The Encyclopedic Guide To 78RPM Party Records

© David Diehl 1996, 2010 ( www.hensteeth.com )

Welcome to the obscure world of the under-the-counter party record. This enterprise was an open secret from the 1930's until the final decline of the 78RPM format. Several titles sold in the hundreds of thousands and are still relatively common at flea markets and record sales. Others were pressed in lots of as little as 25 copies for sale at personal appearances and remain elusive. Details of recording sessions remain elusive due to the sub rosa nature of these operations. Despite obstacles, careful research and extensive listening have yielded valuable clues regarding the age and circumstances of many of these recordings. This is no mere collection of urban legends and rumors.

Since most users will come to this site in search of information on particular discs in their possession this site is being re-configured for easier access by label names. Unfortunately, many party records offer no label name by which to organize them. Some only provide titles (which are often garbled beyond all reason) others are completely blank. Lastly the performer listing ties all known discs by a particular artist together in a single location. 

For further information contact davdieh@aol.com
 

Index of Labels

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Z

A-MUS-ING RECORDS

Late 1940's blue label with silver print. In the 1950's the address was 1674 Broadway, New York, NY. This is the same address as Carnival. 308B may be the same performance as Carper's early 1940's Honky Tonk release. Discs are unnumbered with control numbers displayed for each side.
 

306 B   Stuffy Williams  -  "Oh George"    /  307 B  The Singing Jolly Aires  -  They Tried To Take It
♫  308 A   The Don Carper Quintette  -  What Color Are Pansies   /  308 B  The Don Carper Quintette  -  Lei From Hawaii
♫  309 A   Naomi Brown -  "Oh Doctor"   /  309 B  The Don Carper Quintette  -  I'm Saving It For You



TO LABEL INDEX

ALL-SPICE RECORDS

Produced by Swing Records Manufacturing Co. 513 13 N.E., Paris, Texas from 1947 to 1950, owned by Jimmy Mercer and his wife Dorothy. Red label with silver print usually shows master numbers but no catalog numbers except for a (lucky?) number 700 reported. Swing produced a number of other labels not exclusively devoted to the party genre, including Royalty. Operations ceased suddenly in 1950 and it is rumored that the manufacture of risqué discs was the cause. Swing products use an archaic newspaper-style typeface which can also be seen on some unacknowledged labels like Zest and early Town Lounge Club pressings. It is no coincidence that there is a considerable body of unlabeled, anonymous party records displaying the same typeface and the crude pressing characteristic of this outfit.

Dale Belmont:
DB-1/? Row Row Row
DB-2DB/DB5 Down Argentene Way/Mrs. Rip Van Winkle
DB-4DB/8DB Red Ridding Hood/He Don't Wanna

 

 

According to Bill McClung, this label was done by the Swing Record Manufacturing Company of Paris, Texas by James Mercer.

Dale Belmont  -  A Good Man is Hard to Find   /  Dale Belmont  - He Don't Wanna

Variant labels: with and without control numbers.

 

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AMBER

White label with maroon print related to the Canadian Monogram Co., 508 Cherrier St. Montréal, Quebec.

9003 Freckle Song/You Can't Fool the Boys Behind the Desk

 


♫  90003 (MRC-742)  Jack Raynor - Freckle Song  /  90003 (MRC-743)  Jack Raynor - You Can't Fool the Boys Behind the Desk

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ARROW

Only reported number is 311, a late 1940's or 1950's label dubbing earlier material.

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AUTHENTIC RECORDS

A Dootsie Williams label from the 1950's which released Redd Foxx material. 9512 So. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA. It was eventually replaced by Dooto and later the Dootone label using the same release numbers. Dooto's LP's claimed to be “authentic High fidelity records” and Authentic was the name of Williams's publishing company.  Yellow label with black print, numbers 385 through 411 reported. See also Fox Records and Blue Records. 

 

♫  385-A  Redd Foxx  -  Song Plugging  /  385-B  Redd Foxx  -  The New Soap
♫  390-A  Redd Foxx  -  The Jackasses   /   390-B  Redd Foxx  -  The Race Track
AU 402-A--45  Redd Foxx  -  Beans And Pineapple Juice   /   ????
♫  AU 408-A   Redd Foxx  -  The Two Oars   /   AU 408-B  Redd Foxx  -  The Preachers Bicycle
????    /   AU 411-B   Redd Foxx  -  Women Over Forty

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BALLYHOO RECORDS

Green label with silver print from the late 1940's. 1002 is an anonymous yiddish comic and the only number reported. 

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BANG

1650 Broadway, New York City. Trademark registered in 1949 by Mayfair Records claiming use since Nov. 25, 1947. Catalog numbers 500-502 reported, yellow label with red print. Recordings are all Bruce Raeburn material, two sides also appeared on Whiz. Nu-Way Enterprises. Took over by October of 1954. Songcraft, Inc. was also located at 1650 Broadway. 
  

 

 

♫  P500 A   Bruce Raeburn  - The Man With the Longest Route in Town    /   P500 B   Bruce Raeburn   -  The Mating Call 
♫  P501 A   Bruce Raeburn  -  Little Hotel (For Screwy People)      /   P501 B    Bruce Raeburn  -  Cowboy Song (Snake in the Grass)
P502 A   Bruce Raeburn  -  Hilda Was A Damm'd Good Cook    /   P502 B  Bruce Raeburn  -  She Was Shot In Her Box (At The Opera) 

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BELL RECORDS / BELL NOVELTY RECORDS / BELL BLUE RIBBON SERIES

A personal label of Benny Bell. Copyright dates refer to the written material not the discs themselves. The earliest advertising for the label appeared in May of 1943. Produced by Specialty Sales of New York, NY., it was more of a do-it-yourself label since the recordings were made in Bell's basement. Apparently Benny felt like a winner after VE Day as at least one of his 1945 releases appeared with the imprint Bell Blue Ribbon series. In 1946 Bell Records relocated to 1658 Broadway, NY. (Same address as Radio Novelty), in 1947 credited to Empire Coin Machine Sales, 799 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn, NY. Later that year at 2382 Pitkin Ave., Brooklyn. In the 1950's the address was P.O. Box 55, Brooklyn. Known range 120-963. Powder blue label with dark blue or black print. Probably responsible for Zion as well  

 

Variant black label with silver.  Specialty Sales is listed at the bottom and "Trade Mark" at the top logo.  The second black label has (C) 1944 by Bell Records.  Blue Label with dark blue ink is the most common seen label.  Same with black ink. Variant label on the Bell Novelty Records is a re-did bell image and a less slanted italics also with black in.  Additional labels credited to Bell Records include  Bell Blue Ribbon Series, Comical Kiddie Songs, and Zion.  The Zion label has variant labels with the artist credited as Sam Berg or as Benny Bell.

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BILTMOR

Late 1940's orange label with black print “Novelty Vocal for Parties.” 2302 is the only number uncovered to date.  

 

 

2302A  Johnny Allen  The Johnny Allen Quintette with novelty vocal -  Keep Looking Down  /  2302B  Johnny Allen  The Johnny Allen Quintette with novelty vocal  -  She's Just a Girl Who Can't Say "No"!
2303A  The Hillbilly Jewels featuring Randy and Brownie - I Love My Rooster  /  2303B  The Hillbilly Jewels featuring Randy and Brownie - I Told My Pillow
♫  2304A  The Hillbilly Jewels vocal by Brownie  - Darling I Am A Cripple  /  2034B  The Hillbilly Jewels featuring Fred Lang - Rockin' the Moon
2307A  The Hillbilly Jewels featuring Fred Lang - Exhibition Special  /  2307B  The Hillbilly Jewels featuring Randy Stewart  -  Yodel Waltz
♫  2308A  The Hillbilly Jewels featuring Randy and Brownie - Just A Little Bit Longer  /   2308B  The Hillbilly Jewels Featuring Brownie - Dreams
2309A  Abbie Andrews and His Ranch Boys -  Redheads, Blondes & Brunettes  /  Abbie Andrews and His Ranch Boys - Orange Blossom Special
♫  2310A  Abbie Andrews and His Ranch Boys -  Lord Alexander's Reel  /  Abbie Andrews and His Ranch Boys  - Uncle Jim

  

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BIT o FUN

Number 2843 reported, series is unusual and may be related to Intimate Tales.  

 

Off white label with brown text.

2842A  I Came In My Best Sunday Suit   /  ???????
2843A  Shotgun Mama   /  ???????

 

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BLUE/BLU RECORDS

"Library of Negro Music". 9512 So. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA. the first of several labels started by Dootsie Williams. Later label has the address excised. Blue label with silver print may also be affiliated with Red. Numbers 101-136 documented. BLU 101 and 134 reported so it is possible that all numbers appeared on both stylings. 101 shows date of 1/3/49 in runout. Last address Dootsie Williams Publications, 121 S. Hope St. Suite 334 Los Angeles, CA 90012 

 

♫  101-A  Billy Mitchell  -  Song Of The Woodpecker    /  101-B  Billy Mitchell  -  Ice Man!
BLU 105-A  Bobby Nunn And His Hot Five  -  Bring Your Lovin' Back To Me    /   BLU 105-B  Bobby Nunn And His Hot Five  -  I Got A Country Gal
♫  108-A  Billy Mitchell  -  Rubbin' On the Darned Old Thing    /  108-B  Billy Mitchell  -  Johnny's Hot Rod
♫  110-A  Willie Sure Could Do It - Billy Mitchell   /  110-B - The Bumble Bee Invaded A Nudist Colony - Billy Mitchell
♫  111-A  Hattie Noel  -  If I Can't Sell It I'll Keep Sittin' On It  /  111-B  Hattie Noel  -  Find Out What They Like And Give It To 'Em
♫  114-A  Shopping Basket Mama - Billy Mitchell   /  114-B - Let Me Play With Your Yo Yo - Billy Mitchell
♫  116-A  Come Get Your Hot Dog - Billy Mitchell    /   116-B - Boys & Girls - Billy Mitchell
115-A  Bumps Myers and his Frantic Five  -  I'm Clappin' And Shoutin'   /   Bumps Myers and his Frantic Five  -  I'm Telling You Baby
♫  122-A  The New Woodpecker Song - Billy Mitchell   /  122-B - Adam Got His First Piece (Of Apple) - Billy Mitchell
♫  130-A  Dearie I Want A Cherry - Billy Mitchell   /   130-B - I Ain't Gonna Say It - Billy Mitchell
BLU 117-A  Billy Mitchell  - My Hard Hardware    /    BLU 117-B - Sweet Violets - Billy Mitchell

 

Variant labels.

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BOLO

No information available.

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BORDERLINE RECORDS

Late 1940's Harlem label, pink with black print.   

 

Seems to be the personal label of Nipsey Russell.

♫  B-103 (BL-5)  Nipsey Russell  -  School Days   /   B-103 (BL-6)  Nipsey Russell  -  My Friend Luigi

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BROADWAY NOVELTY SERIES

Manufactured by Broadway Record Distributors, New York City. Black label with silver print, numbers 101 and 102 reported. 

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BRUZ FLETCHER SINGS

A personal label of Bruz Fletcher. Issues HO 102/103 through HO 108/9. HO 106/107 dates from 1937 and was recorded at the Associated Cinema Studios in Hollywood. White label with red print, laminated Allied pressings. The portrait is by Casey Roberts and was used in Fletcher's first novel “Beginning with Laughter” (1932).  

 

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BURLESQUE

Late 1940's red label with black print. Numbers 11-18 reported. Burlesque shares some couplings and retitling with Party Time. Catalog includes several dubs of Hollywood Hot Shots material, at least one Eli Oberstein side and one coupling from Laff-Disc using original stampers.  

 

Alternate blue label with silver text subtitled "Party Records" with the Stag tagline "For Laughing Purposes Only" perhaps relating this to STAG.

BURLESQUE

5B  No Hands Touch It But Mine /   Who Rode My Sister
18A Secret of Sister Jones /  ????
22A Mustache Song   /   ????
23A  Peter  /  23B  Injections
 

BURLESQUE PARTY RECORDS - For Laughing Purposes Only

102-A  Love's Sweet Story   /   ????

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BURLY-Q

Known range 2-15, plus unnumbered issues on an orange label with black print with no matrix numbers on the label or in the runout. These anonymous late 1940's issues seem to parallel Fun, with one release actually displaying Fun's control numbers in the runout. Later pressings have no decorative border around the label and the side designations precede the release numbers. 

 

4-A The Strawberry Roan  /  ????
6-B  I'll Be Satisfied  /   ????
A 10 Signifying Money  Part 1  /  ????
  ????      /   11-B  Here's to Mahatma Ghandi
A-15  Santa Anita  Part 1  /   ????
"Uncle Tom's Cabin"  /  ????

 

 

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[[ Californian Custom Made Luster-flex Records ]]

 

 

In the Chicago Defender, April 1, 1939, p. 18 there is a short article that says Gladys Bently made a series of six recordings which were for personal use but were so good and commercially valuable that they have been put on sale in some the local stores.  Perhaps this is one of the "personal use" records.

303 (C-164-A) Glady Bently Quintette  -  I Wonder Who's Boogien My Woogie  /  303 (C-166-B)  Gladys Bently Quintette  -  Find Out What He Likes (And How He Likes It)

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CARNIVAL RECORDS

Post WWII yellow or white label with blue print or blue label with silver print. C-5000 & 1 documented. Distributed by Banner, which specialized in Yiddish material. 1674 Broadway, New York, NY., later at 33 Union Square New York, NY. 

 

Labels in yellow with blue text, blue with silver or maroon with silver.

♫  C-5000 A  Billy Hodes  -  "Essen"  Part 1    /   C-5000 B   Billy Hodes  -  "Essen" Part 2
♫  C-5001 A  Billy Hodes  -  The Ice Cream Song    /   C-5001 B   Billy Hodes  -  I Sit and I Knit
C-5002 A  Sid Wayne  -  The Horse with the Hansom Behind   /   C-5002 B  Sid Wayne  -  The Biggest Banana in Havana
C-5003 A  Sid Wayne  -  I'm Standing Here In Texas     /   C-5003 B   Sid Wayne  -  Mr. Wong Has The Biggest Tong In China
♫  C 5004 A Never Ask A Man If He's From Texas  /   C 5004 B  What A Brawl
5005   Bunkhouse Boys  -  Round and Round and Round      /    5005  Bunkhouse Boys -  I'm Not to Blame

 

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CHALLENGER RECORDS

No information available.

 

This is a non-bawdy party record that has several different Indianapolis 500 race endings ("Automobile Races") or World Series game endings ("Play Ball").  The way the records are grooved so that 5 or so short recordings are on the same record.  The editor only has two of the several possible recordings on each side.  All four recordings and the label images below were retrieved from www.archive.org.  

David Deihl writes in private correspondence:  "Records with interleaved tracks have been around since the end of the 1890's and were referred to as Puzzle Records. Victor put out a few with gambling themes in the 1930's but they really caught on during WWII. One of the Monty Python LP's was done like that, too.
 

♫  (BB6) Automobile Races  /  Play Ball

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COCKTAIL PARTY SONGS

Benny Bell asked his cohort Phil Winston to re-record some of his numbers in the 1940's for this black label with silver print. Winston had a somewhat trained voice and Benny was concerned about quality since these recordings were aimed at a more general audience than his usual output. Handwriting in runoff is identical to Bell Novelty Records. Numbers 101, 202, etc. through 606 known with numbering similar to Highball Party Records. See Phil Winston for minor label variant.  

 

♫  101-A   Paul Wynn - Take a Ship for Yourself    /   101-B  Paul Wynn -  Hinkey Dinkey Polly Voo
♫  202-A   Paul Wynn - Automobile Song   /  202-B  Paul Wynn  -   Shaving Cream
♫  303-A   Paul Wynn - Noses Run in My Family  /  303B   Paul Wynn  - Tattooed Lady
♫  606-A   Paul Wynn - Snow Balls  /  606-B  Paul Wynn  -  I'm the Guy

 

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[[ COCKTAIL RECORDS ]]

 

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.

