Lots of requests for more George Van Dusen and coincidentally found a 45 of "It's Party Time Again" on the Bri-Tone label that was released in the 70's ? ( no date on it ) today in a charity shop in Chester.
Little is known of George Van Dusen and despite extensive searches on the internet have failed to find anyone who knows anything about him except that he was a renowned yodeller held in high regard and a contemporary of Harry Torrani and Ronnie Ronalde in the 30's and 40's. His "Yodelling Chinaman" track is probably his most well known and popped up on several compilations of novelty songs over the years. These tracks are from 1937 and kindly supplied by Jim Benson who will doubtless phone me up to tell me I've got it all wrong and that infact George was a dutchman who died in 1929! I love this photo of him from the only one I could find.
Since this was last blogged I had some interesting comments to say that George was born Thomas Harrington , probably in the East End of London in the early 1900's and recorded for the Rex record label. He was still perfoming well into his 80's though confined to a wheel chair. He apparently had a minor hit in the 60's but I can find no record to confirm this.
George Van Dusen - It's Party Time Again
George Van Dusen - Murphy's Wedding Day
George Van Dusen - Izzy Izzy Izzy
George Van Dusen - Holiday Time Is Jollity Time
George Van Dusen - The Yodelling Sailor
George Van Dusen - A Wee Drop Of Scotch
George Van Dusen - It's Holiday Time Again
George Van Dusen - Poloski's Russian Party
George Van Dusen - The Yiddisher Yodeller
Thanks Michael,
ReplyDeleteYou are a gentleman to be sure.
Oh by the way here's wishing you and your kin a very happy new Year
Regards
Bob
Glad you found these Bob - I meant to drop you a line but deleted your e-mail by mistake!
ReplyDeleteAll the best for 2010!
Thanks for the re-up, I missed this the first time! His Yodeling Chinaman is one of my iPod favorites.
ReplyDeleteNo problem baikinange. Glad you enjoyed them. If I had an ipod he would be on it for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt's Party Time Again was heavily promoted sometime in the 1970's by Terry Wogan after his producer found it on an old 78 & they played it on the air. As a result it was reissued on a 45 single and Van Dusen was found in a retirement home and appeared in a few TV shows and chat shows before returning to the home. There were a few articles in the papers of the time.
ReplyDeleteWogan promoted it as he did with the Conrad Veidt song and it made the lower end of the charts.
Thanks for that snippet of info howstean - much obliged.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeletethanks for all the music.
you know mi new site : http://acbia.wordpress.com/
Please renplace the link in you blog.
Thanks,
Fabian-
Hey there! Might you post the George van Dusen stuff again? I'd love to get those! :)
ReplyDelete