Sleepy Seas Explained

"Sleepy Seas" was a hit song which was first published 1920 by Private Reginald Stoneham while he managed the Melola Salon music store.^[1] It was an instant popular success with dance halls.^[2] The following year sales expanded to other music publishers.^[3] This vocal waltz was used to accompany silent movies, in the era before talkies.^{[4] [5]}

Australian audiences found the song lifted their spirits in times of crisis^[6] and "Sleepy Seas" achieved astonishing sales.^[7] By 1928 it was universally known across Australia^{[8] [9] [10]} and enjoyed some global success.^[11] The song was frequently revived in musical theatre and variety entertainment, more than ten years after publication.^{[12] [13]} The romantic overtones perhaps reflected gender relations in War-time Australia.^[14] It was sometimes performed in Islander style with ukulele and grass skirt.^{[15] [16]}

Fortunately, the song escaped the scandals of producer Jack De Garis.^[17] Stoneham founded his own music publishing business and sold copies alongside those of fellow Australian composers.

Australia sighed with relief in 1950, as a copy of the music became the singular clue that solved a murder investigation.^[18]

The song was erroneously attributed to famous Australian pop successor Jack O'Hagan.^[19] Indeed some felt the song was an emblem of Australia.^{[20] [21] [22]}

Recordings

• 1924 Kenneth Walters in ragtime style^[23]
• 1927 Metro-Gnomes Dance Orchestra Zonophone Record – 3642
• 1935 Johhny Wade in South Sea Islander style - 78 rpm recording audio online preserved at Australian National Film and Sound archive title number 156344
• 1946 the 2FC radio dance orchestra (arranged by Harold Arlen)

Arrangements

• Big Band Swing style^[24]
• Brass Band^[25]
• Jazz Sextet
• Violin trio^[26]
• Symphony orchestra^[27]
• Piano, Accordion and violin trio^[28]
• Piano, cello, violin trio^[29]

Performances

• 1921 Geelong Victoria^[2]
• 1921 Haymarket Cinema, NSW^[30]
• 1922 Albany, Western Australia^[31]
• 1922 Majestic Theatre, Adelaide^[32]
• 1922 Grafton, NSW^[33]
• 1922 Sydney, NSW^[5]
• 1922 Perth Western Australia^[34]
• 1922 Forbes, NSW^[35]
• 1922 Brisbane, Qld^{[36] [37]}
• 1922 McKay, Queensland^[38]
• 1923 Camperdown, NSW^[39]
• 1923 Launceston in community singing^[40]
• 1923 Adelaide, South Australia^{[4] [25]}
• 1923 Cairns, North Qld^[41]
• 1923 Perth Western Australia^[29]
• 1924 Tingha, Northern NSW^[26]
• 1924 Sydney, NSW^[14]
• 1924 York, Western Australia^[42]
• 1926 Rockhampton, Queensland^[6]
• 1926 Ireland^{[43] [44]}
• 1926 Tasmania^[45]
• 1927 Perth, Western Australia^[46]
• 1929 Hoyts Regent, Melbourne^{[13] [47]}
• 1930 Cairns, Qld^[48]
• 1932 Broken Hill, NSW^[12]
• 1932 Mount Gambier, South Australia^[49]
• 1934 Lithgow, NSW^[16]
• 1942 Kempsey NSW with accordion trio and ballet^[28]
• 1953 Fairfield, NSW^[15]
• 1993 Canberra, ACT^[50]
• 1946 Armidale New South Wales^[24]
• 1946 Bowen, North Queensland^[51]
• 1945 Lithgow, NSW^[52]
• 1951 Dubbo, NSW^[53]