????   /  100 B  The Masseur

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COLUMBIA SOUND ON DISC DIVISION

Depression-era non-commercial projects were contracted through this division of Columbia. Label is blue with gold lettering, laminated pressing is often a striking royal blue shellac. These are unnumbered, showing only matrix numbers.

 

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COMMODORE CELEBRITY SERIES

Best known for his independent jazz production, Milt Gabler's Commodore label purchased General's catalog from Hazard Reeves in 1946. General Tavern Tunes was revived and Gabler reissued an album Spivy's party records to sustain him during the 1949 AFM ban. Blue label with silver print. 144 E. 42nd St., New York, NY.

 

♫  51 A   Spivy  -   I Brought Culture to Buffalo in the '90s    /  51 B   Spivy  -  Alley Cat
♫  52 A   Spivy  -   Why Don't You   /  52 B   Spivy  -   The Last of the Fleur De Levy
♫  53 A   Spivy  -   I Love Town   /  53 B  Spivy  -  A Tropical Fish

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[[ THE CONTEST ]]

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website. 

An album titled The Contest.  Red label with white text.  Only titled "Part 1",  Part 2", etc with runoff on each being CREP-1, CREP-2, etc. respectively.  Probably related to the HUMOROUS RECORDS label that used the same CREP-# in the runoff.

♫  Part 1  [runoff CREP-1 ]   /   Part 2  [runoff CREP-2 ]
♫  Part 3  [runoff CREP-3 ]   /   Part 4  [runoff CREP-4 ]
♫  Part 5  [runoff CREP-5 ]   /   Part 6  [runoff CREP-6 ]

 

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CROSBY BLOWS HIS TOP

1950's label devoted to the blowups of Der Bingle. Yellow label with black print, number 14 reported. This label name derives from the title given to Crosby's blowup of Jingle Bells in 1940.     

 

14-A  Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams  /  ?????

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[[ DAVIS RECORDS ]]

 

Editor's note: This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We have included here because it shows up in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149. 

Joe Davis was in the music publishing business and issued a few booklets that had songs that were staple of party records.  See Davis discography here. The Davis Record label was formed in 1947 in New York City by Joe Davis. The label recorded pop, jazz, R&B, Latin and gospel. Subsidiary labels included Beacon, Celebrity, Jay-Dee and Joe Davis. The address of the company in 1955 was 441 West 49 Street, New York 19, N.Y.
 

Davis Records presents Nice Songs for Naughty People 78 album issued in 1946:

♫  DA-31-1 (DA-541) Betty Thornton - If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin' on It   / DA-31-2 (DA-542) Betty Thornton - Keep Your Nose out of Mamma's Business/
♫  DA-31-3 (DA-543) Find Out What They Like and How They Like It  /  DA-31-4 (DA-544) Naggin' Will Not Hold a Man
♫  DA-31-5 (DA-545) Shake Your Can   /  DA-31-6 (DA-546) Shake Your Can 
♫  DA-31-7 (DA-547) Handy Andy  /  DA-31-8 (DA-548) The Dentist Song

Davis Records presents Songs They Don't Sing in School:

♫  DA-35-1 (Da-574)  Betty Thornton - My Man O' War   /  DA-35-2 (Da-575)  Betty Thornton - Mama's Well Has Gone Dry
♫  DA-35-3 (Da-576)  Betty Thornton - Never Brag About Your Man  /  DA-35-4 (Da-577)  Betty Thornton - Vice Versa
♫  DA-35-5 (Da-586) Betty Thornton - If You Can't Control Your Man  /  DA-35-6 (Da-587) Betty Thornton - Meat Man Pete
♫  DA-35-7 (Da-588) Betty Thornton - You Can't Have It, Unless I Give It To You  /  DA-35-8 (Da-589) Betty Thornton - I'm A Stationary Woman, Lookin' For A Permanent Man

 

The party album along with Joe Davis earlier 1936 song collection Nice Songs for Naughty People:

 


Compare with Joe Davis's 1937 publication of the same name and also the earlier booklet Songs They Don't Sing in School.

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[[ DE-LUXE ]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We have included it because it shows up in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149.

1091-A  Ruth Wallis - An Oil Man from Texas  /  1091-B  Ruth Wallis - Too Many Men in My Life

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DEVIL RECORDS

 

Philadelphia label featuring Wes Cornell. Numbers 1 and 2 reported. The deal between Cornell and the producer fell through after the initial releases. 
I'm A Gentleman (Wes Cornell)               DEVIL 1
My Piano (Wes Cornell)                           DEVIL 1
The Captain of the Army (Wes Cornell)    DEVIL 2
The Three Convicts (Wes Cornell)            DEVIL 2

 

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[[ DOOTONE/DOOTO ]]

 

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We have included it because it shows up in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149.

 

TO LABEL INDEX

DOROTHY ROSS

Dorothy Ross apparently mass-produced a few titles on 12-inch lacquer discs. It is not known why this method was chosen over the more usual pressing. Produced by ARC Record Company, 165 W. 46th St., New York NY. Labels are blue with white and black printing. 

 

Dorothy Ross - "Willie" (Part 1)  /  Dorothy Ross - "Willie" (Part 2)
Down Near the Navy Yard DOROTHY ROSS unnumbered
Very Nice Girl/I'll Get Up DOROTHY ROSS unnumbered

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EXCLUSIVE RECORDINGS

1600 Broadway, New York, NY. Released by General. The catalog apparently consisted of one unnumbered Spivy album which was later reissued on Commodore Celebrity Series in 1946. In the early 1940's Madame Spivy operated the Exclusive Club in Manhattan. Blue label with silver print, 1939 slightly art deco style label printing pressed by Columbia. See Spivy for an illustration of later pressing with plainer label by Scranton Record Mfg. Co. 

 

♫  S-101-A     Spivy  -  I Brought Culture To Buffalo In The 90's   /   S-101-B    Spivey  -  Alley Cat  [with another song] Tarantella
♫  S-102-A     Spivy  - Why Don't You?     /   S-102-B    Spivey  -  The Last Of The Fleur De Levy
♫  S-103-A     Spivy  -  I Love Town     /   S-103-B    Spivey  -   A Tropical Fish

 

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FAVORITE

Number 1002 reported. 

 

 

♫  No. 1001-A   "Glamour Boys"  -   Everyone's Kissing Fanny   /  No. 1001-B   "Glamour Boys"  -  Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms
♫  No. 1002-B   "Glamour Boys"  -   She Wouldn't Let Them Take It     /     No. 1002-B   "Glamour Boys"  -  In The Gloaming

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FISKANA

Personal label of Dwight FISKE, on which he released two sides recorded at Byers Studio in 1933, the remainder at RCA in 1933-6 and HMV. Labels are green or black with gold print. Numbers are Victor 12-inch popular series catalog numbers but are not known to have been released on that label. Range is scattered between 36013 and 36187. Later pressings substitute a sickly green print and have Victor's "VE" burnished from the runouts. In 1943 RCA destroyed the original metal parts. Later, Gala dubs replaced the Fiskana issues.  

 

Two label variants, with and without copyright notice.

♫  36099-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Mrs. Pettibone   /   36099-B   Dwight Fiske  - Two Horses and A Debutante
♫  36100-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Clarissa The Flea   /  3600-B  Dwight Fiske  - Ida, The Wayward Sturgeon
♫  36103-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Anthony And Cleopatra  /  36103-B  Dwight Fiske  -  Adam and Eve
♫  36122-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Kitty Malibu    /   36122-B  Dwight Fiske  -  Irving Levy
♫  36134-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Week-End    /  36134-B  Dwight Fiske  -  Vera Young
♫  36135-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Columbus and Isabella    /  36135-B   Dwight Fiske  -  Africa Whispers
♫  36162-A   Dwight Fiske  -  The Colonel's Tropical Bird     /   36162-B  Dwight Fiske  -  Mr. Seven
♫  36167-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Mr. Webster    /  36167-B   Dwight Fiske  -   Molly O'Toole, The Fan Dancer
♫  36173-A   Dwight Fiske  -  The King And The Queen   /  36173-B  Dwight Fiske  -  The Last Cure
♫  36177-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Venus and Adonis   /  36177-B   Dwight Fiske  -  We Live At The Everglades Club
♫  36182-A   Dwight Fiske  -  The Happy Couple    /  36182-B   Dwight Fiske  -  Paul And Virginia
♫  36187-A   Dwight Fiske  -  Why Should Penguins Fly  /  36187-B   Dwight Fiske  -  Mediterranean Folly

 

TO LABEL INDEX

FLAMES

Known output consists of an unnumbered set by Claude Lapham. No relation to the small west Coast jazz label Flame. 

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FOXCO

A late 1930's entry from the West Coast. One unnumbered item reported. 

 


B-7621  Alice Sheldon  -  They Never Wrote About That In History   /  B-7622  Lou & Al. Sheldon  -  When The Leaves Began To Fall

 

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FOX RECORDS

Possibly a personal label of Redd Foxx but equally likely to have been an unreported Dootsie Williams product intended to avoid royalties. Yellow label with red print drawn from Dootone material, number 504 reported. 

 

The fox image & the font for  "Fox Records" above is used on the cover of Redd Foxx's first party LP.   Variant label below.
 

♫  No. 511-A  Women Over Forty From Album Vol. 3   /  No. 511-B  The Dead Jackass From The Album  Vol. 3

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FRIVOLITY

Mid 1940's fulsome purple label with gold printing. FR-1 & 2 reported., all anonymous dubs of Hot Shots from Hollywood material with new titles bestowed. Probably related to Party Records. 

 

?????    /    FR 1-B  All Wet 

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FUN

1940's black label with white print, known ranges: 1-6.  Probably a west coast operation, releases are anonymous WWII-era recordings.
   

 

♫  1A (F6) Uncle Tom's Cabin    /   1B (F2)  Once a Boy
♫  2A (F1) Myrtle  /  3B (F3)  The Broadway New York Song
♫  3A (F5) Woofing Post Part 1  /  3B (F6)  Woofing Post Part 2
♫  5A  (F11) The Stenographer   /  5B (F12)  The Heirs
6A  (F13)  The Pioneers   /   6B (F14)  I'll Be Satisfied

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[[ GAIETY RECORDS ]]

 

Editor's Note:  This record label was NOT in the original hensteeth.com website.  

Gaiety Record Company, 6022 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California.  The personal record label of Diana Johns an LA night club singer.   Sepia-toned photo and text on off-white label.  

From "Variety," the weekly entertainment trade magazine, vol. 154, no. 13, 7 June 1944 - "Field publishing a book of bedside verse, to be entitled 'Pin-up Poems,' by Diana Johns, night-club singer, who writes her own comedy songs."  According to NY Times article and Billboard death notice, Diana Johns is the pen name for lyricist Lillian Uttal.  Uttal committed suicide October 1947 in NY, age 44, attributed to depression following the death of her husband in Chicago four months prior.  A marriage notice shows a January 10, 1931 marriage of a Lillian Uttal to Ernest Bohrman. 

1001A   Diana Johns  -  I Only Wanted His Autograph  /   1001B  Diana Johns  -  Maizie The Cocksure
1002A   Diana Johns  -  He Didn't Ask Permission    /   1002B  Diana Johns  -  Not In The Busy Season
1003A   Diana Johns  -  Christina Van Der Bottomley  /  1003B   Diana Johns  -  Is It Love Or Curiosity?
1004A   Diana Johns  -  Injections  /  1004B  Diana Johns   -  I Haven't The Courage To Strip
1005A   Diana Johns  -  That's Why There's An "X" In Sex   /  1005B  Diana Johns  -  Man Wanted: Must Be Young

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GALA

Started during WWII by Ben Lane in association with the Novelty Record Co. First address listed as Empire State Bldg., New York City in 1944. In 1950 moved to 605 West 42nd. St., New York City. Primarily but not exclusively a party label, Gala also re-released masters of show tunes from other companies such as Rabson and Schirmer in the mid-1940's, mostly in albums. May have leased some of the Musicraft Party Records catalog or obtained material from a common source. Numbering is rather haphazard, with some records using master numbers instead of catalog numbers. Dwight Fiske issues range from 099 intermittently through 250 based on the original Fiskana releases, with later 10" releases reusing earlier 12" numbers but with different backings. Most numbers are in blocks of 1000 by artist with the highest (7000) devoted to Sheila Barrett. Alternate takes are abundant, indicated by a number inserted before the side letter designations. There are cases where the first take is undesignated and other takes are numbered. Label colors vary over time and according to where they were pressed. Earlier labels are gold (or swampy wartime green substitute) on black, later design is silver on black or red while later red on gray labels suggest Keynote pressings. Aqua labels with silver print may be from Apollo. Bankrupt by 1950, all holdings were acquired by Jubilee. 

 

The different colored labels match the different colored albums they were originally housed in.  So Red label went with the Red album.

 

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GAYETY ORIGINAL

Superb Record Co. 5747 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA. Late 1940's yellow label with black or red print. ASR 1000-1002 known. 

 

All seem to be Lillian Long songs

♫  ASR-1000   Lillian Long  -  Falsies   /  ASR-1000  Lillian Long  -  Vacation in Chili
♫  ASR-1001   Lillian Long  -  Little Lass Round-Up    /  ASR-1001  Lillian Long  -  The Peddle Song

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GENERAL TAVERN TUNES

Produced by the Consolidated Record. Co., 1600 Broadway, New York City. Owned by Hazard Reeves of Reeves Sound Studios, Gordon Mercer of Musicraft and John H. Green. General was a very eclectic label which produced a lot of special projects like Spivy's Exclusive album. It finally decided to some money making records with jukebox appeal. General began re-releasing comedy, blues and risqué records as budget Tavern Tunes after 1940. Billboard Mar. 2, 1940 announced them as "Produced exclusively for the music machine trade." The Tavern Tunes not necessarily risque, sloppy drunks also liked barbershop quartets to sing along with. Green enlisted in the Army at the end of 1942 and Reeves went into war-related work. Eli Oberstein purchased the old Reeves studio in 1944. Some risqué items including alternate takes were released on black labels without any company identification, perhaps by Oberstein. (See the titles section) The General catalog was purchased by Commodore in 1946, and at least one TAVERN TUNES was issued in 1947 although there is no paperwork for it in files provided by Milt Gabler to GRP. Blue label with silver print. 

 

 

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GIGGLES

In the 1950's Houston's Duke/Peacock label decided to get into the party record biz but released just #1, derived from its only LP. Label is black and green on white. 

 

 

 

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GOOD-HUMOR

  

The Good-Humor label presents a classic discographical challenge. A West Coast label derived from the equally convoluted Hollywood Hot Shots catalog, it boasts the added dimension of anonymous releases. "Sold by Lyric Sales Co, phone Exbrook 2858, wire 742 Market San Francisco.” Labels of the initial offerings display a seemingly arbitrary set of control numbers in the range 277-695. Given their hefty $2.50 price tags, it is very possible that these were custom short runs made to order for larger jukebox suppliers and the existence of variant couplings seems to support this theory. If there actually are four hundred sides extant, your compiler is in serious need of assistance. White label with black print with last numerical series 1-26. This label provides the last direct link to the original 1935-7 recordings because it used original stampers through the early 1940's. Thereafter it is impossible to know if the multitude of reissues were leased in some legitimate fashion or pirated. Good-Humor's material subsequently appeared as dubs on Kicks, Party Time, Burlesque, Laff Records, Party Platters, Risque, Let's Have Fun, Party Record, Frivolity, Kute Records, Whiz, Red, Riskay, Hi-Lite Records, Novelty, Zest, Parlor Records, Stag, Burley-Q, Partee Records, High Society Records, Arrow and a multitude of blank label discs 

-------------------------

GOOD-HUMOR 277 [Ray Bourbon] Cocktail Ray/370 [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Guy That Put the Dix in Dixie
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 606 Sweet Violets/629 [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] But Oh Could Hilda Cook b/w 629
GOOD-HUMOR 611 - Forty Years a Chambermaid/GOOD-HUMOR 634 [Cliff Edwards] I'm Going To Give It to Mary with Love
GOOD-HUMOR 622 [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Give It to Me Daddy/684 [Pure & Simple] The Plumber's Tool
GOOD-HUMOR 631 [Cliff Edwards] When I Was the Son of a Bee/654 [Pure & Simple] A Hole in One
GOOD-HUMOR 661 both sides [Pure & Simple] Nudist Colony/681 Birth Control

------------------------

Next follows a slightly more conventional release scheme with consecutively numbered sides. Unfortunately the two known examples share the same numbers but not the same titles. In the series that followed these would become numbers 11 and 12, respectively.
GOOD-HUMOR No. 11 [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Is It True what They Say about Trixie/No. 12 [Pure & Simple] Bridal suite
GOOD-HUMOR No. 11 [Cliff Edwards] I'm Going To Give It to Mary with Love/No. 12 [Ruff & Reddy] Hollywood Night Court

----------------------

Finally there is a conventional series probably dating from WWII and continuing into the postwar era. It consists of reissues of HOTSHOTS FROM HOLLYWOOD, WESTERN RECORD CO. BOURBANA at first pressed from original stampers which may indicate this is a legitimate successor. These records are often dubbed or even re-dubbed, with successive repressings giving abbreviated titles and often lacking matrix numbers. These later labels show a pattern of stars instead of the art deco design above the logo. This series (1-26) is continued on the PARTY NOVELTY'S label.

