THE SINGING BRAKEMAN [1929 Version] - Jimmie Rodgers

[@Charles-zl8bz]

The Jimmy Roger's train will never end. My mother played his 78 when I was young. I play guitar because of Jimmy Roger's I play one song of his just about every day. No one else can play or yodel like him Jimmy Roger's is number one. The train is pulling out I got to move on down the rails.

[@jamescheeks9735]

❤ I love Jimmie Rodgers music

[@davidmccaffery7977]

#1❤

[@beautifuldreamer3991]

Roy Rogers is a very good yodeler and sounds much more authentic to alpine yodelers in Europe.

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Charles old boy: where do you live?

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Charles , where are you located?

[@leanajo754]

The First Superstar of Country Music.

[@frankscarborough1428]

Love Jimmie Rodgers my grandma sang some of his songs.

[@deepblueseeds5563]

8:57 “well Jimmie howbout my song?” Jimmie - “well howbout my coffee?” Hahahahahha

[@RockinEd]

I've heard that this title is the only one of the Columbia-Victor Gems that still exists

[@carlosfroggymay7279]

Great, the other versions of the '29 film on KZbin were removed, so good to see it again - and not in as bad condition as other prints, and to compare the two back to back! Perhaps someone else has already written about this, but I'll put forth my hypothesis: The 1930 is not a remake. Both were filmed at the same time, perhaps on the same day, and were "alternative takes". Note that early soundies, the whole reel would be a single take, as there were so many things that could go wrong with both the awkward technology and the performance, multiple takes were common. All the props, chalk sign, plants etc are in the same position. If the film was redone months later, no point in striving for so perfect a match back in those days. Even the creases in Jimmie's hat match so much it looks to me that he may not have taken it off and put it back on between the two. Assuming both takes were available to the studio in 1929, I see reasons why the "1929" copyright date version was chosen for release - Jimmie's "How about my coffee?" line is delivered with more conviction and better comic timing, and in the other (now more familiar) take he bumps his guitar against the chair at one point. So I speculate that the "1930" copyright date version was filmed at the same time as the 1929, but not released until the next year, possibly due to some problem with the producing more prints from the first release version like the master negative wearing out.

[@BlueGrassPeteF]

Back in the early 1970s, I'd heard a rumor that there were two Jimmie Rodgers shorts, but that one was very rare and never released! Perhaps this clears that up! My friend, record collector Gene Earle of Culver City, owned a 16 mm print, which he loaned to me for a showing up at my Bluebird Cafe in Santa Barbara., bringing up the print personally. In those days, we were nervous that someone would show up and seize the print for legal purposes. Another friend, an old JR fan, burst into tears upon seeing it for the first time. It was a very moving moment for us all. Thanks, Ralph Celentano! 🙂

[@garystepp1054]

Man, how solid and OG is that performance? That Blue Yodel#9 is so good. When you need to reset your music perspective, start right there

[@mavjimbo]

His music is timeless

[@kevink973]

Well, at least the Sooy Brothers got to work on both versions. This is really fascinating stuff, I had no idea there were two versions shot a year apart. Thanks for your work!

[@jamesewanchook2276]

I love Jimmie R. He's and influence!

[@thelastjohnwayne]

NOTE When Jimmy Rodgers or Boxcar Willie made a Train Whistle sound It sounded so real that you started to look around to make sure you would not get run over by the Train

[@billrossi3756]

They were both recorded on the same day. The reason for two takes was Victor wanted two takes for the soundtrack discs. The Jasper Ewing Brady one was released in 1929 and when they came to rerelease in 1930 they used the Basil Smith one either intentionally or otherwise. Smith and Brady directed more of the Columbia musical shorts than anyone else.

[@GenosHouseofRareFilms]

According to my source, film historian and collector Ralph Celentano, they were filmed months apart.

[@carlosfroggymay7279]

@@GenosHouseofRareFilms Seeing them back to back, I'm skeptical. The set isn't just the same, it's identical - I doubt it would have been left undisturbed for months. I doubt '29/'30 set dressers would have taken pains to get every small detail like angle of flowers and cans to precisely match, especially if it was to make a new version that didn't need to match the old one since they wouldn't be intercut.

