OH! SUSANNA

Created on 10/12/2002
Latest update on 07/12/2024

Artist: Harry C. Browne & Peerless Quartet
Author: Stephen Foster
Label: Columbia
Year: 1917

Written in 1847 by Stephen Foster. Introduced by him and his brother Morrison as part of the vocal group who performed in Andrew's Eagle Ice Cream Saloon in Pittsburgh. Other pioneer performers in the Pittsburgh area: blackfaced act The Sabla Brothers and music hall singer Nelson Kneass. Sold for $100 to a New York music store and popularized by the Christy Minstrels. Soon a big success among the famous '49ers' in the California goldrush towns, spreading the tune along the west coast.

Covers:

1924:

Wendell Hall & Shannon Four [vaudeville star on ukulele]

1928:

Vernon Dalhart, Carson Robison & Adelyne Hood

1935:

Shirley Temple [in film Our Little Girl]

1939:

Al Jolson [in film Swanee River, narrating Stephen Foster's life story]

1963:

Big 3 [parody as The Banjo Song (see there)]

1965:

Byrds

1965:

Pete Seeger

1967:

Eddy And The Eddysons

1970:

James Taylor

1971:

Taj Mahal

1977:

Randy Newman [lyric lines in Rider In The Rain; see also: My Old Kentucky Home]

2004:

Michelle Shocked & Pete Anderson

2006:

Carly Simon

2012:

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

There's a Stephen Foster Memorial Day in America, unique for a songwriter.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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