GOOD-HUMOR 1A both sides [Pure & Simple] Hole in One/B Shaking His Bandolero
GOOD-HUMOR 2A [Pure & Simple] Nudist Colony /B [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Two Old Maids in a Folding Bed
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 3A [Pure & Simple] The Plumbers Tool/B [Ruff and Reddy] Tom and Jerry
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 4A both sides [Pure & Simple] Auto Ride/B Birth Control
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 5A [Pure & Simple] Guy That Put the Dix in Dixie/B [Ray Bourbon] Cocktail Ray
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 6A [Ruff and Reddy] Feelem Hotel/B [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Her Man of War
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 7A [Pure & Simple] Strip Poker/B [Ray Bourbon] Her First Piece
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 8A [Pure & Simple] All the Horsemen Knew Her/B [Cleo Brown] Tillie the Tooter
GOOD-HUMOR 9A [Pure & Simple] Joy Stick/B [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Christmas Balls
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 10A [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Girl From Atlantic City/B [Ray Bourbon] Her first Swimming Lesson
GOOD-HUMOR 11A [Pure & Simple] Bridal suite/B [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Is It True what They Say about Trixie
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 12A [Ruff and Reddy] Hollywood Night Court/B [Cliff Edwards] I'm Going to Give It to Mary with Love
GOOD-HUMOR 13A [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Her Fuller Brush Man/B [Hollywood Hooters] Farmer's Daughter
GOOD-HUMOR 14A [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Abies Irish Shastika/B Gal from Kankakee
GOOD-HUMOR 15A Piddlin' Pup/B [Cliff Edwards] She's Learning Something New
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 16A Down on the Farm/B The Old Fashion Way
GOOD-HUMOR 17A [Ray Bourbon] Strip-Tease Queen/B [Cleo Brown] High Flying Mama
GOOD-HUMOR 19 Forty Years a Chambermaid/[Oscar & Elmer] Shotgun Wedding
GOOD-HUMOR 21A Richard's Last Word/B I'm a Bear in a Ladies Boudoir [NOT Cliff Edwards]
[[ GOOD-HUMOR 22A (475)  Toots the Teaser  /  22B (337) Oh Could Hilda Cook ]]
[[ ♫   GOOD-HUMOR 25A  Down on the Farm   / 25B  The Old Fashioned Way ]]
[[ ♫  ]] GOOD-HUMOR 26A Just Plain Nuts/B Little Red Riding Hood

----------------------

 

 

Various label variants along with various control number prefixes "L-", "LO-", "NPD-", and no letter prefix.

  

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SHOP VARIETIES

The Gramophone Shop at 18 East 48th St. in New York City was a well-known source of imported classical music beginning in the 1920's. Its Varieties label was introduced around 1934, silver label with blue print. Its output was small and the Beatrice Lillie album was the only item in the catalog of interest in the context of party records. After WWII some albums were repressed in vinylite with light gray labels and blue print.  

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GROOVE

No relation to the RCA product, pink 1950's label with black print, no. 1002 reported. Its products may be reissues of early 1940's recordings for the Honky Tonk label 

 

♫  1001-A (HT-7A)  Lola Mae  -  Radio   /  1001-B (HT-8A)  Lola Mae -  Wedding
♫  1002-A (HT-9A)  Lola Mae  -  Washing  /  1002-B (HT-10A)  Lola Mae  -  Cheeks

Seems to be the private label for Lola Mae.

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HARGILL RECORD

A joint venture between Herbi Hardt and Hal Gilles, in Chicago, ca. 1948. One unnumbered release documented. Hardt may have had a falling out with his partner Hal “the Weasel” Gilles as he started his own label the following year. 

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H. BRAND

 

White label with black print released one album of Nan Blakstone discs in 1936, numbers BL 200 through BL 202. These were produced by Heinie Brand, Blakstone's then husband for Liberty Music Shop and early pressings are numbered in the LMS series. They often have an oval LMS sticker above the spindle hole. Later unnumbered pressings display the typographical affectation “BlaKstone.” 

 

♫  BL 200 (9850)  Nan Blakstone  -  I'm Not in the Way of My Family  /  BL 200 (9851)  Nan Blakstone  -  "I've Got It Again"

 

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[[ Herb Cook ]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.

1052A #1 (1051 A) The Poodle Song HERB COOK  /  1051 B #2 (1052B) I Used To Work in Chicago HERB COOK

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HERBI HARDT

A personal label of Herbi Hardt, red, blue or green with silver print. Some releases show only master numbers. Chicago ca.1949 through the early 1950's, HH 4 and 16 reported.

 

Variant credits for 16 Old Ladies Locked in the Lavatory: Either "Herbi Hardt and his Jesters" or "Herbi Hardt and his Joval Jesters."

♫  HH4-A (51-845)  Herbi Hardt  -  My Favorite Dream  /  HH4-B (51-846)  Herbi Hardt  H. Summerhill, Piano  -   I'm Just a Quiet Drinker
♫  (U.B. 9913)  Herbi Hardt  -  16 Old Ladies Locked in the Lavatory  Part 1  / (U.B. 9914)  Herbit Hardt  -  16 Old Ladies Locked in the Lavatory  Part 2
 

 

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HIGHBALL PARTY RECORDS

Black label with silver print, number 902 reported. May be late 1940's repressing of Cocktail Party Records. Handwriting in runoff is identical to Bell Novelty Records and was produced in Benny Bell's Brooklyn basement.  

 

Label variants  "Paul Wynn" in cursive and location of number.  See below

303-A  Paul Wynn  - Nose Run in My Family  /  303-B  Paul Wynn  -  Tattooed Lady
?????   /  202 B  Paul Wynn -  Two Times To-night
♫  606-A  Paul Wynn -  Snow Balls   /  606-B  Paul Wynn  -  I'm The Guy
♫  902-A Paul Wynn  -  My Mother Said I Shouldn't  /  902-B  Paul Wynn  -  We Do It Just The Same
 

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HIGH SOCIETY RECORDS

White label with black print from the late 1940's. Known range 500-516 and includes dubs of Hot Shots from Hollywood and Eli Oberstein material along with post WWII recordings. 

 

Two label variants:  High Society Records and Hi-Society Records. This editor is unsure if this should be two label entries and have grouped them here for now. 

High Society Records:

500 A  Revelation     /   500 B Decoration
501 A  Golf     /   501 B   The Masseur
♫  502 A  Hard to Get  /  502 B  Mistaken Identity
♫  503 A  The Bullfighter   /  503 B  The Heir
   ?????    /  504 B  Sporting Blood
♫  505 A  The Dental Song   /  505 B  I'll Be Satisfied
♫  506 A  Honeymoon   /   506 B What An Insect
♫  507 A  Hosanah   /   507 B  Strawberry Roan
♫  508 A  Sound Effects  Pt. 1  /  508 B  Sound Effects  Pt. 2
♫  509 A  In Hawaii    /  509 B  Barber Shop Discord
510 A  Something to Remember   /   510 B  Grand Hotel
♫  511 A  The Dentist  /  512 B  The Cook
♫  512 A  The Fuller Brush Man   /  512 B  Riding
♫  513 A  Couldn't Find the Place    /   516 B  Dandy Dan
514 A  Quiz Song    /    514 B  She Tried It Last Night
515 A  Peter    /   515 B  I Wish I Was A Fairy
♫  516 A  Wave Song  /  516 B  Yodel Song

Hi-Society Records:

♫  HS-500 A  Revelation    /  HS-500 B  Decorations
♫  HS-501 A  Hard to Get  /  HS-501 B  Mistaken Identity
      ????????                  /   HS-502 B  The Masseur

 

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HILARITY RECORDS

Possibly a product of Willida Records, 1595 Broadway, New York City, 1949. Yellow label with red print specializing in Borscht Belt comics, HR 1 through HR 3 known. 

 

♫  HR 1A   The Platter Spinner with Chic Roberts  - Happy Yussel (Side 1)  /  HR 1B   The Platter Spinner with Chic Roberts  - Happy Yussel (Side 2)
♫  HR 2A  Chic Roberts  -  A Baseball Game   / HR 2B  Chic Robert  -  A Subway Ride
♫  HR3A  Lenny Townsend  -  Nancy From Delancey   /   HR3B  Lenny Townsend  -  Yingile Bingile

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HI-LITE RECORDS

Mid-1940's dubs of 1930's Hot Shots from Hollywood material, most provided with new titles. Label is black with silver print, numbers 100 through 104 documented. Probably related to Novelty Records.  

 

101  Parlevous / Just Married
♫  102 A   Just Another Mount    /   102 B   Yas-Yas
103    Days of Yore   /   ???

 

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HOLLYWOOD HOT SHOTS

This successor to Hot Shots From Hollywood began issuing records in early 1937, highest known number is 424. It must be assumed that "The Girl from Atlantic City" [a.k.a. "She Swims like a duck"] was the most successful number of the whole party record enterprise as both the Hot Shots From Hollywood and Racy Records versions continued to be pressed by Hot Shots in their original jukebox format with the same matrix on both sides. All other releases were done in the conventional manner with two different tunes per disc. The first series was unnumbered and essentially reissued all the 1936 masters. A later series fell in the 400-436 range with additional material being drawn from Torchies From Hollywood and Western Records Bourbana labels. The earlier numbers were recycled with new material on the flipsides which will often show NRD-prefixed control numbers in the runouts, for Novelty Records Distributors, 1481 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles and later 1016 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA.  This continues the LO-prefixed series of Associated cinema Studios. Yellow label with black print.

Hot Shots became the nexus of a well-organized effort to supply risqué material to jukebox operators. It brought together masters from a seemingly diverse group of small West Coast labels which were ultimately tied together by motive, means and opportunity.

 

Labels below show the 1481 W. Washington and 1016 Highland addresses.

♫  316   Ben Light and his Surf Club Boys  -  Two Old Maids in a Folding Bed -   /  418  Bud Averill and His Orchestra - Two Old Maids in a Folding Bed
♫  317   Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys  - "The Girl" From Atlantic City   /  L0317   Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys  - "The Girl" From Atlantic City
 ♫  317   The Girl from Atlantic City - Ben Light and His Surf Club Boys  /  416 - The Girl from Atlantic City - Bud Averill and His Orchestra
 ♫  342   Cliff Edwards  -  I'm Going To Give It To Mary With Love   /  378  Ray Bourbon - Her First Swimmin' Lesson
♫  363   Pure & Simple  - A Hole In One   /   363A   Ray Bourbon  - The Chiropractor's Wife
♫  371   Pure and Simple  - The Nudist Colony    /   421A  Oscar and Elmer  -  Shot Gun Wedding  
♫  373   Ben Light and his Surf Club Boys  - Myrtle Isn't Fertile any More     /   L 0354  Bob Tank and his Manhattans - Herman Wants Widow Stouts Heinie
 ♫  389   Ruff and Reddy  -  Stingy Girl   /  389A  Ben Light  - The Piddlin' Pup

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HONKY TONK

1940's yellow label with red print, numbers 711-715 reported along with an unnumbered series. Some items show only master numbers and were pressed at the Scranton Record Co. plant. 

 

Two label variants on with a serif typeface and another with a sans-serif typeface.  Variations to the song titles (e.g., Nobody Got A Piece But the Groom vs Wedding Cake: Everybody Got A Piece But the Groom).

   ???    /   711-B   Sheila Marsh and Her Full G-String Orchestra  - Wedding Cake: Everybody Got A Piece But the Groom
♫  712  Sheila Marsh and Her Full G-String Orchestra  -  The Golf Lesson  /  712 Sheila Marsh and Her Full G-String Orchestra  -  The Washing Machine
 ????    /   713 B (501 B)  Don Carper and his Copa Cabana Foursome  -  I'm Keeping It For You
HT-4   Ann Lewis  -  Particular Man   /   ?????
♫  HT-7   Sheila March and String Quartet  - Put It Where You Had It Last Night    /  HT-8  Sheila March and String Quartet  -  Nobody Got A Piece But The Groom 

 

Serif and sans-serif typefaces for "Honky Tonk".

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HORNSBY

Personal label of Don Hornsby produced ca. 1948. Yellow label with black caricature and red print.

 

 

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HOT SHOTS FROM HOLLYWOOD

Produced by the Novelty Records Distributors, 1431 West Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. This was a  high profile party label featuring celebrity recordings and the source of many blank label issues in the 1940's and 1950's. Known range is L-0294 through L-359, peach/yellow labels with gray printing. Numbers are actually matrix numbers from Associated Cinema Studios recorded in 1936. Manufactured primarily for jukebox consumption by Allied Record & Phonograph Corp., most issues have the same selection on both sides. Later pressings have “Not Licensed For Radio Broadcast” added beneath “Recorded in Hollywood” and performers are generally credited. Superceded by the Hollywood Hot Shots label in 1937. Presumed to be a stable-mate of Novelty Record Co. 
 

 

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HUMOR RECORDS

Located at 2060 First Ave., New York, NY., incorporated December 4, 1947, dissolved April 15, 1952. Early label is blue print on white label, later is yellow label with dark blue print. Known issues are an unnumbered three-disc Crepitation set and number 500. 

 

Editor's Note:  All discs seen have yellow labels with dark blue text, subtitled "International Crepitation Contest".  Some records have the wrong recording on the back (e.g., Part 1 backed with Part 6, Part 2 backed with Part 4, etc).  Any album that states a limitation is almost certainly false.  False limitation (e.g. stating "1 of 500 sets") was common in the erotica business.  It was a way to get more money for a item at no additional cost.  Runoff text varies (HUM I, HUM 2, etc) or (CREP #1, CREP #2, etc).  Probably related to the The Contest three record album which also has the CREP-1, CREP-2 in runnoff.

♫  Part 1  Introducing Lord Windismere World's Champion   /  Part 2  Introducing Paul Boomer Leading Contender
♫  Part 3  At the Post    /   Part 4  Lord Windismere's Defiance
♫  Part 5  Crescendo   /  Part 6  Disaster

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HUMOROUS MASTERPIECES

Late 1940's yellow label with black print devoted to the eternally popular Canadian Crepitation Contest. 

 

♫  1130  The Crepitation Contest Part 1     /   1132  The Crepitation Contest  Part 3
♫  1131  The Crepitation Contest Part 2     /   1133  The Crepitation Contest  Part 4
 

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HUSH-HUSH


Only HH 3 reported.

♫   HH-1 (NB1)  Life on Donkey Island  /  HH-1A (NB2)  Let's Fall in Love
HH 2?  My Boyfriend Elmer   /  HH 2?  Blakston'es Secret Passion
♫   HH-3  He Should Have Been A WAC  /  HH-3A  Blakstone's Torch Song
 

 



Images and recordings retrieved from archive.org.

TO LABEL INDEX

IMPERIAL

West Coast pressings have black labels with silver print and the more elaborate label style which states "recorded in Hollywood". Later discs manufactured by the Clark Phonograph Co. In Newark, NJ. are credited to Novelty Record Company and have plain black labels with a greenish-gold print similar to that used on wartime Hit Records. with numbers 5X, a 100-118 series and album 500 (rose red label) with sides labeled A/B , C/D and E/F. No relation to the red R&B label. Almost all known issues are 1930's and ‘40's releases of Ray Bourbon material in albums. Eli Oberstein's Elite label was briefly produced by a company called Imperial and even released an 'X' series (non-party). The name was changed when it was discovered that a label in Florida claimed prior use, perhaps it was Bourbon's. 

