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BT McNicholl
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Добавлен 28 июл 2011
WHAT A MAN -- George M. Cohan tribute to FDR
In this rare recording, George M. Cohan performs his own song, WHAT A MAN, in tribute to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a birthday party for the President on Jan. 30, 1934. Cohan was, by his own admission, "not much of a vocalist," and at least one newspaper critic concurred in his review of Cohan's performance on this broadcast. Having said that, the song itself (if you can hear it in the background over the announcer's voice) is quite catchy, and Cohan's delivery is robust.
NOTE: Sadly, the beginning of the first verse is missing from the original source recording, but what remains gives a good idea of the entire piece.
The song itself is adapted from WE NEED A MAN, a song Cohan w...
NOTE: Sadly, the beginning of the first verse is missing from the original source recording, but what remains gives a good idea of the entire piece.
The song itself is adapted from WE NEED A MAN, a song Cohan w...
Просмотров: 443
Видео
Life is Like a Musical Comedy -- George M. Cohan
Просмотров 3754 года назад
This is an unpublished George M. Cohan song, written for his final show, THE MUSICAL COMEDY MAN (1940). Though he completed the entire script and score for the project, he died in 1942 before it could be produced. It is a sister to his earlier 1904 hit, "Life's a Very Funny Proposition After All." Interestingly, whereas that song written when he was a young man of 26 is wry and sobering, this o...
Where Were You, Where Was I? (Exactly Where We Are) -- Piano Roll version
Просмотров 1874 года назад
This a piano-roll version of George M. Cohan's "Where Were You, Where Was I?" from his 1928 musical "Billie." This was the song that Cohan thought would be the hit of the show... but it wasn't, for some reason. The title song turned out to be the better-known tune, to the extent that even that song became well-known. The fact is that Cohan's songs were considered old-fashioned by 1928 when Port...
Copy of Over There -- the only studio recording made by George M. Cohan
Просмотров 8309 лет назад
This is a rare find: the only known recording of George M. Cohan singing his classic hit "Over There" in a studio. Four years after this 1936 radio broadcast, he sang it again as part of music festival in San Francisco called "A Cavalcade of American Music" (1940) organized by ASCAP. But the sound quality there is not quite as good as at is here, nor does it include Cohan speaking about the son...
Over There -- the only studio recording made by George M. Cohan
Просмотров 266 тыс.10 лет назад
This is a rare find: the only known recording of George M. Cohan singing his classic hit "Over There" in a studio. Four years after this 1936 radio broadcast, he sang it again as part of music festival in San Francisco called "A Cavalcade of American Music" (1940) organized by ASCAP. But the sound quality there is not quite as good as at is here, nor does it include Cohan speaking about the son...
George M. Cohan -- the only known recording of him in a play
Просмотров 12 тыс.10 лет назад
This is the only known recording of George M. Cohan performing in a play one of his own plays, in fact: "Dear Old Darling." It opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on March 2,1936, where it closed after just 16 performances. Prior to that, it played tryout engagements in Pittsburgh (where it opened on Dec. 30, 1935), Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, Rochester, Utica, Philadelphia, Washington (Fe...
The accent seems to me to be a bit of the mid-Atlantic accent used by the upper class and the entertainment industry in the late 1th and early 20th century.
Cohan must have been a better singer in his younger days, when he sang with his family quartet.
Possibly that's true. We don't have any recordings of him before 1911, when he was 33, so we don't know how the "young Georgie" sounded. However, it's hard to know how good a singer he was on stage because the recording technology of 1911 required the singer to sing/shout quite loudly into a horn that would record their voice. (It wasn't until the introduction of the electronic microphone circa 1928 that singers such as Bing Crosby could sing softly and still be heard.) In any case, the 1911 recordings don't suggest that Cohan was much of a singer back then, either. As he admits in this recording, "I'm not much of a vocalist," and that was probably true all his life. Having said that, it must've been the onstage combination of his persona, attitude, understated comic timing, and eccentric dancing that created the "total package" -- and compensated for his singing chops. Or, more accurately, his singing voice seemed part-and-parcel of his whole appealing stage performance. That's why he felt that focusing only on his singing -- divorced from all his other characteristics -- was not a good idea, and why he never made another record apart from the ones he made that one day in 1911.