External links

• Sheet music at National Library of Australia

Notes and References

1. News: Advertising . . 14,149 . Victoria, Australia . 20 July 1921 . 11 February 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
2. News: Palais de Danse . . 23,112 . Victoria, Australia . 22 June 1921 . 11 February 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: The Communist Experiment . . IX . 3 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 January 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: 'Pay Day' at West's . . LXXXVIII . 25,800 . South Australia . 5 September 1923 . 11 February 2019 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: Jackie Coogan Stars as My Boy . . 1907 . New South Wales, Australia . 13 August 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
6. News: Sleepy Seas . . 7600 . Queensland, Australia . 9 July 1926 . 11 February 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
7. News: Rollicking Marching Song . . South Australia . 26 July 1932 . 11 February 2019 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
8. News: Come to Tasmania . . LXXXVI . 199 . Tasmania, Australia . 22 August 1928 . 11 February 2019 . 11 (DAILY) . National Library of Australia.
9. News: What of Australian Composers? . . 31,718 . New South Wales, Australia . 28 August 1939 . 12 February 2019 . 7 (Women's Supplement) . National Library of Australia.
10. News: Through Smiths Private Projector . . XIII . 51 . New South Wales, Australia . 30 January 1932 . 12 February 2019 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
11. News: A Woman's Letter from London . . 1465 . Western Australia . 7 February 1926 . 11 February 2019 . 12 (Second Section) . National Library of Australia.
12. News: Black Cat Revue Company . . XLV . 13,354 . New South Wales, Australia . 24 March 1932 . 11 February 2019 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
13. News: Hoyts Regent Theatre . . 23,279 . Victoria, Australia . 16 November 1929 . 11 February 2019 . 28 . National Library of Australia.
14. News: Laughter and Tears . . VI . 29 . New South Wales, Australia . 6 September 1924 . 14 February 2019 . 19 . National Library of Australia.
15. News: Pensioners' Dinner . . New South Wales, Australia . 15 January 1953 . 11 February 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
16. News: Concert and Sketches . . New South Wales, Australia . 2 November 1934 . 12 February 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
17. News: Kendenup Estate . . Tasmania, Australia . 12 January 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
18. News: Half a burnt rosary head and a piece of sheet music helped solve this bridal night murder. . . 40 . 2,003 . South Australia . 21 October 1950 . 12 February 2019 . 17 (SUNDAY MAGAZINE) . National Library of Australia.
19. News: Notes from the Stations . . XCIII . 27,062 . South Australia . 10 May 1928 . 11 February 2019 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
20. News: Letters To the Editor . . 26102 . Victoria, Australia . 14 December 1938 . 12 February 2019 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
21. News: Beside the Sleepy Sea . . 17,670 . Victoria, Australia . 2 January 1934 . 12 February 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
22. News: The 'Song-Smith's Anvil . . 11 . 896 . South Australia . 27 July 1929 . 12 February 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
23. News: Gramophone Notes . . 14,566 . Victoria, Australia . 22 January 1924 . 11 February 2019 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
24. News: Band Concert in Capitol Theatre . . 3440 . New South Wales, Australia . 30 September 1946 . 12 February 2019 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
25. News: Tramways Military Band . . LXXXVIII . 25,596 . South Australia . 10 January 1923 . 11 February 2019 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
26. News: Grand Concert . . 11 . 31 . New South Wales, Australia . 25 April 1924 . 11 February 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
27. News: B.B.B. SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA . . XXXV . 10,595 . New South Wales, Australia . 30 October 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
28. News: Further Nonsense . . 3290 . New South Wales, Australia . 29 April 1942 . 11 February 2019 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
29. News: Entertainments . . XXXIX . 6,471 . Western Australia . 17 February 1923 . 12 February 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
30. News: Right Off the Reel . . 976 . New South Wales, Australia . 11 December 1921 . 14 February 2019 . 21 . National Library of Australia.
31. News: Mt Barker Notes . . 5 . 354 . Western Australia . 10 July 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
32. News: At the Play . . XXXIII . 1288 . South Australia . 1 November 1922 . 12 February 2019 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
33. News: Presbyterian Concert . . 13 . 2154 . New South Wales, Australia . 5 October 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
34. News: Shafto's So and So's . . XLI . 14,818 . Western Australia . 14 October 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
35. News: Hospital Ball . . 11 . 485 . New South Wales, Australia . 2 May 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
36. News: Band Concerts . . 6371 . Queensland, Australia . 10 September 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
37. News: Entertainments . . 15,424 . Queensland, Australia . 5 May 1922 . 14 February 2019 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
38. News: The Waratahs . . 56 . 461 . Queensland, Australia . 19 June 1922 . 11 February 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
39. News: Sunday School Anniversary . . XLI . 1844 . Victoria, Australia . 25 September 1923 . 11 February 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
40. News: Community Singing . . LXXXI . 147 . Tasmania, Australia . 20 June 1923 . 11 February 2019 . 4 (DAILY) . National Library of Australia.
41. News: Gordonvale Social . . XLI . 533 . Queensland, Australia . 20 June 1923 . 11 February 2019 . 36 . National Library of Australia.
42. News: South Caroling. . . XLVII . 30 . Western Australia . 25 July 1924 . 11 February 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
43. News: A Woman's Letter from London . . 1465 . Western Australia . 7 February 1926 . 11 February 2019 . 12 (Second Section) . National Library of Australia.
44. News: Eve's London Letter . . 7482 . Queensland, Australia . 20 February 1926 . 11 February 2019 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
45. News: Mangana . . XLIV . 46 . Tasmania, Australia . 22 February 1924 . 11 February 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
46. News: Farewell Week . . 1094 . Western Australia . 14 October 1927 . 12 February 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
47. News: Pantomime for 'Great and Small Children' . . 16,381 . Victoria, Australia . 16 November 1929 . 14 February 2019 . 20 . National Library of Australia.
48. News: Gordonvale Presbyterian Church . . 8807 . Queensland, Australia . 18 April 1930 . 12 February 2019 . 18 . National Library of Australia.
49. News: Christ Church Concert . . 72 . 7478 . South Australia . 10 December 1932 . 12 February 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
50. News: Library displays treasures . . 67 . 21,307 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 16 August 1993 . 11 February 2019 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
51. News: State School Play . . 43 . 4174 . Queensland, Australia . 28 June 1946 . 12 February 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
52. News: Oberon . . New South Wales, Australia . 22 June 1945 . 12 February 2019 . 5 (TOWN EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
53. News: Methodist Church Concert . . 41 . 234 . New South Wales, Australia . 24 August 1951 . 12 February 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.