# What's your favorite REALLY oldie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854 "2012-09-06T15:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/41 "2012-09-06T23:22:00Z")
I’ve loved _Chattanooga Choo Choo_ my whole life, I think. I remember my grandparents playing a 78 of it on their stereo/turn table cabinet that was like this huge piece of furniture. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/42 "2012-09-06T23:28:21Z")
Henry Thomas “Bulldoze Blues” from the 1930’s …not too specifically. Canned Heat fans may recognize a certain melody in this song. It’s my understanding that the guitar and… pipe?..whistle?.. were homemade. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K1yhaBsD8Vw/hqdefault.jpg "Henry Thomas - Bulldoze Blues") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1yhaBsD8Vw) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/43 "2012-09-06T23:35:03Z")
Robert Johnson’s [_They’re Red Hot_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They%27re_Red_Hot), and he’s not really singing about tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/44 "2012-09-06T23:37:12Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > I’m also a Leon Redbone fan, and have seen him play live. Plus, I was lucky enough to see Cab Calloway in concert twice. Just amazing. I’ve seen Redbone a few times. Easily, the best was the night back in '82 when he opened for - get this: TOM WAITS!!! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/45 "2012-09-06T23:42:09Z")
I just love “Who Knows Where or When”. I first heard the Dion and the Belmonts version but then found out it was much older - it’s from _Babes in Arms_ (1937). ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/46 "2012-09-06T23:56:00Z")
Doo-wop began in the 40s, right? So, even older than that… _Summertime_ from Porgy and Bess. I do like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, too, though. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/47 "2012-09-07T00:23:38Z")
“Weeping Willow” by Scott Joplin. Then there’s the flamenco “Recuerdos de la Alhambra” by Tarrega. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/48 "2012-09-07T00:26:49Z")
Glenn Miller’s _Moonlight Serenade_ The Gershwins’ _Someone to Watch Over Me_ and _Embraceable You_ Cole Porter’s _I Can Dream, Can’t I?_ _Lili Marlene_, preferably in German The Andrews Sisters’ _Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy_ Doris Day’s _Sentimental Journey_ _We’ll Meet Again_ and _I’ll Be Seeing You_ When it comes to crooners, no one was better than Sinatra and Martin. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/49 "2012-09-07T00:46:43Z")
[Man of Constant Sorrow](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLKltv26-00) Although I prefer [the version by Alison Krauss and Union Station](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALcdFAAojt4) The song is from 1913, of course I only know of the song because of the movie “Oh, Brother were art thou?” ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/50 "2012-09-07T01:08:34Z")
[Louis Prima Buona Sera](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2yigM_P_1U) (really kicks in at 0:55!) [The Andrews Sisters “Hold Tight”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSpTwzOs-E8) [Glenn Miller Serenade In Blue](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE9ZjXQ37fA) ---
**Author:** ![getitrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@getitrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/getitrite)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/51 "2012-09-07T01:22:52Z")
I seem to remember my grandparents playing " Moon river " over and over, the crooning was great but after about the millionth time too much. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/52 "2012-09-07T01:33:42Z")
Misty by Johnny Mathis ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/53 "2012-09-07T01:40:46Z")
[The Great Pretender](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdM5yHkYkAU) [Smoke Gets in Your Eyes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57tK6aQS_H0) And for an instrumental: [Take Five](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDDOFXSgAs). ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/54 "2012-09-07T01:41:11Z")
I love listening to Duke Ellington and Glen Miller when I’m on the open road, but for this thread I’ll go with Nat King Cole and _Route 66_. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/55 "2012-09-07T02:08:13Z")
I’m decadent. I like it _all_. As long as it’s got a beat. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/56 "2012-09-07T09:15:39Z")
I Can’t Get Started by Bunny Berrigan Boy Meets Goy by Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman What Did I Do (To Be So Black and Blue) written and recorded by Fats Waller but Louis Armstrong has the better version IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/57 "2012-09-07T10:15:28Z")
A B C D E F G H I…Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rDnKaHHe0Rw/hqdefault.jpg "Orchestra Wives (1942) - "I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDnKaHHe0Rw) ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/58 "2012-09-07T12:39:19Z")
If there is a song running through my head, it seems to be [“Stardust”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2fbOAyNOpM) about a third of time. I don’t really have a favorite version, but the original one by the author linked above will do (although I wish it had the intro). I was born in 1965, by the way. I agree with **gallows fodder** that Annette Hanshaw is pretty great. That’s all! ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/59 "2012-09-07T14:30:39Z")
Perez Prada’s ‘The peanut vendor’ Its obviously much older than his version, however this one is hard to beat [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uc8S35k-SJs/hqdefault.jpg "Perez Prado- The Peanut Vendor") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc8S35k-SJs) And one of the earliest versions in the 1930’s [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1nUgHuwVjSk/hqdefault.jpg "Antonio Machín - El Manisero") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nUgHuwVjSk) The Golden Gate Quartet - ‘Wade in the water’ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Geq210-MC6w/maxresdefault.jpg "The Golden Gate Quartet - "Wade In The Water" (1946)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geq210-MC6w) Frankie’s version of ‘Blue Moon’ all the better for him being just the house singer at the time and not the main attraction [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KJUrp-cGQyQ/hqdefault.jpg "Frank Sinatra- Blue Moon (Early)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJUrp-cGQyQ) Meade Lux Lewis - ‘Honky tonk train blues’ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ne_U25ryLjc/hqdefault.jpg "HONKY TONK TRAIN BLUES - Meade Lux Lewis") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne_U25ryLjc) Al Johnson - ‘Way down yonder in New Orleans’ [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLE8b7MFM8) Louis Prima - ‘Just a gigalo/ I ain’t got nobody’ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SXRRrpI3-hk/hqdefault.jpg "Louis Prima - Just a Gigolo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXRRrpI3-hk) He was just so good, look at this [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kTcjXhGbxU) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YXYRkp2HZto/hqdefault.jpg "Louis Prima - WHEN YOU'RE SMILING") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXYRkp2HZto) This has been a great thread, going back to check out some of these tunes, hope you like this selection. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/60 "2012-09-07T14:54:29Z")
I loved the really old music hall tunes whenever they appeared on **The Muppet Show**. Some favorites: [“Wotcher (Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road)”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohi_8ThTPTg) [“My Old Man Said Follow The Van”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkzkrs6bzxg) [“Any Old Iron”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWvY1vz-Dzg) [“Burlington Bertie”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcaPoINMPsg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854.md?page=4)