Saturday 18 October 2014
Tune of the Day: Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay!
Music hall song, transcribed for flute and piano
The first known public performance of this vaudeville song was in Henry J. Sayers' 1891 revue Tuxedo, which was performed in Boston, Massachusetts. The song became widely known in the version sung by Lottie Collins in London music halls in 1892. The tune was later used in various contexts, including as the theme song to the television show Howdy Doody.
The song's authorship was disputed for some years, and later editions of the music credited its authorship to various persons, including Alfred Moor-King, Paul Stanley, and Angelo A. Asher. A 1930s lawsuit, however, decided that the tune and the refrain were in the public domain.
Thanks to Steve for suggesting this tune!