"Cuk-Cuk Walzer" (The Cuckoo Waltz) Joe Rinaudo at the American Fotoplayer

Joe Rinaudo performing at the American Fotoplayer. "Cuk-Cuk Walzer" (The Cuckoo Waltz). Composer Marvin Hatley drew inspiration from The Cuckoo Waltz when he wrote his famous "Dance of the Cuckoos" or "Cuckoo Song" which became the theme music for Laurel and Hardy.

[@runningwater5936]

That's quite a musical insrument!

[@sheilaalexander7324]

A precious moment

[@johnnyjames7139]

I am a theatre organ guy. Theatre organs were a outgrowth of the photo player. Joe is every bit as passionate about his photo player as I am about my little 5 ranks. Thanks Joe for saving this piece of Americana.

[@bcpatterson012]

Only one word for it: "Brilliant"..

[@thesingingpumpkin7906]

Thanks for posting this song. I had no idea this was a REAL song. And there's a story about that..... Back in the '80s, my mom had a little green digital alarm clock. It looked like a green ball, and was battery powered. She gave it to me when I went on a summer camp to Virginia on year (I live in Utah). Each crisp morning, I would wake up to this melody, but played only the way a small digital alarm clock could. It wasn't terribly annoying, but the song stuck with me, and I've found myself humming it from time to time over the years. NOW, I know where that song comes from! THANKS A BUNCH!

[@watchmakerful]

I first heard this melody in Montana watches...

[@dustymiller8284]

I've been a musician all my life and never even HEARD of this thing! Fabulous, just fabulous.

[@nomchowski8297]

Mind bogling... Most unique American cultural heritage. Please please preserve this for future generations.

[@flyingtigerline]

In an age where I'm not impressed with anything. I'm bowled over - THANK YOU !!!

[@Boemel]

Never knew that an instrument like this exists, im completely baffled

[@richardclay]

Check out the Mortier Brabancon.

[@latinoheat619916]

3:10 "Welcome WELCOME... Come right this way... We have wonderful presentations of our acrobats, the Slobovsky brothers; the clowns Foofoo and DumDum and, you all will witness, George the Barbarian, a man who can lift from 100 lbs to 1 ton!!!"

[@markrobinson2493]

After seeing a few of your videos, I am now completely in love with the American fotoplayer.

[@lesgibson9366]

If I had this incredible machine in my living room l would never go out again,fabulous.

[@thomascatford2627]

Wow what a machine

[@jvblhc]

Thanks for the Cuckoo Waltz. I remember that one from some of the silent Laurel and Hardy videos I have. I would just like to point out that the large percentage of the music you hear in the L&H shorts (as Our Gang, etc.) was actually composed by LeRoy Shield. Hatley did write music for Roach, and was especially busy when it came to Laurel and Hardy's late features with Roach (a couple of Oscar nominations!) but Shield write most of the happy little ditties we love from those 1931-35 shorts.

[@HarryFlashmanVC]

Thanks for this Jim Findlayson, Stan and Ollie's co star was my father's cousin its fascinating to hear how the music was made. I dont know how many photoplayers made it over the pond to Europe. My granny was a photoplayer in the 1920s but only played on the piano. Jim returned to Scotland to vacation with my dad's family in the highlands up until his death

[@bruceweaver1518]

Joe, this is wonderful.

[@kakapoesje]

Leuk om te horen en te zien. Fijn dat er mensen zijn die dit bewaren en bespelen. Zo kunnen latere generatie's er ook nog van genieten.

[@NorthernChev]

I sure hope Joe has made it a purpose in his life to find a protege. I imagine there are only a few people in the world that can play a Fotoplayer proficiently.

[@bobbymancini9069]

I would love to learn how to play this wonderful instrument. Too bad there are not that many left in the world and fewer people that can operate them. So sad. ...

