[Ads-l] Antedating of Musical Sense of "Blues"

[Shapiro, Fred]

The Oxford English Dictionary's earliest citation for the musical sense of the word "blues" is the title of Hart A. Wand's 1912 song "Dallas Blues."  This citation was contributed to OED by me.

I now believe that the correct earliest citation is the title of Baby Franklin Seals's song "Baby Seals Blues."  "Baby Seals Blues" was registered for copyright on Sept. 3, 1912.  "Dallas Blues" was registered for copyright on Sept. 6. 1912.

It is true that "Dallas Blues" is widely regarded as having been published before "Baby Seals Blues."  That assertion is based on Wand's own claim reported in Samuel Charters' book The Country Blues, pp. 35-36.  This claim is analyzed in Peter C. Muir's very scholarly book Long Lost Blues: Popular Blues in America, 1850-1920.  Muir concludes that "Wand is not a reliable source."  I have looked at dozens of books and articles that maintain that "Dallas Blues" was published in March 1912.  None of them provides any documentation of such a publication date.

Fred Shapiro




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