 


black label, red label and dark brown label variants.

See also Ray Bouron issued by McBride's Disc Shop

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INTIMATE TALES

White label with green print with 2840 through 2844 reported. This New York City operation probably dates from the early 1940's. 


  

Three copyright entries by Bert Kamp [pseudo. of Bert Kaplan] for music and Abraham Peyser (doing business as Intimate Tales Record Co, New York), all three dated Feb, 1942 for "He Can't Get It Up Anymore; The Landlady's Lament", "He Didn't Know How",  and  "Anna Had the Biggest Cabana".

2840-A    Ann Chrystie  -   Over the Hill   /  2840-B   Ann Chrystie   -  I Shouldn't Have Said What I Said
♫  2841-A    Scott DARE   -  Rasputin       /    2841-B  Scott DARE   -  What Was So Great About Katherine The Great
2842    Scott DARE  -   She Wouldn't Let Them Take It    /  2842   Scott DARE  -   I Came In My Best Sunday Suit  
2843-A   Ronald WOODS  -   Anna Had the Biggest Cabana  /   ???
2844-A   Ronald WOODS  -  What Got Into You Last Night   /   2844-B    Ronald WOODS  -  He Didn't Know How
???   /  2845-B  Ronald "Zeke" Woods  -  He's Tired Of Mount'in Wimmin

 

 

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JEANIE LEITT

Personal label of Jeanie LEITT. Light blue label with dark blue print, one unnumbered copy with x-prefixed matrices is known.
 

(X-108) Walk It Off........................JEANIE LEITT unnumbered
(X-109) Laziest Gal in Town [Cole Porter]...JEANIE LEITT unnumbered

 

 

White label blue text variant.  Three known records.

X-108 "Walk It Off"   /  X-109 "Laziest Gal in Town"
X-111 "It's Better Than Taking in Washing"   /  X-114 "Peg Foot Pete"
X-113 "You've Been a Good Ol' Wagon"   /  X-121 "There's No Time Like the Present to Get Yourself a Past"
 


 

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JOHN RYAN RECORD

The U.S. Record Corp. was foundering in Aug. 1940 and its Varsity label was taking some heat for several double entendre recordings. A couple of popular John Ryan numbers were repressed with this blue & gold label.  US master numbers were obliterated and numbers 301 and 302 were the only releases. They sold well and are more common than the originals. Inexplicably, “Gambler's Blues” on 301 is an early ‘thirties Crown recording by Frankie Marvin with Roy Smeck's Trio.
  

♫  301   Gambler's Blues   /   301   John Ryan with Orchestra   -  She Tried It Last Night
♫  302   John Ryan with Orchestra  -  The Hope Song      /   302   John Ryan with Orchestra  -  Have You Heard What Happened to Susie

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JOY (yellow label)

Joy features late dubs of old masters. Yellow label with dark brown print similar to LD.

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JOY (Z-series)

1674 Broadway, New York City in late 1948, same address as Carnival and A-Musing Records. Blue label with silver print numbers Z10-Z 19. 

 

♫  Z 10 A  Hazel Acker  -  Oh Doctor    /  Z 10 B  Hazel Acker  -  Oh' What a Dream
♫  Z 11 A  Hazel Acker  -  What a Beach  /  Z 11 B  Hazel Acker  -  Duck Soup
♫  Z 12 A  Hazel Acker  -  French Fit     /    Z 12 B  Advice to a Bride - Hazel Acker

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JUBILEE

Jerry & Steve Blaine's label that began in the late 1940's issuing and reissuing risqué and other material. 760 10th Ave., New York City. Red or blue label with silver print, numbers 3501-3505 reported. During the LP period this label acquired Gala material and leased Nan Blakstone Hush-Hush sides.
  

Only some of the items found on this label are party record material.

 

♫  HH1  Ramum   -   Life on Donkey Island   /  HH2A  Ramum  -  Blakstone's Secret Passion
3501-A   Lee Tully   -   "Essen" Part 1   /   Lee Tully   -   "Essen" Part 2
3515 (JR-104)  Fyvush Finkel  -  Finkle Rumba  /  Yiddish Puncuation Lesson
3527 (JB-1-307)  Happy Lewis  -   Shoymendel's Hideway  /  Happy Lewis  -  Three Cohens in the Mountains

Images and recordings retrieved from www.archive.org.

 

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JUST FOR LAUGHS

Late nineteen forties yellow label with black print. Sides are numbered consecutively with number 3 and 4 reported. Numbers in the runout are from Laugh Disc.

 

This album, Just for Laughs: Life of the Party Records, below matches the above.

1  Uncle Tom's Cabin: She's In The Woods  /  2  What A Kitty: A Feline Foul Up
3  Silent George: The Less Said The Better  /   4  Livvy: A Perfect Gal With A Capital P
5  Santa Handicap (Part 1) A Horsey Situation  /  6  Santa Handicap (Part 2) At The Post
7  The Ice Man: No Cold Shoulder Here   /  8  Love's Sweet Story: Boy, Is She Burned Up

The album cover:

A

 

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KEM

A small Hollywood label from late 1949 through the early 1950's that released party items on a "Cafe Society Series." Bill Richards was President, 1107 N. El Centro Ave., Hollywood, CA. Distributed by Jewell. Most of its material is now owned by King. Red label with silver print, numbers 127-134 reported. 
 

The "Cafe Society Series" seems to be the exclusive series for Cliff Ferre.

♫  127 (HBR-84)  Cliff Ferre  -  Joe's Joint   /   127 (HBR-93)  Hawaiian Tale
♫  128 (HBR-85)  Cliff Ferre  -  The Greatest Broad-Jumper   /  128 (HBR-92)  Cliff Ferre  -  Ain't It A Beauty
♫  129 (HBR 112)  Cliff Ferre  -  A Cocky Cowboy   /  129  (HBR 113)  Cliff Ferre  -  House With The Little Red Light
♫  130 (HBR 120)  Cliff Ferre  -  Rosie Don't Bang On The Piano    /   130  Cliff Ferre (HBR 121)  -  Favorite Indoor Sport
131 (HBR 127)  Cliff Ferre  -  Uncle Harry's Little Peacock  /  131  Cliff Ferre (HBR 129)  -  Fifi's Got The Biggest One In France

TO LABEL INDEX

KICKS

Reissued 1930's and '40's material anonymously in the mid and late 1940's.  Notable for the high quality of the label graphics. Carmine and white label with brown and black print, earlier releases have a plainer white label with black print and brown image. Issues begin with an unnumbered series with consecutive control numbers 1-16. There is one commercially released 1946 Trilon side in the mix. Numbered series 17-37 have conventional A and B sides. Later issues (38 and up) are mostly original material exhibiting Z-prefixed control numbers. 
 

[[ ♫  ]] KICKS G1/2 [Pure And Simple] Birth Control/ [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Shaking His Bandolero
KICKS G3/4 It May Not Be Love/Joystick
[[ ♫  ]] KICKS G5/6 both [Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] That Little Shanty Behind the Door/Gal from Atlantic City
KICKS G7/8 [Cliff Edwards] Down Behind the Counter at Nicks/[Pure And Simple] The Plumber's Tool
KICKS G9/10 [Ruff and Reddy] Hollywood Night Court/Forty Years a Chambermaid
KICKS G11/12 [Pure And Simple] Hole in One/[Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Christmas Balls
[[ ♫ ]]  KICKS G13/14 [Pure And Simple] Nudist Colony/[Ben Light and his Surf Club boys] Her Fuller Brush Man
[[ ♫ ]]  KICKS G15/16 [Ben Light and his Surf Club Boys] Give It To Me Daddy/[Four Aces] Garbage man

KICKS 17 A [Ray Bourbon] Virgin for Short [Cocktail Time]/B [Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers] Putting It In [The Dental Song]
KICKS 18 A [both Lil Johnson] Press my Button/B Hot Nuts
[[ ♫ ]]  KICKS 19 A [John Ryan]The Mustache Song/B [Johnny Messner & his Orch.] She Had To Go and Lose It at the Astor
[[ ♫ ]]  KICKS 20 A [John Ryan]The Wave Song/B [Ace Newell] Tales of Manhattan
[[ KICKS 21-A Oh! Mr. Morton /B Woncha Do It To Me ]]
KICKS 22 A [Johnny Messner & his Orch.] She Really Meant to Keep It/B)[Ace Newell] Fanny Never Will Come Out on Top
KICKS 23 A [The Ramblers]Peter/B)Injections

KICKS 25 A)Hopping Bells/B) Just for Baby

KICKS 31 A)Sexology in Rhythm/Get Off and Get Under

KICKS 33 A)The Royal Box/B)Cleopatra

KICKS 35 A)The Newlyweds/B) Hinkey Dinkey Parley Voo
KICKS 36 [Cliff Edwards] I'm Gonna Give It To Baby with Love/[Bruz Fletcher] The Hellish Mrs. Haskell
KICKS 37 A)Laziest Gal in Town/B) Elevator Song

KICKS 39 The Hosses part 1/part 2

KICKS 43 The Riding Academy part 1/part 2

Trilon control #'s on the label and in the matrix of 15/ 16, 

 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

KUTE RECORDS

Late 1940's pink label with black print. 

 

1  Pioneer  /    ????
5  Stenographer  /    ????
17  Deacon   /    ????

TO LABEL INDEX

LAFF-DISC

Late 1940's maroon label with silver print which specialized in spoken word records rather than music. Numbered stepwise with 303 followed by 404, etc. through 808, plus 400. Succeeded by L D.

 

Variant label with white lettering and no hyphen. 

With the hyphen in Laff-Disc:

LD-303 A  Love's Sweet Story  /  LD-303 B  Ice Man
♫  LD-400 A   Uncle Tom's Cabin  /  LD-400 B  What a Kitty
505 A   Hy Asakite -  Livvy   /    ???

Without the hyphen in Laff Disc:

A-550   Girl from Atlantic City  /  B-550  Cute Canine


Images from the Editor's collection.

TO LABEL INDEX

LAFF RECORDS (Chicago)

Pale green label with black print from the very late 1940's. Catalog numbers L-1 through 17 reported. While the label indicates Chicago, the geographic origins of the discs is still unresolved. Catalog includes several sides dubbed from Hollywood Hot Shots along with several two-sided post war routines. 

 

 

♫  L1A  Hole in One     /    L-1B   Bandolero
♫  L7A - Plumber's Tool   /  L7B - Looking For A Lei
L9A  Joy Stick   / L9B  Nudist Colony
♫  L10A - The Bull Fight (Part 1)  /  L10B - The Bull Fight (Part 2)
♫  13A   Stingy Girl   /  13B   Piddling Pup
L14A  Sanita (Part 1)  /  L14B  Sanita (Part 2)
♫  15A - I Wanna Sheet   /  15B - Filling The Hole
24A  Driving Lesson  /  24B  The Tennis Game


Images from the Editor's collection.

TO LABEL INDEX

LAFF RECORDS (NY)

Manufactured by Songcraft, Inc. 1650 Broadway, New York, NY. First advertized in Oct. 1947. Black print on green or yellow label, each side is numbered consecutively. L 101, L 505/6 and 507/8 reported. The same address was used by Mayfair Records, which produced the Bang label. Same address as Laff and Songcraft.
 

 

No. 505   Eli Basse, Billy Sloan Orchestra  -  G'Litzyanner Rhumba    /   No. 506   Eli Basse, Bill Sloan Orchestra  -  Lefkowitz the Kop
♫  (L 505)  Eli Basse, Bobby Kroll & Orchestra  - G'Litzyanner Rhumba  /  (L 506)  Eli Basse, Bobby Kroll & Orchestra   -  Lefkowitz the Kop
♫  L 507  Eli Basse  -  Kun-Yi-Land    /   L 508  Eli Basse  -  Bialystoker Square Dance 

 

There is a change to the label from Eli Basse music by Bill Sloan Orchestra to Eli Basse with Bobby Kroll & Orchestra on 505.  See labels below.   Perhaps a re-recording with new orchestra.

TO LABEL INDEX

L D

Late issues of LAFF-DISC appear on unnumbered yellow labels with just "LD" plus the title. Laff-Disc issue number remains in runout through 808. Probably related to the late JOY yellow label. 

 

Label is either white with dark blue text or yellow label with black text
 

White label, dark blue text:
♫   The Indictment [runoff LE-102]   /  Mr. Speaker [runff 102-A]

Yellow label, black text:
♫   Bull Fight Part 1 [Runoff  BF-1]   /  Bull Fight Part 2 [Runoff  BF-2]
♫   Silent George [Runoff  LD 606A]  /  Beer Joint [Runoff  LD 606 B] 
♫   Sanita Race Part 1 [Runoff  LD-707-A Part 1]   /  Sanita Race Part 2 [Runoff  LD-707-B Part 2]

 
 

TO LABEL INDEX

LET'S HAVE FUN

 

Late 1940's label using anonymous dubs of earlier performances on Hollywood Hot Shots mixed with WWII-era performances. Known range 2-13. Label is yellow or lilac with black print. 

 

???????    /  2B  Bare Facts
♫  7A  The Dentist  /  7B  The Fuller Brush Man
♫  8A  Dandy Dan   /  8B - The Old Rake
♫  9A  Revelation   /  9B - Something To Remember
13-A  Give It To Me Daddy  /   ??????

Orange label variant below

TO LABEL INDEX

LIBERTY MUSIC SHOP

Numbers L-150 through L-363 reported. Produced records from 1933 through the early microgroove era. The leader among a number of record stores in the New York City area which survived the Great Depression by catering to sophisticated tastes, especially those of gay record buyers. Liberty's catalog often veered toward license when it recorded the likes of Ray Bourbon and Bruz Fletcher while also maintaining a catalog consisting of lots and lots and lots of showtunes.

The Liberty Music Shop sides were from two sessions in 1936 and 1940.

The 200 series was listed in ledgers as by BOURBANAS (Ray Bourbon with Forrest and Wright) and recorded at the Decca Studios, New York City, 1936. The disc labels credit Ray Bourbon.

[[ ♫ ]]  L-208 (75222A) Chiropractor's Wife    /   L-208 (75223A) Gigolo
[[ ♫ ]]  L-209 (7522) Trombone Trixie  /  L-209 (75221A) Her First Lesson

The 300 series feature Jack Burke at the piano and were recorded at Reeves Sound Studios in New York City in 1940.

L-318 (3439) Bashful Cowboy  /  L-318 (3440) Millie
[[ ♫ ]]  L-319 (3442) Bedtime Story Part 1  /  L-319 (3443) Bedtime Story Part 2
[[ ♫ ]]  L-320 (3444) Spanish Opera  /  L-320 (3445-1) Oriental Opera

 

Label variants with different addresses and without and with "Reproducing Rights Reserved" statement.  Final is a sick on label with a Palm Beach, Fla. address over a Hollywood Hot Shots

 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

LIFE OF THE PARTY RECORDS

Late 1940's red label with silver print who's typography closely resembles the TNT label. No. 1001 reported. 

 

 

♫  1001 (PX-500)  Hill Larity  - Livvy   /   1001 (PX-501)  Hill Larity  -  Candles

TO LABEL INDEX

LIKEN PRODUCTION

Only reported issue is an unnumbered crepitation disc. 

 

 

 

Trade Winds   /   More Winds................LIKEN PRODUCTION unnumbered

 

TO LABEL INDEX

LUCKY

A very late Hollywood entry in the 78 R.P.M. game, these became available in the early 1980's from the late Richard James Hite. The catalog consists of two dubs of unreleased Brunswick Joe Venuti tests and two postwar blues from master pressings. Maroon and silver label, numbers 7000-7003. 

