A Century of Song

A Century of Song
Box set by La Musique Populaire
Released October 23, 2004 (2004-10-23)
Genre Chamber Pop
Rock
Label Polyholiday
Producer La Musique Populaire
La Musique Populaire chronology
Love Conquers Alda
(2003)		 A Century of Song
(2004)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

A Century of Song is a 6-CD Box Set by La Musique Populaire.

As the title suggests A Century of Song is a chronological overview of songs from the 20th century. Recorded between 1999 and 2001, the songs were originally available for download from their website. Eschewing the canonical choices many would expect, no Lennon/McCartney compositions for example, the box covers a multitude of styles including Plunderphonics, Drone rock and Happy Hardcore.

The songs were eventually collected in a box set in 2004 over 5 discs, with a sixth disc of outtakes and alternate versions. It was released in a limited edition of 100, with extensive liner notes and a certificate of authenticity signed by LMP band members Ryan Bassler and Eric Haugen.

Reviews were generally positive, but some expressed bafflement at the selection of songs and the disparate styles used.

Contents

Track listing

Source: Polyholiday Official Site[2]

Disc One 1900-1922

No. Title Year Song Published Length
1. "A Bird in a Gilded Cage"   1900 2:20
2. "She's Getting Mo' Like the White Folks Every Day"   1901 3:13
3. "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?"   1902 6:42
4. "Sweet Adeline"   1903 3:38
5. "Humming Chorus from 'Madama Butterfly'"   1904 3:05
6. "My Gal Sal"   1905 2:28
7. "You're a Grand Old Flag"   1906 2:46
8. "ZIZ"   1907 2:50
9. "Shine On Harvest Moon"   1908 2:52
10. "By the Light of the Silvery Moon"   1909 2:24
11. "Come Josephine in My Flying Machine"   1910 3:07
12. "Alexander's Ragtime Band"   1911 2:51
13. "Get On the Raft With Taft"   1912 1:14
14. "He'd Have to Get Under – Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile)"   1913 2:50
15. "St. Louis Blues"   1914 4:19
16. "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile"   1915 2:00
17. "Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday on Saturday Night?"   1916 5:35
18. "Tiger Rag"   1917 1:44
19. "K-K-K-Katy"   1918 4:29
20. "Alice Blue Gown"   1919 2:32
21. "Look for the Silver Lining"   1920 3:38
22. "Kitten on the Keys"   1921 1:54
23. "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate"   1922 2:16

Disc Two 1923-1939

No. Title Year Song Published Length
1. "Charleston"   1923 4:11
2. "Fascinating Rhythm"   1924 5:01
3. "Sweet Georgia Brown"   1925 7:21
4. "Baby Face"   1926 3:37
5. "Ain't She Sweet?"   1927 3:07
6. "I'd Rather Be Dead and Buried in My Grave"   1928 3:47
7. "Tiptoe Through the Tulips"   1929 3:45
8. "Exactly Like You"   1930 4:33
9. "I Found a Million Dollar Baby"   1931 10:53
10. "Isn't it Romantic?"   1932 4:19
11. "Carioca"   1933 3:20
12. "Anything Goes"   1934 3:40
13. "Sunday Afternoon Music"   1935 2:00
14. "At the Codfish Ball"   1936 5:01
15. "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"   1937 3:26
16. "Back in the Saddle Again"   1938 2:23
17. "We'll Meet Again"   1939 4:01

Disc Three 1940-1959

No. Title Year Song Published Length
1. "You Are My Sunshine"   1940 3:12
2. "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"   1941 3:46
3. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"   1942 3:13
4. "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year"   1943 7:22
5. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"   1944 4:47
6. "You'll Never Walk Alone"   1945 1:51
7. "La Vie En Rose"   1946 2:57
8. "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)"   1947 3:29
9. "Boogie Chillen"   1948 2:18
10. "Music! Music! Music!"   1949 3:14
11. "C. Howard's Gum Has the Power of Taste"   1950 0:20
12. "Unforgettable"   1951 3:31
13. "The Family Who Prays"   1952 3:24
14. "Siamese Cat Song"   1953 3:42
15. "Mr. Sandman"   1954 2:20
16. "Singin' the Blues"   1955 2:56
17. "I Could Have Danced All Night"   1956 3:14
18. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"   1957 4:04
19. "Yakety Yak"   1958 2:26
20. "So What"   1959 3:09