[@PirateAdmiral-bx6sx]

My Favorite song to listen to

[@ottarvendel]

This tune was composed in 1918 by the a Swedish musician Jonasson (1886-1956). It is together with "How great thou art" probably the most spread Swedish melody,

[@jasonjonesproperty]

Lovely video, love the story and the fotoplayer. There used to be a romantic comedy tv show in the UK during the mid 1970s called 'the cuckoo waltz' starring Lewis Collins. The writer must have been inspired by the music, wherever it originated from.

[@CrampedGrampy]

Such a beautiful instrument, loving it so much as you performed. Thankee.

[@zerorobinho]

haha TRUE DJ! this is amazing!

[@StressLessCamping]

What a beautiful story...so glad I found your channel here.

[@JellicleCatz]

Oh wow I really was suprised, in the Netherlands there is this theme park that has this old steam carousel and it plays this song Lovely

[@Josh-it6uy]

My wife's boyfriend's favorite song.

[@cathyjohanavargasrivera4289]

Josh my wife’s boyfriend???? Is she cheating on you ????

@@cathyjohanavargasrivera4289 its a meme bro

[@loopholesloopy]

Hey it's me the legos that this dudes girlfriends husband plays with while his wifes boyfriend visits.

[@tommeng6522]

@@cathyjohanavargasrivera4289 yep that's the joke the name of the song sounds similar to a slang word for cheating...

[@sonofillahee]

Is he the cuck?

[@lilianaruthabinal4627]

GREAT FANTASTIC

[@charlierivera9910]

Our car had a backup horn that played this. I didn't know the title at the time, but the box said Polish Folk Song . . .

[@LastTree]

Thanks, amazing. Amazing that you keep this musical history alive, and all the intricate bits moving and rolling................WOW!

[@blackfaceplant4004]

Man the roller coaster tycoon soundtracks sound fantastic

[@ThePolka]

Bravo! Joe. That's was superb. Enjoyed it immensely.

[@jodiemartine]

Wow...that was truly amazing, THANK YOU

[@dancingcuckoos6666]

Thank you so much for sharing! :)

[@alanroche6559]

AMAZING I LOVE IT, I COULD LISTEN ALL DAY TO THIS .THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@globetravelchannel6214]

its a classic DJ machine

[@jrzzrj]

wow.....what an amazing gadget/instrument......never seen/heard anything like it.....thanks for sharing.....woo hoo !!

[@quickplaya]

Very cool! I appreciate that this instrument means a lot to so many people. Keep the spirit alive!

[@Billy_Dino]

Hit it Joe!

[@ronniemillsap]

Nice man, with a nice story!

[@globetravelchannel6214]

we need this guy in a club one day

[@unclelouie3828]

GREAT. You certainly know what you're doing. You seem to have a "perfect ear".

[@Moon-kr1pw]

Great!

[@josephaquilina9803]

I love this one too. Good stuf

[@danielmkubacki]

Love it!

[@unclelouie3828]

LOVE IT. LOVE IT. LOVE IT.

[@mervynevans5176]

MARAVILLOSO!!

[@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH]

This was really the precursor of the cinema organ which of course came much later which effectively put the photoplayer out of business. The rest is history! There is no doubt Hope Jones was inspired by this among other things.

[@Grinnautomat]

what a bloke!

[@richardt8604]

Beautifully engineered !

[@Ramzmetro]

I was recommended by a dictator mechanic, that if I would like to brush up my music, I should watch these. Thanks EEDDY1

[@collinpribula3270]

Awesome!

[@princessmarlena1359]

My grandma has an old Glockenspiel music box type of clock that plays this.

[@megelizabeth9492]

I wonder if Joe ever considered teaching someone else. These type of instruments are on the verge of disappearing, and it would be cool to try to bring it back in a small way. Also, is it possible to make something like this? A modern day photo player in the the vain of this one, so maybe others could learn to play it.

[@megelizabeth9492]

It's basically a manual Orchestrion, so it probably wouldn't be impossible to have one made.