 


001 (L-001-A)  The Hollywood Flames - Ride Helen Ride   /  001 (L-001-AA) The Hollywood Flames - One Night With A Fool
006 (006-A)  The Hollywood Flames - Oooh-La-La   /  006 (006-B)  The Hollywood Flames - Peggy
♫  7000 A   John Ventuni & Friends  - Non Skid Manure    /  7000 B   John Ventuni & Friends  - Onyx Club Review
♫  7001 A   John Ventuni & Friends  - Onyx Club Review No. 2  /  7001 B   John Ventuni & Friends  - Venutis Pagliacci No.1 - Venutis Pagliacci No. 2

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ MADISON MUSIC CO. ]]

 

 

Copyright assigned to Bell Enterprises, Inc. N.Y.C.

♫  822 A  Benny Bell and the Agony Trio - McCarthy and McGinnis   /  822 B  Benny Bell - Silly Simple Simon

TO LABEL INDEX

MARCONI BROTHERS, INC.

From the Marconi Brothers Record Shop, 679 Madison Avenue, New York City. Blue ink on white background numbers MB101 & 2 were recorded in late 1937. It is unlikely that any other items on this label are party material. 

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ MILTONE ]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We have included it because it shows up in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149. 

Label started by Roy Milton in 1946. Originally as Roy Milton Record Co. but changed to Miltone Records in 1947. Catalog acquired by Gotham Records in 1950.   Miltone licensed from DeLuxe.  Most numerous issues were the Ruth Wallis numbers.

1001A (408)  Ruth Wallis  -  Johnnie Had a Yo-Yo   /  1001 B (409)  Ruth Wallis  -  Your Daddy Was a Soldier
♫  1006A (525)  Ruth Wallis  -  Senorita What's Her Name   /  1006B (527)  Ruth Wallis  -  Jose is Living the Life of Reilly
♫  1007A (524)  Ruth Wallis   -  The Fishing Song   /   1007B (529)  Ruth Wallis  -  It's A Scream How Levine Does the Rhumba
♫  1008-A (821)  Ruth Wallis  -  The Dhingy Song  /   1008-B (822)  Ruth Wallis  - Tonight You Sleep in the Bathtub
♫  1009A (526)  Ruth Wallis  -  Pull Down the Shade, Marie   /  1009B  Ruth Wallis  -  Down in the Indies
♫  1010A (608)   Billy Gray's Hollywood Band Box Review  - Everybody Wants A Little Peace  /  Billy Gray's Hollywood Band Box Review - The Kelly's Morellis and The Lipshitzes
♫  1184-A (819)  Ruth Wallis  - Evolution   /   1184-B (820)  Ruth Wallis  -  I Can't Wed You
♫  3199-A (836)  Chubby "Hip Shakin" Newsom  -  Hip Shakin' Mama  /  3199-B (837)  Chubby "Hip Shakin" Newsom  - Chubby's Confession

TO LABEL INDEX

 

[[ MJ (Yellow label with MJ-#) ]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We have included it because it shows up in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149. 
 

♫  MJ-200  What Price Society   /   MJ-218  Hairlip Salesman
♫  MJ-205  Technical Term   /  MJ-213  Tax Appraiser
♫  MJ-206  Allergic   /   MJ-221  The Urinal
♫  MJ-207  Tomboy   /   MJ-210  Talking Dog
♫  MJ-208  Just Go Bang  /  MJ-214  Pregnant Again
♫  MJ-209  Tisket-A-Tasket    /  MJ-219  Trojans
♫  MJ-211  Razzberry And All (Part 1)   /  MJ-212  Razzberry And All (Part 2)
♫  MJ-215  Confidentially   /   MJ-220  Confucious Say [sic]
 

TO LABEL INDEX

MONARCH RECORDS

No information available.

 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

MUSICRAFT PARTY RECORD

file:///C:/Users/j0hnp/Desktop/78_party_records_encyclopedia/hensteeth.com_(2003)/musicrft.jpg


40 W. 46th St., New York, NY. Musicraft began issuing classical and ethnic material in 1936 and went bankrupt in Oct., 1942. New investors revived the label after the Petrillo ban ended in Nov. 1943. Red-label Party issues resemble Musicraft's popular series but use the 'laughing face' trademark of the PARTY RECORD COMPANY in reverse. All discs released in albums and each side bears the album number plus side letter identical to PARTY RECORD COMPANY releases. It is not clear whether Musicraft was involved with PRC from first to last or if this was just a brief involvement to make or keep the company solvent. Albums 6, 8, 12 and 14 so far discovered.

 

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ NATIONAL HOLLYWOOD ]]

 

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We have included it because it shows up in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149.

This a record-your-own record.  There are probably bawdy songs and perhaps copies of the party records found on this "label" but this editor has not been able to find any.


From an ebay auctions.


From a youtube video.

 

TO LABEL INDEX

 

NATIONAL RECORD CO.

The Compo Co. of Lachine, Quebec pressed Decca records for release in Canada but balked at the Dick Robertson cover of “She Had To Go and Lose It at the Astor.” This Blue label with gold print was fabricated sans any reference to Compo, only number 1 was ever issued. 

 

The National Record Co. label is from 1940 and was a one-off production. Herbert Berliner (founder of Compo) just didn't want 'She Had to Go and Lose It At the Astor' to be issued on the Decca label -- it's also an alternate take.

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NEW BOURBON RECORDS

Personal label of female impersonator Ray Bourbon. Successor to Western Records Bourbana, made in Hollywood, black label with silver print, numbers 101-3, 201 and unnumbered discs reported. The post-war New Bourbon Records were produced by Syd Heller, owner of the Columbia Music Store at 158 Taylor St., San Francisco. Heller was also involved with the Stag label. BBB in runout indicates a connection with Bee Bee Bee Records, 1538 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood CA. Output is contemporary with Bourbon's work on IMPERIAL.

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NIFTY NOVELTY RECORDS

Early 1950's label with a strong country-western orientation. Catalog numbers are consecutive for each side with an A or B designation added. A 500 series matrix sometimes appears in the runout. Numbers 10005/6 and 10007/8 known. Label is blue-grey with black print.

 

10007-A  (520-A)  Jimmie Ballard and His Herd  - 'Taint Big Enough   /  10008-B (508-A)  Jimmie Ballard and His Herd -  Take Your Finger Out of It


Compare the above with this 45 record:

TO LABEL INDEX

NIGHT CLUB RECORDS

Early 1950's yellow label with red print, no catalog numbers.  

 

Likely sold at night club venues where the artists were performing their 'racy' routines.


NR2A   Denise & Duval  -  The Last Piece    /  NR2B  Denise  - That Certain Man
NR3A   Denise & Duval  -  Almost A Bride   /  ????
NR4?    Denise & Duval  -  New Sports     /     NR4?    Denise  -  Too High A Price
NR5A   Denise & Duval  -  Special Services   /  NR5B  Denise  -  The Lady Regrets

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NOVEL-TUNES

Black label with silver print contemporaneous with Top Hat Records; late 1941.  Number 2001 and 2003 reported using anonymous dubs of HOLLYWOOD HOT SHOTS recordings.   

2001 A  "She Wouldn't Let Them Take It'    /  2001 B  "Everyone's Kissing Fanny"
♫  2003 A  "Sally"   /   2003 B  "Come And Get It"

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NOVELTY

Numbers 201 and 403 reported, black label with gold print. No. 403 is a laminated pressing from the late 1930's. Both are Benny Bell recordings and were also released on his Radio Novelty label.

 

 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NOVELTY [[ For Home Use Only ]] (yellow label)

Late 1940's yellow label with blue print. Number 101 reported.  

 

101 A   The Cook  /  101 B The Dentist
103 A   Golf  /  ??????
104 A   Revelation  /  104 B Decoration
107 A   Just An Old Rake  /  107 B Sportin' Blood
♫  108 A   In Hawaii  /  108 B  Barbershop Discord
♫  112 A   The Bullfighter  / 112 B   Joy Stick
113 A   Hard To Get   /   113 B   Mistaken Identity

 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NOVELTY RECORD CO.

0301 reported. It is very likely that this is the same company that produced HOLLYWOOD HOT SHOTS, and IMPERIAL. The improvised label illustrated here presents a matrix used by RACY RECORDS.

 

See HOT SHOTS FROM HOLLYWOOD

The images below are Novelty Record Co. presents Hot Shots from Hollywood.  Would one of these have matched the lost image?

♫  0295  Hot Shots from Hollywood  - Rattlesnake McGee     /  0295  Hot Shots from Hollywood  -  Rattlesnake McGee
♫  0296  Hot Shots from Hollywood  - The Virgin From Virginia   /  0306  Hot Shots from Hollywood - What's The Use
♫  L0324-A Hot Shots from Hollywood  -  Knock-Knock-Nuts  /  L0324-A  Hot Shots from Hollywood  -  Knock-Knock-Nuts

 

TO LABEL INDEX

NOVELTY RECORDS

Catalog numbers are prefixed NOV, with 3-23 documented. A post WWII product, white label with black print. Some issues are anonymous dubs of earlier recordings from HOLLYWOOD HOT SHOTS and some are new material. 

 

NOV-3A  Newspaper Headlines /  ????
NOV-6A  Bull Fight /  ?????
♫  NOV-10A - My Girl's Monkey  /  NOV-10B - Virgin Jane
NOV-12A  King Tut  /  NOV-12B  Just My Luck
  ???    /  NOV-14B  I Was A Son Of A Be
♫  NOV-17A  Date With A Dentist   /   NOV-17B   Don't Every Marry A Lady Doctor
♫  NOV-22A  Cafe Follies   /   NOV-22B   Polkahonis

TO LABEL INDEX

OFF THE RECORD

1940's white label with red print, unnumbered. Output consists of anonymous post-WW II material. 

 

The Championship Pt 1   /  The Championship  Pt. 4
The Championship Pt 2  /  The Championship  Pt. 3
The First Night  /   Stitch In Time
Only A Boy  /  Uncle Tom's Cabin

TO LABEL INDEX

OLD NED

A West Coast label which pirated mildly risque English releases in the late 1940's-early 1950's as well as other esoteric foreign items. These dubs show Capitol-style raised, sans-serif typescript in the runoff as well as a tiny diamond E similar to early Blu/Blue releases. Gray-blue or yellow label with black print, numbers ON 1 and 6 reported.

 

 

♫  ON 1-A   On Ilkla Moor Baht'At    /   ON 1-B  Sea Swallow
♫  ON 2-A   Karjalan Poikia    /  ON 2-B   Stenka Razin Gusary
ON 5-A [Cyril Smith(?)] - How Fights Start  /  ON 5-B -  Laughing Record
♫  ON 6-A  [Ray Noble And His New Mayfair Orchestra(?)] - In the Bushes at the Bottom of the Garden  /  ON 6-B  [Cyril Smith(?)] - She Was Poor But She Was Honest

 

TO LABEL INDEX

PAR-DEE RECORDS

The recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians in 1948 opened the door for a host of non-union talent, including risqué performers like Reta Rey who clearly re-recorded a number of her songs for the 1950's mail order label Par-Dee to forestall any difficulties with postal authorities. Distributed by National Films, Toledo 9, Ohio, red label with silver print and an incomprehensible numbering system. All discs known are by Reta Ray. Records were released in regular 10-inch coarse-groove and 8-inch fine-groove 78RPM formats with identical numbers.

 

Issued in various boxed set.  All seem to be Reta Ray

 

TO LABEL INDEX

PARADISE PLATTERS

1930's Hollywood label who's artwork reappeard in 1937 on Racy Records.  Maroon label with silver print, two unnumbered discs reported. Note that both are pressed from the Columbia royal blue shellac then still in use by Allied Record Mfg.. See HOT SHOTS FROM HOLLYWOOD for further background. 

 

 

Christopher Columbo (Uncensored Version)   /  ???
Two Old Maids   /  ???

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ PAR-TEE RECORDS ]]

 

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  Label in light purple-pink with black lettering or black label with silver-grey lettering.  See also Partee Recording Co.

♫  S 203 A   The Masseur  /  S 203 B  Revelation
603A  Handy Man   /   603B   Golf Game
605A  The Honeymooners  /  ???


TO LABEL INDEX

PARLOR RECORDS

Mid-to-late 1940's blue or maroon label with silver print, known range 32-36. Discs sport T prefixed control numbers handwritten in the runout. These are shared in common with the FUN 600 series.


 

32 (T-27)  The Deacon     /    ????

36 (T-35)  Uncle Tom's Cabin  /  ???

 

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTEE RECORDING CO.

Known range 202-603, no other details available.
  

Are marked "For Adults Only" above the issue number.    Other titles listed on the PT label variant are "Happy Ending", "Low Bridge", "Plane Talk", "Now I Know" in addition to "Hole in One" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

♫  UT-1   "Hole In One"      /   UT-2  "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
PT 1-A   Happy Ending  /   ????
PT 4-A   Getting It In     /   PT-4-B  Fawl Pay


Images from the Editor's collection.


 

Related ?  See also Par-tee Records.

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTY NOVELTY'S [sic]

Early release numbers are derived from GOOD-HUMOR but the Novelty's are later dubs from the 1950's produced by Empire Recording Studios 1144 Madison Ave., Redwood City, CA., whose main risqué label was Party Record.   Its products usually have a "33" handwritten in the runout. Black and red print on white background, numerical range from 3 through 63.  

 

1A  Hole In One  /  1A Shaking His Bandolero
3 A  Plumbers Tool  /  3 B Tom And Jerry
♫  5 A   Guy That Put the Dix in Dixie   /  5 B   Cocktail Ray
♫  6 A  Feelem Hotel   /   6 B  Her Man of War
7 A  Strip Poker /  7 B  Her First Piece
8 A  All The Horsemen Knew Her /  8 B  Tillie The Tooter
9 A  Joy Stick  /  B Christmas Balls
♫  11 A  Bridal Suite  /  11 B  Is It True What They Say About Trixie
♫  12 A  Hollywood Night Court  /  12 B  Give It to Mary with Love
♫  19A  Forty Years A Chambermaid   /   19B   Shotgun Wedding
23 A Virgin From Virginia  /  23 B Louie Is The Hottest
40A  The Locksmith  /  ????
♫  41A  Newspaper Headlines   /  41B  The Pool Game
42 A Farmer brown's Jackass, Part 1  /  42 B Farmer Brown's Jackass, Part 2
♫  44 A  Police Court  /  44 B  Disorder in the Court
♫  45 A  The Secret of Sister Jones  /  45 B   King Tut
♫  49A  My Desire   /  49B  Hellish Mrs. Haskill
54 A Give It To Me Daddy  /  54 B Down Behind The Counter At Nicks
♫  56 A The Pullan  /  56 B  I Was a Son of a Be
57 A The Radio Active  /  57 B Placing The Pickle
58 A  The Well-Driller   /  58 B  I Think I'll Join the Navy
♫  61 A  Farm Life   /  61 B  She's Sitting On It
62 A  Arm Chair General / 62 B  Men at Work
65 A Chiropractor's Wife  /  65 B Small Talk

 

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTY PLATTERS Bits of Burlesque

Late 1940's label, yellow with blue print. Numbers 301 through 336 reported. Material is very similar to that issued in the contemporary NOVELTY RECORDS NOV- series, post WWII remakes of earlier material and a few dubs of HOLLYWOOD HOT SHOTS items.

 

Usually yellow label with black text.  Variant orange label with black text seen and also blank green flipside (with blue text) seen matched to the yellow label.  See photos below.  Otherwise all labels see are yellow with Party Platters clearly marked.  Probably related to the PL party record label.

The following five record information is from online database from the Bowling Green State University Library system.  These marked as "Party Platters" with the number catalog #'s of PL 101, PL 1003, etc which match the PL record label.
 