Great and sad moments in American history. 👍🇺🇲
RIP George M. Cohan you will never be forgotten for most of your songs such as this song which we eventually will see you “Over There, and we won’t come back to till it’s over over there.”
1939 - 1945 actually
Those words sre true today. We won't come back till its over there. This message is for any country that want to mess with us
And America would be at war the next year...
Wish we going over there for democracy in Ukraine. Take that Mr. Putin!!!
Do you have a download link to a file of this?
Wow Cagney had him down
I’m sure Mr. Cohan must be turning in his grave knowing what Biden has turned this country to!
personally, i blame stewie griffin
I have goosebumps
This is not the only studio recording that Cohan made….there were several, one of which I own….it is called “Life’s a Very Funny Proposition After All”.
It's wonderful to hear George M! He kept his parents' Irish accent. On my father's side, there were Irish immigrants.
Thanks! Great rarity much appreciated!
Do please remember to playlist your vids. So much easier to watch more than one or two ~ ♡ ~
what ... nm
Hey... Thanks so much ! Love love love L O V E George M. Cohen ♥︎ just what I needed today ( ANY day ! ) James Cagney, too o goodness (didn't he do an AWESOME Cohen ! ! ! ? ! ) we Yankees have been so BLESSED over the years .
A great impression of James Cagney!
George M Cohan is indeed a NATIONAL TREASURE!!!!
Yes I agree Mr Cagney does a perfect imitation of George M Cohan. I love the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy a classic ❤️😊
Thank you SO much for posting this! COOL. Cagney has been my favorite actor since teenhood (ok: 46 yrs. ago, i was 16, so ... lol ... u can Do the Math) - this is a GEM! Thank you SO MUCH, again - George M. here is FANTASTIC, of course! What a TREAT! xo, VCH & Midlantic Theatre Co., Newark, NJ PS: I'm TRYing to find, here on RUclips, the supposed footage that still exists of George M. Cohan dancing -- Someone, at the bottom of the comments on Cagney's "Give My Regards to Broadway" number in 1942's Yankee Doodle Dandy, said there is footage here ? - If anyone here knows: I'd be much obliged! Thanks! - Anyway -- Stay safe and well, All, meanwhle -- VCH.
Love it. Wish someone had got more of him on film, singing, acting and dancing.
The essence of Broadway. Perfect styling.
Since I was a kid, and saw James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy, I’ve loved the music of George M. Cohan. He was a true Patriot. And Cagney did a truly wonderful performance in the movie. I was so happy to buy the DVD so I can watch it whenever the mood hits me.
We need the spirit this song fires up today in 2022. Amazing music. Too many flag haters in this country.
Pretty damn thrilling.
Why is there two versions of this video
This was probably a technical error when I uploaded the original. I believe it's the same material.
I just finished viewing James Cagney's version of the movie Yankee Doddle Dandy; Cagney's interpretation was spot on!! I loved the movie and songs even now in 2022! Thanks Mr. Cohan & Mr. Cagney!
Yes! I agree with you. We have to remember that Cohan's unique performance style was well-known to audiences of 1942; they'd be seeing Cohan live for almost 40 years at that point. He toured extensively, even if his recording career was almost non-existent (by his own choice). The country was half the size it is now (in terms of population), and there was no TV and no radio in Cohan's heyday (1900-1920), so it was easier to be known to the general public and most people saw live entertainment -- so Cohan was a celebrity even in the regions. Cagney himself was aware of Cohan's style and knew that he'd have to try to emulate it in his own way. The greatest tribute to his success are the many reviews from the movie critics in '42 who agreed that Cagney's "on stage" performances captured the Cohan style. They'd have known "the genuine article" first-hand!
I like how you can hear the old fashionedness in he's voice
2:00 if you want to get to the point
WOW! Thank you for the research. As a teen, I was in a couple of community theatre productions of "George M", and fell in love with his music.
Tracy -- that's almost my story, as well. When I was 13, my mother took me to see my sister in the high school musical -- which turned out to be GEORGE M! That was my first introduction to Cohan's music. I fell in love with it. GEORGE M! was the first cast album I bought; I was surprised that the tempos were so bright. I don't know how anyone with a soul can resist Cohan's infectious, innocent, and inevitable melodies. Nice to meet a kindred spirit.