[@awesomeeliam7882]

meg elizabeth Do you know Wintergatan? He's made a clockwork version of this, but it's small.

[@zermanman9891]

Yes he should pass down the tradition

[@spanishmasterpieces5203]

The composer of the cuckoo waltz is Jonason from Sweden.

[@johneverling5766]

Very nice!

[@jcuskixyz]

sounds wonderful! Screw sound movies, bring this stuff BACK!!!!

[@dennisjeffs4239]

Well Joe you are pretty much an expert when playing the American Fotoplayer and I hope you get the chance to travel to The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to hear the many Draaiorgels still plying the streets with their wonderful music, many of which are still hand cranked.

[@wangyangw]

I love Old timer ...

[@sondrayork6317]

I wonder now, if the fotoplayer is where casino got the idea for the demo feature on some synthesizer keyboards of the early nineties where you just press a button and it runs through several different songs like a player piano did. I really do wonder now.

[@anthonymcdonnell6615]

Empire Cinema, which was in widnes, when my mother was young the cinema allawys played this before a film, she hated it and still does

[@footlightnotes]

Well, it just proves that you can't please everyone!

[@konic-T.H]

3:05 the thing u wait for

[@nathanparker1879]

I’m sure he would be so happy

[@allanegleston4931]

this was 10 years ago. i wonder if joe is with us or has he crossed over the rainbow bridge . if so, i am looking at a lovely ghost.

[@peterpiets3631]

Superbe!

[@WildBillCox13]

They're called "Player Pianos" generically. There are several systems for encoding the music to be played; including the paper scroll (Scroll Piano) and metal Disk (Pianola, I think) formats. These instruments were quite popular, if a bit pricey, until the late 1940s in many places across the world.

[@BadWebDiver]

This machine is an expansion on it. It has an built-in organ and sound effect devices for accompanying silent movies.

[@megelizabeth9492]

I would say it's most similar to a manually operated orchestrion.

[@scififan90]

Mr. Joe thanks so much for sharing your beautiful instrument with us - do you know how many are left?

[@LDTV22OfficialChannel]

Epic

[@yellowplate4539]

Music Happens At 3:04

[@lilianaruthabinal4627]

WAW GENIAL

[@howardadams4266]

Could you please make a video about what all the cords do and all the other buttons.

[@sillyfunforeveryone7605]

The e sharp roll

[@tonyferreira6679]

Valsa do Cuco,cool!

[@Napoleonlova]

This looks like an instrument dr suess would make

[@paullindsay1622]

You couldn't hear me but I was applauding. Watching these videos is the next best thing to having one of my very own. Is it possible to play this with all the bells and whistles manually (without a roll?)

[@Maschinen-Aktivistin]

Krasser Scheiß! Und geiles Lied! 😍

[@NonTwinBrothers]

Damn

[@tussetuss]

Music begins at 3:00.

[@mastered38]

Swedish Woodcraft Music 3:04

[@truetalk5023]

C,U👀K. Shalom. 🎵Cuk🙃Cuk 3:04

[@mastered38]

Begin at 3:04

[@PiotrBarcz]

Looks like two standard player actions stacked with a few linkages and tubing to the other parts of the instrument

[@MatjanTutul]

Who is Marvin Hatley? I've never even heard of him. Anyway he's definitely not the composer of this song. That was Johan Emanuel Jonasson, born 23 February 1886 in Stockholm and died 19 October 1956 ibidem. The original title is Gökvalsen. It became immensely popular in Holland and Belgium (as De Koekoekswals) and in the German speaking countries (as Der Kuckuckswalzer). Cuk-Cuk is neither Swedish nor Dutch nor German. The German word Kuckuck is pronounced 'kʊkʊk, not ‘kʌkʌk as Cuk-Cuk is in this video. I've seen any number of mechanical music players, but never this one, an evenly distributed mix of a mechanically and a manually operated instrument. It is, in this sense, a precursor of the keyboard. Fascinating! Thank you for sharing.

