The Japanese Sandman Explained

The Japanese Sandman
Cover:Japanese Sandman.pdf
Artist:Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra
B-Side:Whispering
Released:September 1920[1]
Recorded:August 19, 1920[2]
Studio:Victor Studios, Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
Genre:Jazz, Big band
Label:Victor 18690
Composer:Richard A. Whiting
Lyricist:Raymond B. Egan
Next Title:Wang Wang Blues
Next Year:1920
Misc:
An instrumental version of "The Japanese Sandman", being performed by Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra in August 1920.

"The Japanese Sandman" is a song from 1920, composed by Richard A. Whiting and with lyrics by Raymond B. Egan.[3] [4] The song was first popularized in vaudeville by Nora Bayes, and then sold millions of copies as the B-side for Paul Whiteman's song "Whispering".[5]

Content

The song is about a sandman from Japan, who exchanges yesterdays for tomorrows. By doing so he "takes every sorrow of the day that is through" and "he'll bring you tomorrow, just to start a life anew."[6] The number has an Oriental atmosphere, and is similar to many other songs from the interwar period that sing about a dreamy, exotic setting.

Nora Bayes made a popular recording of the song in 1920. In the same year, the song was released as the B-side of Paul Whiteman's first record, "Whispering.” It has been subsequently performed by several musical artists like Art Hickman, Benny Goodman, Bix Beiderbecke, Artie Shaw, Earl Hines, Paul Young, Django Reinhardt, the Andrews Sisters, Freddy Gardner, and in 2010, a high-fidelity recording of Whiteman's historic arrangement, by Vince Giordano and his Nighthawks Orchestra.

Additionally, the song was recorded by the Nazi German propaganda band, Charlie and his Orchestra. For propaganda reasons, the lyrics were changed through references to the Japanese Empire.

In popular culture

The Cellos version

In 1957, the U.S. doowop band The Cellos recorded "Rang Tang Ding Dong (I Am The Japanese Sandman)",[10] [11] which features the same character, but with different lyrics. Frank Zappa quoted from The Cellos' lyrics in his song "A Little Green Rosetta", from Joe's Garage (1979).[12]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Original versions of The Japanese Sandman by Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra SecondHandSongs. 2021-08-02. Secondhandsongs.com.
  2. Web site: Victor matrix B-24390. The Japanese sandman / Ambassador Orchestra ; Paul Whiteman - Discography of American Historical Recordings. 2021-08-02. Adp.library.ucsb.edu.
  3. Book: Michigan History Magazine. 85. 2001. Michigan Department of State. 53.
  4. Book: Irene Kahn Atkins. Source music in motion pictures. 1 February 1983. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. 978-0-8386-3076-1. 63.
  5. Book: Marvin E. Paymer. Don E. Post. Sentimental Journey: Intimate Portraits of America's Great Popular Songs, 1920-1945. 1999. Noble House Publishers. 978-1-881907-09-1. 11.
  6. Web site: THE JAPANESE SANDMAN - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground. Lyricsplayground.com. 21 February 2022.
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlwtLzSZuFE&index=7&list=PLBohJ-Mq5mXziu3MJZ-E_WDxC7OrBCGvc "The Japanese Sandman" orchestral recording
  8. Boxing: Harold Hoshino, the Japanese Sandman . Journal of Combative Sport . June 2002 . Joseph R. . Svinth. 2011-03-07.
  9. Web site: JCS: Harold Hoshino : Svinth .
  10. Web site: The Cellos - Rang Tang Ding Dong / You Took My Love. 21 February 2022. Discogs.com.
  11. Web site: The Cellos Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic. 21 February 2022.
  12. Web site: Joe's Garage Acts I, II & III: Notes & Comments. Donlope.net. 21 February 2022.