Uncle Tom's Cabin ; Poetic Nonsense (Party Platters PL 101)
The Deacon ; The Pioneers (Party Platters PL 103)
Ice man ; Hot Pants (Party Platters PL 105)
Mr. Buttbuster's Troubles, parts 1 and 2 (Party Platters PL 106)
Deacon Meditates ; Old Black Joe (Party Platters PL 108)


♫  301-A  Hole In One (Golf)   /   301-B  The Bell Boy
303-A  Shaking His Bandelero (The Bullfight)  /  303-B  He Put The Dix in Dixie
♫  306A  Honeymoon   /  306B  Hollywood Night Court
♫  307-A  Strawberry Roan  /  307-B  Just My Luck
♫  308-A  The Big Stink (English Contest) Part 1   /  308-B  The Big Stink (English Contest) Part 2
♫  310-A  Grand Hotel   /   310-B  Hey Ba Ba Re Bob
♫  313-A  Jack And His Bean Stock   /  313-B  Parlor Flying Lessons (Dandy Dan)
♫  313-A  Jack And His Bean Stock   /  Dan McGrew [Runoff reads 22-A]
314-A  School Daze  /  314-B  Drug Store Jake
316-A  The Bullfighter (Part 1)   / 316-B  The Bullfighter (Part 2)
♫  318-A  Newspaper Headlines  /  318-B  The Pool Game
320-A  Riding My Sister  /  320-B  Baby Sitter
♫  321-A  Diddling Nellie  /   321-B  The Pickup (Auto Ride)
♫  322-A  Long Division  /  322-B  The Newleyweds [sic]
♫  325-A  Silent George  /  325-B  Beer Joint 
♫  326-A  Kentucky Trial   /  326-B  Fifteen Ways
♫  329-A  Old Doc   /  329-B  Fido
♫  331-A  Livy Hit The Privy  /  331-B  Miss Phoebe
♫  332-A  The Sewing Machine  /  332-B  Doing The Dirty Boogie

Yellow label with black ink, yellow label blue ink, and an orange label black, black ink. The "FOR ADULTS ONLY" varies with nothing on either side, parenthesis or m-dashes.
 
 

"Jack and His Bean Stock" with flipside "Dan McGrew":

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTY RECORD

The label may have appeared as early as 1940. After an initial run from 500 through 515, master numbers serve to identify the recordings with no release numbers used, beginning with a 2300 series, then a 2500 block of dubs of 1930's Hollywood Hot Shots, a lone 4000, then a run of unnumbered issues with matrix numbers from an unidentified source 6004 through 6016 and 8016-8035, all anonymous. A product of Empire Recording Studios, originally located in the Empire State Building in New York City, by 1950 it had relocated to 1144 Madison Ave. Redwood City, CA.  Label is black with gold print, assumed to have been pressed by the Clark Phonograph Co. of NJ. until the move to the West Coast. Late dubs have a distinctively irregular groove pitch as do Party Novelty's.

 

♫  500 A  Her First Lesson  /  500 B  Stay Single
501 A  Drink Drink Drink  / 500 B   Bird in Hand 
♫  502 A  The Happy Offspring  /  508 A  Something to Remember
♫  504-A  Society Lady    /   504-B  On the Range
♫  506 A  It's Wonderful   /  506 B  Daddy's Girl
♫  507 A  Grand Hotel    /  508 A   Something to Remember
♫  512 A  The Tired Hillbilly  /  512 B  The Broadcast
♫  513 A  Fanny Brown   /  513 B  In Hawaii
♫  514 A  She Gave Her the Works  /  514 B  Just a Little Piece of -----
♫  515 A  Air Raid Warden   /   515 B  When Knighthood Was in Flower
♫  2535  Honeymoon   /  2536  What an Insect
♫  2539  At The Bullfight   /  2540  A Quaint Street
♫  2537  Golf    /  2538  The Masseur
♫  2557  The Ceremony   /  2558  Colony
6002-A  Couldn't Find the Place   /  ??????
♫  6003-B  Low Bridge  /  8035   Now I Know
♫  6004 B  Barber Shop Discord   /   6007 B  Mrs. Larpedas
♫  6008-B  The Heir   /  8034  I'll Be Satisfied
♫  6014  Girls in the Parlor  /  6016  Emily Post Please Write
♫  8016  Just An Old Rake   /  8017  Sporting Blood

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTY RECORD COMPANY

138 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY. On Sept. 20, 1939 Variety reported that U.S. Records had worked out a special license with publishers and would be the first to include a notice for non-commercial or home use on its labels and some copies of the Party Record Company carry this warning. Incorporated in 1941 at 415 Lexington Ave., New York, NY, dissolved July 21, 1944. Red label (usually sans the 'non-commercial' warning) continued through WWII. A brochure indicates that album #5 was the first released, albums 5-14 reported, blue or red labels with gold print. Sold to Musicraft Party Record. 

 

Versions of the labels without the "Inc." from the Editor's collection.  Also a version with the 138 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY address below the name.


 

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTY RECORDS

Unnumbered white label with light blue print utilizing anonymous dubs of early material.  2500 series control numbers shared with black-label Party Record. It appears to be related to the 500 series dark blue label with black print dating from around 1940. 

 

503A  Mistaken Identity  /  503B  Hard To Get

2539  A Quaint Street   /   2540  At The Bullfight
♫  2535   Honeymoon   /   2536   What An Insect
2548   At the Seashore  /   2550 A Pleasant Surprise

Variant label from the Editor's collection is below.

TO LABEL INDEX

PARTY TIME/PARTYTIME

Late 1940's anonymous dubs of 1930's material, known range No. 1 through 11 plus an unnumbered series, white label with blue or black print. Unnumbered series on PARTYTIME features later west coast sources. The label styles are the same and it is possible the same outfit had operations on both the east and west coasts. Party Time shares some couplings and retitling with Burlesque. CR prefixed control numbers on some dubs may be a link to Columbia Music Store and its Stag label. Catalog includes a substantial amount of dubs from Hollywood Hot Shots and Gladys Bentley material. 

 

No. 1 (1113)  [Gladys Bentley(?)] - The Locksmith  /  No. 1  (1115)  Gone With The Wind
No. 4 (359-A)  Who Rode My Sister  /
♫  8 (1204)  High Flying  /  8 (1205)  The Wrong Tool
10 (1210)  A Hole's A Hole   /   ??????
♫  (1104)  Gladys Isn't Gratis  /  (1112)  In and Out
(1118)  Virginian Virgin  /  ?????

 

TO LABEL INDEX

PEARL


Early Handstamped Label / Late 1940's Label / Variant Label

809 Madison St., Covington, KY. Formed by Larry VINCENT and Haven Gillespie in early 1946, by 1947 had national distribution and a sizeable hit with "I Used To Work in Chicago". Despite the variety of artist credits almost all are by Vincent. Early party releases (0010+) are red with silver print and the logo is handstamped in black on the label. Later purple labels with silver print are among the most common party records and their Cincinnati origin suggests an arrangement with the Queen/King labels. Known ranges 0010-0018, non-party numbers 11-25; 50-75 plus #'s 300, 400, 600, 700, 800, 1000, 9001 and 9000B backed with 10000A(!). In addition, some were pressed with one side from the party series and one straight tune, both with their original labels.  

♫  9-A - If You Don't Treat Me Better - Larry Vincent and Orchestra   /  10-A - If I Had My Life To Live Over - Larry Vincent and Orchestra
♫  12-A - Why Do I Keep Rememb'ring - Larry Vincent and Pearl Trio   /  12-B - Dream River - Larry Vincent and Pearl Trio
♫  13A - Am I Wasting My Time On You - Larry Vincent  /  13-B - It Aint Like You - Larry Vincent
♫  14-A - Little Small Town Girl - Larry Vincent and Orchestra  /  14-A - When The Sun Says Goodnight To The Mountain - Larry Vincent and his Look Out Boys
♫  15-A - Sweetheart Polka - Larry Vincent  /  15-B - I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now - Larry Vincent and his Look Out Boys
♫  24-A - My Little Pup With The Patent Leather Nose - Larry Vincent and Boys  /  24-B - Tell Me I'm The One - Larry Vincent and Boys
♫  50-A - Roll Me Over - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]   /  50-B - The Freckle Song - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
♫  51-A - Wong Song - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]   /  51-B - Kelsy's Nuts - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  52-A - I Took My Organ to the Party - Larry Vincent and Jenadoos  /  52-B - The Beaches and the Bassetts - Larry Vincent and Jenadoos
♫  53-A - I Used To Work In Chicago - Larry Vincent and His Look Out Boys /  53-B - Yas! Yas! Yas! - Larry Vincent and His Look Out Boys
♫  54-A - 3000 Years Ago - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]  /  54-B - She Came Rollin' Down The Mountain [aka Nancy Brown] - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
♫  55-A - The Dental Song - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]  /  55-B - Sarah Sitting In A Shoe Shine Shop [Tune: Ja-da] - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
♫  56-A - Automobile Song  - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  / 56-B - Gertie Glyn  - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  57-A - Larry's Barnyard Boogie - Larry Vincent and Boys  /  57-B - The Freckle Song - Larry Vincent and His Look Out Boys
♫  58-A - She Had To Lose It At The Astor - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]  /  58-B - Frankie and Johnny - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
♫  59-A - Why You No Knock - Pearl Trio  /  59-B - I'll Never Leave Her Behind Again - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
♫  60-A - The Kanaka Song - The Three Dukes  /  60-B - Madame Papooley - The Three Dukes
♫  61-A - Golfin' Papa - Pearl Five  /  61-B - Mr Wong No Two - Pearl Five
♫  62-A - Sweet Violets - Pearl Trio  /  62-B - Ace in the Hole - Pearl Trio
♫  63-A - Cows Don't Fly - Pearl Trio  /  63-B - Down on the Farm - Pearl Trio
♫  64-A - Xmas Tree Song - Pearl Five [Larry Vincent]  /  64-B - Zoo Song - Pearl Five [Larry Vincent]
♫  65-A - Don Juan of The Sea - [Larry Vincent]  /  65-B - Butterfly and The Bee - [Larry Vincent]
♫  66-A - Derby Town - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  /  66-B - The Founder Song - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  67-A - Farmer Gray - Music by Pearl Five [Larry Vincent]  /  67-B - Mustache Song - Music by Pearl Five [Larry Vincent]
♫  68-A - Fuller Brush Man - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]    /   68-B - Rubbin' on the Darn Old Thing - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  69-A - Faith, Hope And Charity - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]  /  69-B - Ice Man [Iceman] - [Larry Vincent]
♫  70-A - What Happened To My Fanny - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  /  70-B - California Song - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  71-A - How The Money Rolls In - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  /  71-B - Feed Yourself - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  72-A - Buster Astor - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  /  72-B - Two Sweet Lips - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  73-A - Bell Bottom Trousers (Original Version) - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]  /  73-B - Oh How Peter Has Grown - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
♫  74-A - Get Off The Table Mabel - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  /  74-B - The Cigarette Song [With Speed Shifted Ending Added] - The Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  75-A - Tatooed Lady [sic, Tattooed Lady] - Pearl Boys  /  75-B - Advertising Song - Pearl Boys
♫  76-A - School Song - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]  /  76-B - Caviar Song [aka Caviar Comes From The Virgin Sturgeon] - Pearl Trio [Larry Vincent]
77-A  I Kissed Her But (I Never Will Again)   /  77-B  Balls, Banquets and Parties
♫  78-A - The Smell Song Fish, Fish, Fish! - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]  /  78-B - Strip Tease - Pearl Boys [Larry Vincent]
♫  79  The Old Homestead   /   79  Those Red Flannels That Old Maggie Wore/Landlady's Daughter
♫  270-A - Ragged But Right - Dottie Barlow  /  270-B - The Next Time - Dottie Barlow
♫  271-A - Mama's Ragtime Swing  - Dottie Barlow  /  700-A - All I Do Is Dream Of You  - Larry Vincent
♫  272-A - The Clock Song - Bob Fisher, Milt Feiber   /  272-B - Have a Good Time in Your Prime - Bob Fisher, Milt Feiber
♫  300--A - You're the Sweetest Thing - Larry Vincent  /  300-B Is It Too late to Say I'm Sorry - Larry Vincent
♫  400 - Goin' Fishing (Mama Won't Let Me Go Fishing With You)  - Dottie Barlow and Boys  /  400-A - It Had To Be You  - Dottie Barlow
♫  600-A - Our Lady of Fatima - Larry Vincent  /  600-B - Peace of Mind - Larry Vincent
♫  800-A - Jealous - Larry Vincent  /  800-B - How's My Baby Tonight - Larry Vincent
1000-BB - Blue Boogie - Maple Hill Boys  /  1200-A  Pine Mountain Boys -  When It's Harvest Time Sweet Angeline
♫  9000-B  Larry Vincent  - I Cried For You   /  9000-B  Larry Vincent  - I Cried For You
 

 

Label variants below blue and black labels (ribald) and red label (not bawdy in any way).  Red label show for completeness.


 

TO LABEL INDEX

PHFFFT

Hollywood, CA., possibly affiliated with Blue and Red labels.

 

The Red Records label also features a song by "Luke the Spook"

1313  Luke the Spook  -  Ol' Shantytown    /   1313 B   Luke the Spook and His Spooks  - Nightshift
 

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ PL (White or Orange label with PL #]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  We place this here because it is a distinctive label.  Issued in white or orange label with black text, the label always has "PL" space, a catalog #, and the words "For Adults Only".

All of these "PL" records often have the same performer -- called "The Arkansas Traveled" on the Signifying Monkey -- the control number 323-A struck through along with the Arkansas Traveler performing on "Party Platter" suggests a connection between these labels.

 

♫  PL 101-A (101-A)  [The Arkansas Traveler] - Uncle Tom's Cabin   /   PL 101-B (101-B and (Struck Through) 323-A)  Poetic Nonsense
♫  PL 102-A (102-A)  The Stenographer   /   PL 102-B (102-B)  [The Arkansas Traveler] - Mr. Speaker
♫  PL 103-A  The Deacon   /   PL 103-B  The Pioneers
♫  PL 104-A (PL 104-A)  Dangerous Dan McGrew   /   PL 104-B (blank)  Cocktails
PL 105-A  Ice Man    /    PL 105-B  Hot Pants
PL 106-A  Mr. Buttbuster's Troubles (Part 1)   /   PL 106-B  Mr. Buttbuster's Troubles (Part 2)
♫  PL 107-A (blank) Signifying Monkey (Part 1)  /  PL 107-B (blank)  Signifying Monkey (Part 2)

 


 

TO LABEL INDEX

 

PRIVATE COLLECTION OF NAN BLAKSTONE

This was a joint venture by Nan Blakstone and her husband Ronald Gerard with Billboard stringer Haviland Reves named Hush-Hush Distributors, 2211 Woodward St., Detroit, MI. in 1948. Moved to Haviland-Gerard Inc., 1009 Fox Theater Bldg. in 1949. This was an ill-timed and under-capitalized venture by novices with no first-hand knowledge of the record business. Sales were very poor in comparison with other Blakstone releases. Material was leased to Jubilee in 1950. Black label with silver print. One unnumbered album with numbers 070-072 reported. See also H. Brand 

 

Album Private Collection: Gems of Sophistication, Private Collection Of Nan Blakstone (Nan Blakstone, piano and voice, with Raymond Ladouceur, piano), containing:

070 A   The Throttle Murder Mystery (Authentic Report)  /  070 B The End Of The Honeymoon (Factual)
071 A (PC 104)  Mrs. Suddiford Van Pelt (The Diplomatic Dinner)   /  071 B (PC 105)  Raymond Ladouceur at Second Piano  -  The Horse with the Buggy Behind
072 A   Blakstone’s Frustration (Can’t Find A Place To Do It)  /  072 B A Gentleman Of The Press (aka I’ll Putcha Pitcha In The Paper)

1017 A (PC 130)  Raymond Ladouceur at Second Piano  -  "_____" Rears Its Ugly Head  /  ?????

TO LABEL INDEX

RACY RECORDS

A short-lived 1936 Hollywood label, laminated pressing usually with the same selection on both sides for jukebox consumption. Classic period style label with dark blue design on a gray label. A later label design uses the same artwork as Paradise Platters. Though credited to Hollywood Specialty Recordings, these were actually a product of the west coast branch of the Radio Transcription Co. Of America, Ltd., 1509 N. Vine St., Hollywood, now known as Transco and still headquartered in New Jersey. Those who are convinced this is the devil's music will be reassured to know that the Chicago office was located at 666 Lake Shore Drive. Numerical range is HS 412-HS 422.  Numbers in the runout are written in the same hand as Hot Shots From Hollywood, also recorded at the Associated Cinema Studios, Hollywood. Most of its catalog was reissued on Hollywood Hot Shots. 