[@billrossi3756]

@@GenosHouseofRareFilms Columbia was often referred to as a poverty row studio so continuity would not have been their strong point yet both takes look the same. Carrie Rodgers said in her book My Husband Jimmie Rodgers Quote And on the callboard he'd had them Chalk up the actual names of some of his railroad buddies Unquote.The Names written in chalk on the blackboard look identical. If they had to rewrite them months apart there would be some difference no matter how small, and I don't see any. Also Barry Mazor who wrote the most recent book on Rodgers called Meeting Jimmie Rodgers said when discussing both takes of the film Quote These are alternate performances, if almost surely from the same day Unquote.If you were going to shoot two takes why not on the same day, why months apart. Thanks for putting the film on youtube. I had the Brady one on video for many years, a few years ago it broke from constant rewinding and playing so good to have it again.

[@TheWesty615]

@@GenosHouseofRareFilms Fuck your source. Common sense says otherwise. ""Video"--what a trash term for something from 1929.

[@derrickmurphy9859]

Bless him

[@comedyshorts2]

Great comparison demonstration Geno

[@GenosHouseofRareFilms]

Thank you Ralph, I am elated to do the material justice.

[@kenlieck7756]

@@GenosHouseofRareFilms The world owes much applause to you both! Let’s say that Ralph gets the 1929 applause and Geno the 1930!

[@BradOlsonBemidji]

@@kenlieck7756 The 1930 version is on the Times Ain't Like They Used To Be DVD

[@kenlieck7756]

@@BradOlsonBemidji Yeah, I have the VHS…

[@gunnarthefeisty]

@@BradOlsonBemidji Is it there without the odd audio distortion?

[@davidmccaffery7977]

historic geniousgreat production

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

So sad ; if he was able to make it until the era of antibiotics (1940s) when penicillin was first used, he’d have given us so many more gems. A tremendous loss.

[@AntniTrudi]

Wonder if any big bands of the time covered his western swing

[@tutorsurrey]

Genius!

[@jayarbetman1873]

sensational

[@Scott-uj2bi]

Jimmie Rogers a true Merican.

[@HoorayTV21]

Do we know that this exists anywhere else? This is the first I've heard of another version myself.

[@comedyshorts2]

I bought the print many years ago. It is a reduction from a 1929 Nitrate 35mm. To my knowledge, another print has not been found.

[@edpauli2076]

I posted a version of the 1929 version on KZbin many many years ago I had it on the end of a VHS tape of a Durango kid Western that I purchased from a guy way back in the late 1980s who owned a copy of the 1929 vision on something called U-matic

[@edpauli2076]

I've heard that this is the only Columbia Victor Gem that is still in existence

[@kenlieck7756]

@@edpauli2076 U-Matic is simply the professional quality 1” VTR tape used by TV stations from I would guess the early ‘70s into the ‘80s. (The 1979 Mel Blanc interview that you can view on my old 1nceBitten2wiceShy YT channel is from a U-Matic tape that I saved from being “wiped”, for example). Unfortunately, that information really wouldn’t be of any help in determining the origin of that particular copy of a 1929 film.

[@comedyshorts2]

@@edpauli2076 The late Ron Hutchinson acquired several Victor Gems soundtrack discs from Australia. I believe the Library of Congress has them restored in their collection.

[@danielruta8769]

It's Jimmie Rodgers

[@gunnarthefeisty]

Was the audio recorded seperate?

[@carlosfroggymay7279]

No, early soundies technology, whole reel, sight and sound, recorded at once in single take.

[@jamesewanchook2276]

no way... these guys weren't slaves of technology. Pure talent!!

[@gunnarthefeisty]

@@jamesewanchook2276 Well, the audio is A. really clear for no visible mics and B. a little oddly synced

[@robinleebraun7739]

Film had a “soundtrack”. An interesting bit of technology kind of like an analog version of a CD. Long before magnetic tape existed.