Disc Four 1960-1981

No. Title Year Song Published Length
1. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"   1960 3:55
2. "Hello Mary Lou"   1961 3:00
3. "Cranberry Bog"   1962 1:49
4. "Dead Presidents"   1963 3:33
5. "Downtown"   1964 3:18
6. "Do the Freddie"   1965 2:17
7. "Here Comes My Baby"   1966 2:49
8. "She May Call You Up Tonight"   1967 2:10
9. "Everyday People"   1968 2:24
10. "Hits of '69"   1969 9:32
11. "Are You Ready?"   1970 4:33
12. "Maria Bethânia"   1971 7:30
13. "Theme From Deep Throat"   1972 3:08
14. "Touch Me in the Morning"   1973 4:24
15. "Good Times"   1974 2:20
16. "'39"   1975 4:05
17. "Gonna Fly Now"   1976 2:47
18. "Sound and Vision"   1977 4:24
19. "Hybrid Moments"   1978 2:12
20. "You Can't Change That"   1979 2:58
21. "Xanadu"   1980 3:30
22. "Feelin' Good"   1981 2:51

Disc Five 1981-2000

No. Title Year Song Published Length
1. "Nobody"   1982 4:38
2. "Faithfully"   1983 2:57
3. "I Want to Know What Love Is"   1984 5:33
4. "We Built This City"   1985 3:27
5. "If You Leave"   1986 2:18
6. "Pop Goes the World"   1987 2:28
7. "Children's Story"   1988 3:58
8. "Happy Birthday"   1989 2:05
9. "Sadeness Part I"   1990 4:39
10. "Nothing Else Matters"   1991 6:42
11. "Love U More"   1992 3:50
12. "Lucas With the Lid Off"   1993 4:33
13. "La Chica del Apartamento 512"   1994 2:51
14. "Only Happy When it Rains"   1995 3:21
15. "If It Makes You Happy"   1996 4:58
16. "Chan Chan"   1997 4:22
17. "Aquarius"   1998 5:07
18. "Unpretty"   1999 4:56
19. "A Century of Song"   2000 3:23
20. "Does Anyone Remember A Century of Song?"   2001 2:28

Disc Six 'holus-bolus'

No. Title Length
1. "Back to A Century of Song" (2002 song) 1:38
2. "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?" (scratchbox demo edit) 2:17
3. "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?" (edit) 3:35
4. "Sweet Adeline" (alternate vocal edit) 1:23
5. "You're a Grand Old Flag" (outtake version edit) 1:32
6. "ZIZ" (first section uncut) 1:47
7. "ZIZ" (second section uncut) 1:32
8. "Charleston" (scratchbox demo edit) 2:29
9. "Sweet Georgia Brown" (edit) 3:47
10. "Sweet Georgia Brown" (bonus beats) 1:22
11. "Ain't She Sweet" (edit) 2:35
12. "I'd Rather Be Dead and Buried in My Grave" (alternate vocal) 4:21
13. "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" (scratchbox demo) 0:53
14. "Anything Goes" (part 2) 0:42
15. "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" (first vocal take) 0:35
16. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (outtake version) 2:51
17. "Music! Music! Music!" (jackass track edit) 1:20
18. "Twisted" (1950 outtake edit) 0:46
19. "The Family Who Prays" (scratch vocal take) 2:07
20. "Mr. Sandman" (vocal version) 2:26
21. "Hello Mary Lou" (duh hey mix) 0:53
22. "Theme From Deep Throat" (jackass track edit) 0:43
23. "Good Times" (original mix) 3:19
24. "The Rose" (1979 outtake) 3:22
25. "Xanadu" (vocal session montage) 2:50
26. "Xanadub"   3:35
27. "Nobody" (original mix edit) 0:45
28. "We Built This City" (intro vocals) 0:18
29. "We Built This City" (full version) 4:01
30. "We Built This City" (farm report) 0:19
31. "I Remember You" (1989 outtake) 5:13
32. "Unpretty" (edit) 3:49
33. "A Century of Song" (demo edit) 1:11
34. "Does Anyone Remember A Century of Song?" (scratchbox demo) 2:38
35. "Century Megamix"   7:55

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ "Track Listing at Polyholiday". http://www.polyholiday.com/catalog/PHBOX01.html. Retrieved 03 March 2011.