 

RACY RECORDS HS 412 His Barrel Is Long -THE SIDEWINDERS

RACY RECORDS HS 415 The Farmer's Daughter - HOLLYWOOD HUSTLERS
RACY RECORDS HS 416 The Girl From Atlantic City -Bud AVERILL

RACY RECORDS HS 418 Two Old Maids In a Folding Bed -Bud AVERILL
[[ ♫ ]] RACY RECORDS HS 419 If You Want a Goose (Get a Gander) -Eddie BEAL
[[ ♫ ]] RACY RECORDS HS 420 Don't Ever Marry a Lady Doctor -Eddie BEAL

[[ ♫ ]] RACY RECORDS HS 422A Come, John, Come -BASIN ST. BOYS

 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

RADIO RECORD/RADIO NOVELTY RECORDS

Radio Record was a do-it-yourself production of songwriter Benny Bell. An outfit called Radio Record Company was originally incorporated in Westchester County, NY. April 28, 1931. If this is the same operation that later operated at 1658 Broadway, New York, NY, it would be the earliest known party label (though it clearly had no shot at getting any airplay). Known issue is number 200, black label with gold print, circa 1937. Succeeded by Radio Novelty Records circa 1939. Radio Novelty was a basement production of songwriter Benny Bell. Numerical range spans 129 to 988. There are doubtless many re-releases and re-recordings which inflate the output. Label is green with black print. Take numbers are occasionally shown in the runout after the catalog number. Later issues drop the "Novelty" appellation although it would seem that the word "radio" was the actually the most inappropriate term in the name. 

 

 

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RANDOM

Released two Nan BLAKSTONE albums in the late 1940's. Black label with silver print, numbers 070 through 072 reported.

 

 

Nan Blakstone, piano and voice, with Raymond Ladouceur, piano, containing:

1017  Little Richard’s Getting Bigger  / 1017  “….” Rear Its Ugly Head
1018  Cobwebs / 1018 Who Brought Me Home
1019  A Lady’s A Lady (No Matter What Cooks)  /  1019  Riding Academy

 

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ RARE MOMENTS IN VERSE ]]

 

Note: This label was NOT in the original hensteeth.com.  Only one disc reported with the semi-scatalogical poem about out-houses titled "The Passing of the Backhouse" which has been attributed to Jams Whitcomb Riley.

?????    /  1 B (D 101)  Gene Arnold  -  The Passing of the Backhouse

TO LABEL INDEX

 

REAL McCOY

Number 101 reported with the same coupling as Novelty 101.

 

Blue label with silver lettering.

101 (Mc 1)  The Cook  /  101 (Mc 2)  The Dentist

 

TO LABEL INDEX

RED

Possibly affiliated with Blue Records, number 503 known. 

 

Editor's Note: The PHFFFT Records label also has a song by Luke the Spook.

 

Luke the Spook  -  The Woodpecker Song  /  ??????
Luke the Spook  -  Adam's First Piece  /  Luke the Spook  -  Ice Man

 

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ RED GOOSE RECORD CO. ]]

 

 

 

Robert Crumb is a collector of 78 records and issued a few 78 records himself including Party Record.  The song "Christopher Columbus" is based on the Gladys Bentley version which Crumb as a white label copy.

♫  2026 A  R. Crumb and his Cheap Suit Serenaders  -  My Girl's Pussy  /  2026 B  Leila Jane Dornacker with the Cheap Suit Serenaders - Christopher Columbus

TO LABEL INDEX

 

REM

Label is identical in design to the Rex label, the name change occurred around May of 1949. 5280 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA. number 13 known. Curiously the legend on the label reads, "Licensed for radio broadcast."  

 

Title of label should be REM Hollywood.   Only a few of items on this label are party material.

116-A  Jesus is Mine -  Prof James E. Hines;   Matrix / Runout (Side A runout etched): REX 116-A
116-B  God Be With You - Prof James E. Hines;  Matrix / Runout (Side B runout etched): REX 116-B

23005-A  If I Could Get With You One Hour Tonight - Kay Starr  (mx. REX 9794) recorded Los Angeles, July 25, 1944.
23005-B  Tin Roof Blues - Wingy Manone  (mx. REX 9793) recorded Los Angeles, July 25, 1944.

30000-A  Jay's Hop - Jay McShann  Matrix / Runout: MC -120 - A
30000-B  Old Maid's Boogie - Jay McShann  Matrix / Runout: REX - 28026 - B

 

TO LABEL INDEX

RETA RAY PARTY RECORDS

Personal label of Reta Ray from the late 1940's, red with silver print or dark blue on pale blue.  Numbers, when shown, are masters not release numbers. Probably associated with Coast Records, for whom Miss Ray recorded her first sides. See also Par-Dee Records. 

 

All labels seen with light blue with dark blue text has no numbers on the label where as red label silver text has the master numbers on the label.

Reta Ray  -  Chinese Women   /   ????
Reta Ray  -  Sniffing Song   /   ????
A-9602  -  Reta Ray  -  Chinese Women  /  ????
RR-G1  Reta Ray  -  Hot Rod   /  ????

TO LABEL INDEX

RINGSIDE FUN SERIES

Bozo St. Clair regaled Houston audiences in the late 1940's and early 1950's. The Ringside Club at 510 Millby was the best of several venues the vaudevillian frequented including the Town Lounge Club and the Diamond Horse Shoe Club, all of which provided vanity labels. The Ringside took its name from the prize fights it hosted.
  

According to Bill McClung, this label was done by the Swing Record Manufacturing Company of Paris, Texas by James Mercer.

 

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RISK-K-FUN

No information available.

 

Risk-K-Fun is found in a list of party record labels in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149. 

This editor has been unable to find further information on this label.

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ RIS-KAY ]]

[[ Not in hensteeth.com ]]

A 1948 copyright for "Mr. Hemingway's School" on the label for side 400 A.  The copyright entry dated February 16, 1948 lists music as being by Jerome J. Goldstein and copyright by Leo Weiner & Harry Frankel.  Weiner & Frankel were convicted for distributing obscene material and sentenced to three and four months in the "workhouse" respectively.

400 A  Mr. Hemingway's School  /  400 B  The First Time
402 A  Candid Camera  /  402 B   The Mustache Song

TO LABEL INDEX

RISQUE

Anonymous late 1940's outfit claiming to be from New York. Labels are red with silver print.  Known range 1 to 16, with some releases adding an R prefix to the release number. All issues are anonymous. Material issued is primarily dubs of Hollywood Hot Shots. The presence of several John Ryan items in the catalog strongly suggests Eli Oberstein's participation. No matrix or control numbers are present.  

 

The two label variants below: a serif typeface and a san-serif typeface.

???      /   2-B   [Ray Bourbon] - Virgin-ia's Downfall
♫  4-A  The Boat and Oar   /   4-B  Riding My Sister
♫  R-6A  The Modern Way   /   R-6B  The Right Tool
R-13B  Nudist  /  ??????
R-16A  She Tried It Last Night  /  ?????
???  the pick up  /  ???  looking for lei
???  getting it in  /  ??? fowl play

  

TO LABEL INDEX

SIMPLEX

Mid-1950's label. Number 101 is reportedly a Ruth Wallis disc. 

 

S-103  Ruth Wallis  -  It's Wonderful To Be Married   /   ??????

 

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SKIT

Light blue label with watermark "naughty" and dark blue print. One unnumbered example by Paul Speegle known. 

 

(SSR 600)  Paul Speegle  -  "Introduces Small Boy to Esquire"   /   (SSR 601)   Paul Speegle  -  "At the Lingerie Counter"

 

TO LABEL INDEX

SLAPSTICK

1949 Benny Bell label, only number 400 reported.  

 

TO LABEL INDEX

SONGCRAFT RECORDS

Manny Warner's label was headquartered at 1650 Broadway, New York, NY. 1947 yellow or green label with black print also produced Laff and later Adelphi. Two unnumbered Eli Basse discs reported. 

 

 

B103 A  The Balkan Serendaders  -  Drage Mi Nema   /  B103 B  The Balkan Serendaders  -  U Zivotu Nista Nema
♫  (JG-1001 A)   Larry Martin and The Melodeers   -  A Million Angels    /  (JG-1001 B)   Larry Martin and The Melodeers  -  Honey in my Heart
♫  (PS-402)   Eli Basse  -  Number 4 Hoomintosh Lane   /   (PS-403)  Eli Basse  -  Since Chana Came Back from Havana
♫  (PS-404)  Eli Basse   -  Oom-Glick Blues   /   (PS-405)  Eli Basse  -  Litvak Polka
(P-600)  Luigi and John - I'm An Old Fashioned Guy   / (P-601) Luigi and John  - Dum Dum Bullet



TO LABEL INDEX

SOPHISTICATED MUSIC

Number 101 reported. 

TO LABEL INDEX

SOUND

Numbers 1/2 and 3/4 reported, all Spivy material. 

 

Editor's Note:  Name of label should be Sound Apparatus Co.  In Sep 1941 this company was located at 150 W  46th St, New York

Last of the Fleur De Levy SOUND 1/2
Penelope’s Tarantella  SOUND 3/4
A Fool in the Moonlight  SOUND 5/6
Fashion of the Two-By-Two SOUND 5/6

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ "SPORT" LABEL ]]

 

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website. 

????    /  100 B The Sausage Grinder (Johnson)

TO LABEL INDEX

 

STAG

Yellow and white label with black print, or white label with blue print. Known range 500  through 525. The radically different label styles suggest this may have been a bi-coastal operation. Two sides with JJ-prefixed control numbers were also issued on the Kicks label. JJ-4 is a retitled side by Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers, produced by Eli Oberstein. The CMR prefix added to the catalog number in the runout of most Stag issues seems to refer to the Columbia Music Store at 158 Taylor St., San Francisco, owned by Syd Heller. There is at least some original material in the catalog, the Big Vernon sides by Big Joe Turner being the most sought-after. 504 is a Yiddish cover of the Barton Brothers' “Cockeyed Jenny.” Heller was also involved with the post-war New Bourbon Records.  

 

500 A  Uncle Tom  / 500 B  The Second Front
501 A  Flutterblast Contest  Part I   /  501 B  Flutterblast Contest  Part II
503 A  [Gladys BENTLEY]  -  The Locksmith   /   503 B  Her First Nite
505 A  The Interview   /   505 B  Joy Stick
506 A  The Settlers  /  506 B  Down Under
507 C  Flutterblast Contest  Part II   /  501 D  Flutterblast Contest  Part III
508 A  Big Vernon  -  Around the Clock Blues  Part 1   / 508 B  Big Vernon  -  Around the Clock Blues  Part 2
509 A  K. Holden  Big Vernon  -  Hot Nuts    /    K. Holden  Big Vernon  -  Steady Grinder
♫  511A  Jack Golden and His Backroom Boys  -  Freckles Song   /  511B  Jack Golden and His Backroom Boys  -  Gladys Isn't Gratis
512 A  Jack Golden and His Backroom Boys  -  Roll Me Over  /  Jack Golden and His Backroom Boys  -  She Came Rolling
513 A  Jack Golden and His Backroom Boys  -  Two Old Maids   /  513 B   I Used To Work In Chicago
516A  The Secretary  /  516B  The Doctor
517-A  George Givot  -  The Greek Ambassador  /  517-B  George Givot  -  Mark Antony & Cleopatra
519A  The Toreador   /  519B  Saving It
♫  520A   Jack's Jackass  /   520B   Giving It To Baby

 

TO LABEL INDEX

STANDIRT PRODUCTION

  

Standard was one of the largest producers of Electrical Transcriptions ("canned music") for radio stations and released these special unnumbered recordings (which were decidedly not licensed for broadcast) for the diversion of its major subscribers. Late 1930's and early 1940's releases were recorded using RCA Victor's Hollywood matrix series. Labels are white with a red and blue stripe and blue printing. Standard severed the connection when RCA joined CBS in holding out against the striking American Federation of Musicians. Issues from 1943 onward were recorded at a variety of West Coast studios and show their respective matrix numbers.  

 

(2071)  The Court Jesters  -  Hozana: A Heartwarming Rendition / (2072) The Court Jesters  - The Pratt Family: A Case History
♫  PC-4601  "Disc Jockey's Lament"  -- Herman Shlumpf    /  PC-4602  Herman Shlumpf  - "The Ballad of Maud, the Mezzo-Soprano"
♫  064038  We're Very Fussy on the Radio  - John Charles Raymond   /  064078  Breaking into Radio -  Ann Shelton
♫  1st Variant:  072248   The Country Dodgers – "Your Morning Feature"  /   074140  Ann Shelton -- "Gracie La Groove "(That Platter Spinnin' Gal)
2nd Variant:  072248  The Country Dodgers --  Your Morning Feature   /   074140  Ann Shelton  --  Gracie La Groove  (That Patter Spinnin' Gal
These two are the same except one has double quotes around the titles the other doesn't

♫  97397   Elmer and Oscar - The Shotgun Weddin'   /  B-3387-A  Sons of the Pioneers  -  Sweet Violets
97462   Elmer and Oscar - The Shotgun Weddin'   /  ?????

 

 

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STAR GARTER

Copyright 1947 by Lord & Roberts Recording Co., Los Angeles. Red label with silver print, numbers 1001 through 1009 plus 3020 and 5002 reported. Later became Whiz.  

 

All material on this label is by George "Bozo" Lord and Bob Roberts.  Offices at 2852 Adams Ave, San Diego and 5971 South Figueroa, Los Angeles.  They had licensed distributors in St. Louis, Houston, Seattle, Jacksonville (FL), Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, Wilkes-Barre (PA), New Orleans, and Washington, DC according to Billboard. June 19, 1948, pg 53.

1001-A (SG-500)  Newspaper Headlines   /   1001-B  (SG-501) The Pool Game
♫  1002-A (SG-502)  Farmer Brown's Jackass  Part 1   /  1002-B (SG-503)  Farmer Brown's Jackass Part 2
1003-A (SG-504)  The Bull Fight  Part 1  /  1003-B (SG-505)  The Bull Fight  Part 2
♫  1004-A (SG-506)  Police Court      /   1004-B (SG-507)  Disorder in the Court
1005-A (SG-508)  The Secret of Sister Jones   /  1005-B (SG-509)  King Tut
♫  1006-A (SG-510)  Just My Luck   /  1006-B (SG-511)  Ukulele Papa
♫  1007-A (SG-512)  School Daze   /  1007-B (SG-513) Drug Store Jake
♫  1008-A (SG-514)  Solomon's Dream   /   1008-B (SG-515)  Not To-Night Cleo
1009-A (SG-516)  The Newlyweds     /   1009-B (SG-516)  MeArce Cafe


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STARLINE

No information available.

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TAG Records

Probably from the early 1950's, number 152 by Vivian Marshall reported.   

 

151-A  Vivian Marshall  -  Forever Amber Part I    /   151-B  Vivian Marshall  -  Forever Amber  Part II

There is a report of another record on TAG by Vivian Marshall titled "What I Did Between Covers I Can't Do on the Screen". See The Billboard, January 10, 1948, pg 35.

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TAMPA

2628 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 1956. 

 

Tampa Records label produced party 45s & LPs of Billy Devroe and his Devilaires with only one known number of Devroe on 78 which is not a party record.

TP 109 (RS 5)   Billy Devroe's Devilaires   -  The Love of Bridey Murphy   /  TP 109 (RS 6)   Billy Devroe's Devilaires  -  Will You Love Me

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TID-BITS

Unnumbered late forties label which shares some material with Laff-Disc.

 

Green label with silver text.  The only label seen by this editor had a plain white label on the flipside.

 

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TNT RECORDS Tunes-n-Titters

A product of the Hi-Tension Co. from the late 1940's or early 1950's. No relation to the Tanner 'n' Texas firm of San Antonio. Unnumbered red labels with silver print show control numbers L-1 through L-21, 6001 to 6018 and 8016 to 8035 but no catalog number. These are anonymous performances, mostly dubs of Party Record releases. Label style is reminiscent of New York City's Sunset label. In all likelihood a label of Empire Recording Studios after it relocated to 1144 Madison Ave. Redwood City, CA. 
  