Thank you for posting this great piece of history. His voice here was pretty good: it must have carried quite a punch in his prime. Mr. Cohan mentioned the American Legion in his remarks. Perhaps this was a program they sponsored for a patriotic day?
Listing to this im ready to go over There!!!!!
WHEN HE SING'S HE SOUND'S LIKE JIMMY CAGNEY IN A SENSE
Yes -- good observation -- although that's really a compliment for Cagney since he was trying his best to give a sense of how Cohan sang. Audiences at the time were quite familiar with Cohan's singing style -- not through radio or recordings, mostly, but through his live performances in New York and on tour. He toured a great deal, bringing his shows all over the country for nearly 40 years. And don't forget -- the country's population at the time was only about 40% of what it is now. So... far fewer people needed to be reached in order to have virtually everyone know a particular performer's unique style. So when the reviews of YANKEE DOODLE DANDY praised the accuracy of Cagney's impersonation of Cohan's on-stage performances, the critics knew what they were talking about. The real Cohan was alive and still very fresh in their minds.
I grew up as a child listening to the music of George M. Cohen my family was very military. And later he was portrayed by the great James Cagney.
I applaud you George M Cohan he received a gold medal from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940 for entertaining our troops.
Fantastic! He mostly talks on his early acoustic recordings. He's wonderful on this.
You're so right, Alan! The answer for this may lie partly in the change in technology between Cohan's first (and only) recording session in 1911 and this recording, made in 1936. In 1911, vocalists had to sing quite loudly into a big horn to have their voices recorded properly (this is one of the reasons Billy Murray, an early interpreter of Cohan's songs from this period, was so successful; he was a master of the "hammering style," as he called it). In 1928, the electronic microphone was introduced, which significantly improved recording quality and allowed the singer to be more natural and nuanced. Radio followed suit, and it allowed us to capture the sort of performance we get here from Mr. Cohan.
@@btmouse1 It's a shame he didn't do more electric recordings all through the 30's. The same with Blossom Seeley, Blanche Ring, Irene Franklin, and other great vaudeville stars. Nora Bayes and Jane Green died shortly after the microphone, but still could have managed one or two sessions. England was great at recording its Music Hall stars.
@@aeichler I agree; a real shame. However, I turned up this one -- another live radio performance, this one from 1934. Give this one a chance, if you can. The melody is actually quite catchy if you can tease it out.
It's wonderful to hear the real voice of George M. Cohan. My first introduction to him was through Yankee Doodle Dandy, and James Cagney's wonderful portrayal! I loved the film, loved James Cagney's portrayal, and learned about a famously talented man called George M! Thanks for posting this!
I've had my grandfather's record collection for some time, and am after years finally pulling them out, cleaning them carefully, and organizing them. I'm looking them all up to see the dates they were recorded or released. This one is a gem, and I'm delighted to have it. Wonderful American patriotism oozes from this song that inspired so many. Happy Fourth of July everybody!
I have noticed that there has not been a comment made, for four years, now. Well, that's far too long, so I must say something, although, I'm not sure what it should be. I'll speak freely and from the heart ... America, is a very special place, not perfect, but great never the less. George M. Cohan, was a warrior, in his own right, serving as an inspiration to millions of others. May God Bless, all those who oppose tyranny, past & present ..................
As a Persian Gulf Veteran, I would like to Thank Mr. Cohan and all the WW I heroes for their sacrifice for all of our Freedom!! Happy 4th of July!! I know we ain't perfect, but we are the United States of America!
So great to hear the master himself!
Just watched “Yankee Doodle Dandy” as I do every Fourth. Leave it to a great showman to pick a great showman to play him! This song always gives me goosebumps. 🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸❤️
Sir P make me listen this song.
The title is not true. He recorded two songs on cylinder or vinyl.
Well, yes, of course, he recorded other songs. Many of them are here on RUclips. However, if you know of a recording of Cohan singing OVER THERE on a cylinder or vinyl... or in another in-studio performance... I hope you'll share it. I've never known of one. As far as I know, this is the only in-studio recording of Cohan singing this particular song. Happy to be wrong.
I'm happy to know this exists, as a fan of Cohan's songs and Cagney's...Cagney.
I agree and it was excellently performed by James Cagney in the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy, when Mr Cagney portrayed George M. Cohan. God rest them both.
It's a shame that he disliked his own voice. I think he had a excellent singing voice.