[@DarrenMc]

MatjanTutul He never said he composed it. From description: Composer Marvin Hatley drew inspiration from The Cuckoo Waltz when he wrote his famous "Dance of the Cuckoos" or "Cuckoo Song" which became the theme music for Laurel and Hardy.

[@MatjanTutul]

Darren You are right.

[@alphanum001]

I realize that it's been a year since you commented on the Cuckoo Waltz, but I really can't find any information on Johan Emanuel Jonasson anywhere except from your comment on this vid. Can you give us some references so we can tput this up on Wikipedia? Thanks.

[@MatjanTutul]

There are small items on Jonasson in the Swedish, German, French and Japanese Wikipedia. For more information, please see Lars C Stolt, Svenske Skarpskytten, Emanuel Jonasson on www.militarmusiksamfundet.com There is also ttp://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_763789530102xgxc.html, but is not very accurate. Hope this helps.

[@serg-korshun6fly7th8.]

Мне нужен этот инструмент ! 😻

[@Greenman422]

is this guy the OG disc jockey?

[@fmaudiostudio]

First DJ in History?

[@MsRuthLittle]

The 'W' in Walzer is pronounced as a 'V' in German (valzer) that's weird right ? I had a neighbor that came from Germany she always pronounced Vokswagon , Woksvogan.

[@MaxxMcGeePrivate]

As a German it is still confusing for me and I mispronounce english V like a W. So hard to get used to it when speaking. It's more like Folksvagen, the V usually sounds like F.

[@MsRuthLittle]

@@MaxxMcGeePrivate Dear Maxx I like your name thanks for correcting my bad German now I know a v sounds like an f thanks Maxx.

[@madogblue]

I wonder if you are able to get new paper reels for the machines?

[@ginnywiskowski1617]

Joe - you are nuts! Intended in the best of ways. How the Efff did you come upon this machine? How much would you sell it for?

[@megelizabeth9492]

Since there are only about 52 in the world, and only about 12 in playable condition, it's probably priceless.

[@zaprdek1]

super!!!!! DÍKY*

[@Video-tipsTv]

AWESOME!! LOVE IT!! and No Electronic... :)

[@igoreveozkarski719]

Thanks that was fantastic, brilliant. I have a youtube channel where I put only waltzes on under the name IGOREVE OZKARSKI. This one is going straight there. Any chance of you doing "OVER THE WAVES" on that thing for me ?

[@truetalk5023]

Shalom 🎵 cuk🙃cuk

[@shawnaking8975]

3:03 START

[@patrickvaningen5064]

Ferry Nice

[@PalepusMunicipality]

Very*

[@erikmeidoorn1745]

From Finland Kaki Valsi

[@MikeyManchester]

What a din!

[@Thereis1]

POV: you walk into a shop in a zelda game

[@sondrayork6317]

Leave it to beaver! I thought it was familiar lol.

[@zdproductions3903]

Isnt this Screwy squirles theme or another song similar

[@ProLansPl]

When they say America has no culture...

[@Thecoolestboy_101]

Santa Claus might be more real than that person who said "America has no culture"

[@ProLansPl]

@@Thecoolestboy_101 which has its Dutch origin (does Santa Claus sound any english to you?)

[@Thecoolestboy_101]

​@@ProLansPl Buddy am saying that nobody except racists say america has no culture

[@xcar0982]

I wonder if someone has tried to write lyrics for this music.

[@MaartenPieterBakker]

+The Game Master The waltz was composed by the Swedish composer J.E. Johansson. There must be lyrics to the song because there is a Dutch translation of them...

[@xcar0982]

Maarten Pieter Bakker Good, because I want to make an Spanish translation.

[@BadWebDiver]

I remember learning lyrics to this at grade school.

[@Icetrucker1956]

Was the mispronunciation of cuk-cuk intentional? The correct pronunciation would sound much like we say Cuckoo.