These share the same control numbers as the black label gold text "Part Record".

♫  6002A  "Couldn't Find a Place to Do It"    /   8033 Dandy Dan
6003  Low Bridge   /  8035  Now I Know
♫  6004 B  Barber Shop Discord  /  6007 B Mrs. Lapedas
6009 A   You'll Have to Show It to Mother  /   8023 Aint Gittin' in Tonight
6016 9 (L-2)  Emily Post Please Write  /   ?????
8016  Sporting Blood   /  8017    Just and Old Rake
 

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TOP HAT RECORDINGS

No information available.

 

Matrix no(s).: BR 103, BR 104
Label: Top Hat Recordings

[Side A] (BR 103)  Lock and Key
[Side B] (BR 104)  Able on the Reservation

Info retrieved from the Philip Moore Collection at Indiana State University at Bloomington.  Finding aid to the collection here: https://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/findingaids/bfca/VAD8293

 

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TOP HAT RECORDS

Top Hat was a product of the Independent Record Co., NYC. This was a joint venture between Johnny Messner and Eli Oberstein. Early numbers are reissues of Varsity sides having a risqué tune on one side and sing-along material on the other, marking them as classic “operator's specials.” Subsequent releases were originals recorded ca. late 1940. Label is black with silver print, known range 1001-1018. The name was revived after World War II on a yellow label with non-Oberstein material.  

 

Two label variants: one label with Independent Record Company NYC , "Made in the U.S.A" and a dash to the issue number-side, another label with Independent Record Distributors, NYC, without the "Made in the U.S.A." and no dash in the number-side.

1001A   Johnny Mesner and His Orchestra  -  She Had to Go and Loose It at the Astor  / 1001B  Beer Barrel Boys  -  Piccolos Prance
♫  1001-A   Johnny Messner  - She Had to Go and Lose It at the Astor   /  1001-B  Beer Barrel Boys - Piccolos Prance
♫  1002-A   Johnny Messner and His Orchestra  -  She Really Meant To Keep It    /  1002-B  The Korn Kobblers  -  Night Life Polka
♫  1003-A   John Ryan  -  The Wave Song     /  1003-B   The Railroad Men  - When That Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabama
♫  1004A    John Ryan  -  She Tried It Last Night    /  1004B   The Railroad Men  -  Casey Jones
♫  1005-A   John Ryan  -  I Wish I Were A Fairy     /   1005-B  The Railroad Men The Railroad Men   -   I've Said My Last Farewell
♫  1007-A   John Ryan  -  The Quiz Song    /  1007-B  Dublin Irish Orch.  -  Polka Tunes
♫  1008-A   Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers  - The Yodel Song (I Love To Layhee Layhee Ooh)    /  1008-B  Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers - When I Am Far Away
♫  1009-A   Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers  - The Dental Song   /  1009-B  Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers - Paddy Callahan Has Joined The Army
♫  1011-A   The Ramblers  -  Peter   /  1011-B   The Ramblers   -   In My Own Quiet Way
♫  1012-A   The Ramblers  -  Whistlin' Blues     /  1012-B  The Ramblers  -  Tender Is the Word for You
♫  1014-A   The Ramblers  -  She Had It Taken   /   1014-B   The Ramblers  - When The Sun Shines Over Wyoming
♫  1015-A   The Ramblers  -  Always Too Tired    /   1015-B   The Ramblers  -  Ev'ry Little Thing
♫  1016-A   The Ramblers  -  Grandma    /  1016-B   The Ramblers - Cheep! Cheep!
♫  1017-A   Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers  - Why Can't You Do It Right Now   /  1017-B  Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers  - When Cohen Plays The Jewes Harp & Riley Plays the Flute

  

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TORCHIES FROM HOLLYWOOD

One of the more obscure of the 1930's Hollywood labels. See Hot Shots From Hollywood for full details. Credited to Amusement Record Distributors, clearly a jukebox record service. Dull yellow label with black print, its unnumbered Allied pressings sometimes have residual Columbia royal blue shellac, ca. 1936. 

 

A-301  Bob Brandy  -  Yes -- Yes -- Yes    /   A-302  Bob Brandy  -  King Solomon

 

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TOWN LOUNGE CLUB

Produced by Bozo St Clair for sale at this establishment located at 1212 Texas Ave., Houston  TX. As he moved to different locations in the late 1940's and early 1950's he repressed the same material on Ringside Fun Series and Diamond Horseshoe Club. Some issues are unnumbered others use masters as catalog numbers. Red label with silver print are probably west coast products. Earlier white picture label with blue print is almost certainly pressed by Swing Records Manufacturing Co. 513 13 N.E., Paris, Texas. Owned by Jimmy Mercer from 1947 to 1950 and also produced All-Spice.   

 

Four label variants: white label with red or blue lettering and photo, and plain red label with silver text with & without control numbers.

Mary At The Zoo  /  ????
Bozo St. Clair  -  Old Gene Artery Part 1  /  Bozo St. Clair  -  Old Gene Artery Part 2
????    /   Bozo St. Clair  -  Bullfighter Part No. 2
Bozo St. Clair  - Chicago   / Bozo St. Clair  -  Chloe
1366  Bozo St. Claire  - Woody Woodpecker  /  ????

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TRILLBLOW

CBS used this logo for its release of the Canadian Crepitation Contest in 1946. Although commercial distribution was cancelled, quite a number of 12" albums, complete with Alec Steinweiss covers were supplied to industry insiders.

This label was used by Columbia (CBS) for release of the International Crepitation Contest.   The signature he uses on the cover is "Joe Blow."  

 

 

 

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VOGUE

Not the picture record (but wouldn't that have been interesting?). A 1950's label, only number 501 reported. 

 

Three known records.  Manufactured by Paramuse Sales Corp 1674 Broadway, NYC.  According to the Record Retailing Yearbook, 1945, pg 288, Vogue was operating at this address, the president was Murray Singer, and it had the trade names Nu-Vogue & Vogue. The Broadway address is the same address as the later A-Mus-Ing Records and Carnival Records.

Vogue:

♫  500 A  Don Carper and his Copa Cabana Foursome  - What Color Are Pansies Woo Woo Woo    /   500 B  Don Carper  -  One, Two, Three O'Lairy Oh My! Whoa Mary !
♫  501 A  Don Carper and His Copa Cabana Foursome  - I'm Bringing You A Lei from Hawaii /  501 B  Don Carper  - I'm Keeping It For You

Nu Vogue:

501 A  Henry Sylvern Trio   -  Bounce-y Bounce-y Ball-y   /  501 B  Ross Leonard  -  Whistle For A Wind

 

TO LABEL INDEX

WALLIS ORIGINAL

Ruth Wallis had her own label in the mid-1950's with distribution in the U.S. and Canada. Headquartered in Linden, NJ, it was a partnership of Wallis, her husband/manager Hy Pastman and Joe Liebowitz of DeLuxe Records at 20-28 E. Elizabeth Ave, Linden. Cream label with dark brown print or white with red print. Known range 2000-2025 plus a  popular series 3001 & 2. Moved to 4 Yale Terrace, Linden NJ. in mid-1950 and to 100 N. Wood Ave.Linden NJ. the following year. Matrix series begins at 200, prefixed by W in the runoff. Take numbers sometimes appear after mx. number on the label and in the runout. Small variations in titles and label credits exist from pressing to pressing. King acquired the label and renumbered everything for microgroove reissue and recorded some new material in 1966 but the original files have not yet come to light. 

TO LABEL INDEX

WESTERN RECORD CO. BOURBANA

A mid-1930's Hollywood label featuring female impersonator Ray Bourbon. Pressings are laminated, label is black with silver print. Later revived as New Bourbon, WR-711 through 717 known, with WR 712-A, 714-A and 717 appearing in the runout of later re-releases on Good-Humor and Hot Shots From Hollywood. Short pressing runs with white, typewritten labels also exist. 


  

 

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WHIZ

1950's successor to Star Garter, the source of the 1947 copyright. Discs are unnumbered but display SG-prefixed numbers in runoff which are Star Garter control numbers applied to dubs of earlier recordings. These include Hollywood Hot Shots material as well as John Ryan and Top Hat Records. These last would indicate a connection with Eli Oberstein. Eccentric groove is typical of West Coast products imitating Radio Recorders. Rose red label with gold print includes material from Bang.
  

Some titles have variant flipsides 43/44 and 43/46.

♫  1  Fairy  /  2  Big One
♫  3  Twins  /  4  Last Night
♫  5  Guess Who  /  6  She Got It
♫  7  Xmas Tree  /  8  Nudist Colony
♫  9  Golf  /  10  Honeymoon
♫  11  Dental Song  /  12  Chiropractor's Wife
♫  13  Myrtle Isn't Fertile  /  14  Automobile Ride
♫  15  Girl From Atlantic City  /  16  Just A Gigilo [sic]
♫  17  Mistaken Identity  /  18  Her First Music Lesson
♫  23  Farmer Browns Jackass Part 1  /  24  Farmer Browns Jackass Part 2
♫  25  The Bull Fight Part 1  /  26  The Bull Fight Part 2
♫  33  School Daze  /  34  Drug Store Jake
♫  35  Solomon's Dream  /  36  Not Tonight Cleo
♫  39  Barber Shop  /  40  Shore Leave
♫  41  Hotel Scene  /  42  Aeroplane Lesson
♫  43  Peter  /  44  Dixie
♫  43  Peter  /  46  Yodel Song
♫  44  Dixie  /  45  Sweet Violets
♫  45  Sweet Violets    /  46  Yodel Song
♫  47  Just An Old Rake  /  48  Aquaplane Lesson
♫  101 A  Take a Ship for Yourself   /  101 B Hinkey Dinkey Polly Voo
♫  202 A  Automobile Song  /   202 B  [Benny Bell]  -  Shaving Cream 
♫  Emp 21  The Pool Game - Formerly Star and Garter  /   Emp 22  Newspaper Headlines - Formerly Star & Garter
♫  Emp 27  Police Court - Formerly Star and Garter  /   Emp 28  Disorder In The Court - Formerly Star and Garter
♫  Emp 31  Just My Luck - Formerly Star and Garter   /   Emp 32  Ukulele Papa - Formerly Star and Garter
♫  Emp 35  Solomon's Dream - Formerly Star and Garter   /  Emp 36  Not Tonight Cleo - Formerly Star and Garter
♫  Emp 37  The Newlyweds - Formerly Star and Garter   /  Emp 38  Me Arce Cafe - Formerly Star and Garter
♫  Emp 49  Fanny  /   Emp 50  Strip Tease Queen
♫  Emp 51  Shot In Her Opera Box  /  Emp 52  Hildas A Good Cook
♫  Emp 53  Cleopatra  /  Emp 54  The Royal Box
♫  Emp 59  Hold Up   /   Emp 60  Card Game
♫  Emp 61  Injections  /  Emp 62  Cute Canine
♫  Emp 65  Hinkey Dinkey Parley Voo   /  Emp 66  She Really Meant to Keep It
♫  Emp 67  Give It To Me Daddy  /  Emp 68  Garbage Man

Label variants: first, gold-yellow text, WHIZ is thicker & taller, sans-serif typeface for the title, and  "Formerly Star & Garter  / Copyright 1947" below, second, the same without "Formerly..." and, finally, a more golden text with shorter & thinner WHIZ with serif typeface for the title.

   

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ WINDBREAK RECORDS ]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website. 

 

TO LABEL INDEX

WORTH

No information available.

 

This editor doesn't know if the following image is the party record or not.

TO LABEL INDEX

ZEAL/ZEAL RECORDS

 

Unnumbered white label with black print, possibly from the early 1950's. Also numbered black label with silver print, 101 reported. Oddly enough there are at least three separate pressings of this single disc, one unnumbered and two with variant credits. See Miss Penelope Prude and Percival Creamo Puff. 

 

101-A  Miss Penelope Prudence Prude  -  Miss Stenographer (A Girl Of Many Letters) /   101-B  Percival Creamo Puff  -  Lots of Laughs

TO LABEL INDEX

ZEST

Crudely manufactured postwar discs with black print on yellow labels or orange print on olive labels. All known issues are anonymous dubs, probably the output of Paris, Texas' own Swing Records Manufacturing Co. 513 13th St. N.E., which also produced Acorn and some early Town Lounge Club. Labels are oversized, often appearing to be hand cut. The owner Jimmy Mercer was one of the very few to face serious difficulties over party records. Mercer disappeared from the record scene abruptly in 1950. Between 1947 and 1950 Zest released a variety of material ranging from Hollywood Hot Shots 1937 Pure and Simple routines and 1936 Lil Johnson sides to post war Johnnie Cook material. It would appear that original material was reserved for other labels associated with Swing, particularly All-Spice. 
 

ZEST (unnumbered) label listing:

Golf Game/Uncle Tom's Cabin
Pioneers/I'll Be Satisfied
Any Ice Today Lady/Sam The Marine
Little Red Ridinghood/Baby Sitter
The Deacon/[Lil Johnson] Nuts
[[ ♫   Billiards / Lost Fly ]] 
[[ ♫   Mr. Speaker / Snappy Stories ]]

 

According to Bill McClung, this label was done by the Swing Record Manufacturing Company of Paris, Texas by James Mercer.

Variant labels: White label, black text; light blue label, red text; yellow label, black text; silver label, red text.


 

TO LABEL INDEX

[[ ZIP ]]

 

Editor's note.  This record label was NOT included in the original hensteeth.com website.  Reminiscent of the first Zest label image above.  According to Bill McClung, this label was done by the Swing Record Manufacturing Company of Paris, Texas by James Mercer.

♫   1A  Hole in One   /  1B  Shaking His Bandolero
17  Date With A Dentist  /  ???

TO LABEL INDEX

© David Diehl 1996, 2010

 

Editor's Note:  The following unlabeled records share similar characteristics like label colors and typeface.  We have placed them for reference

RED LABEL BLACK TEXT

This "label" shares type face characteristics of the ZEST label & ZIP labels above but, of course, without a label name.  According to Bill McClung this "record label" was also done by the Swing Record Manufacturing Company of Paris, Texas by James Mercer.

Beer Joint   /   Silent George  
The Deacon   /  Sam The Marine
Ice Man  /  Love's Old Sweet Story
♫   Miss Stenographer (XX N in runoff) /  Snappy Stories (SS in runoff)
 










 

 

 

[[  Research lead: A list of party record labels is found in the book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol II., 1993, by V. Vale and ‎Andrea Juno. Pg 149.  .  The list includes record labels not found in the hensteeth.com label record like Davis, De Luxe, Dooto, Joe Davis, Hicks, Miltone, MJ Records, MR Records, and Party.  We have added some of those labels. 

Here is the list from that book:

78 RPM LABELS THAT USED BLUE MATERIALS
Blu Records; Blue; Bourbon; Burlesque; Burley-Q
Davis; De Luxe; Dooto; Fiske; Friskana; Fun; Gala
Good Humor; Hi Lite; Hi-Society; High Society;
Hollywood Hot Shots; Hush-Hush; Imperial; Joe Davis;
Jubilee; KEM; Hicks; Laff; Let's Have Fun; Liberty Music (some);
LD Records; Miltone; MJ Records; MR Records;
National Hollywood; Novelty; Party; Party Noveltys;
Party Platters; Party Time; Pearl; Risk-K-Fun; Risque;
Stag; Star Garter; Tampa; Top Hat (some); Wallis Original;
Western Record Co.

]]

Editor's Note:  This content was originally located at www.hensteeth.com.  As the hensteeth.com is no longer in existence, the content was retrieved using The Wayback Machine (www.archive.org).  The hensteeth.com website underwent a redesign from 2007 to 2010 and some content was lost in the transition. So we added back things found prior to the redesign.  The images right below the name of the record label are original to the hensteeth.com website but some images were not recovered and we have placed "Image is Lost" in those locations.  Text and images BELOW the half-line and anything in double brackets [[ ]] are provided by this editor.  The ♫ music symbol indicates that the editor has a recording of this item. 

Jack Horntip, Editor

 

Any additions, corrections or comments about this edited version of www.hensteeth.com/labels.html can be sent to the editor at

 

Last modified: March 05, 2025 12:00 AM