten verses. Although designated "Book No. 1" on the title page no evidence of subsequent volumes has been located. An extraordinary survival documenting the repertoire of early twentieth-century American folk and western music preserving numerous apparently undocumented songs and textual variants. An important resource for the study of American vernacular song traditions. unknown