Some Of The Dumbest
and/or Strangest
Pieces Of Music
Ever Published!
In 19th Century & early 20th Century America, literally many thousands of pieces of music were composed and published. Some of this music was was odd, some funny and some probably rates as the dumbest or strangest music ever published. Below is a list of such pieces that we have found so far. You can find the directions for downloading this unusual sheet music at the bottom of the following list:
The Free Love Polka - Piano solo published 1855, composed by "One of the free lovers". I kid you not. Free love, in 1855. The cover has a little poem printed on it that begins, "Love will not be constrained........"
Free Love Polka MP3
The Grasshopper -
"A Tragic Cantata" -
Published in 1878. This is a multi-part song, with engraved graphics all through the sheet music showing insects in human costumes and doing human things. The composer describes it on page 2 as "an ancient tragic theme with modern perversions." You can't make this stuff up......The Tobacco Trio "Snuffs Puffs & Chaws" - Published in 1851, this is a three part choral work praising tobacco. This piece is "dedicated to the lovers of the weed".
The Cat's Duet - "MIAU MIAU" - Published in the 19th Century (exact date unknown), this is 2 part song with a strange cover engraving of 2 very serious cats dressed up like people. Lots of "miauing" in this one.
Mineola or,
"The Wedding Of The Indian & The Coon"
Published in 1914, this is a strange song about exactly what the title says.... the marriage of a Native American woman and an African American man. He finally downs some gin and makes a brave attempt at convincing her to marry him.
The Dog Polka - 'A piano solo published in the 19th Century (exact date unknown). This may be the first case of animal pain put to music. The composer states on the first page that the composition is the result of "...the falling down of a favorite lap dog from a table and thereby breaking his leg." You can't make this stuff up. "The laments of his mistress and the inarticulate sounds of the dog", are represented in a 4 part composition. I am not kidding.
The Esoteric Hop - Piano solo published in 1883.
The Esoteric Hop MP3Every Race Has A Flag But the Coon - This is song with piano published in 1900. The song goes on to explain the theory of the title in just about the dumbest way possible.
Vampire Polka - Piano solo published in 1850 and composed by "Four Eyes". The use of "pen-names" to publish music in 19th Century was very common. You will see more of this as the list goes on......
Una Orgia "An Orgie" - Piano solo published in 1883.
Mystic City - Published in 1922, a song praising the Klu Klux Klan with the rousing chorus of "Klansmen, Klansmen of the Klu Klux Klan, Protestant, Gentile, native born man...." and so on, getting dumber and dumber as it goes along.
The Funny Polka - Piano solo published in 1873.
Nigger versus Chinese
A bizarre song published in the 19th Century (exact date unknown) with incredibly dumb lyrics comparing the Chinese and African Americans. Doesn't get much more bizarre than this one.Our High Toned Colored Cooks - Strange song published in 1883. The composer seems to be making fun of French cooks, whom he refers to as "high toned colored foreigners." Believe it or not.
Big Fat Nance - Song published in 1879 making fun of an overweight black lady.
The Fighting Dog & The Wrong Tomcat - Song published in the 19th Century (exact date unknown) that is about a "fighting dog" that gets its butt whupped bad by a tom-cat.
Crazy Galop - Piano solo published in 1873.
That Horrible Fly - Song published in 1879 and composed by "A. Buzz". This is a song about how much "A. Buzz" dislikes flies.
(And in the same vein as the previous piece....)
Oh! That Horrid Mosquito - Song published in 1882. In this case the lady who composed this piece was brave enough to use her own name.The Weird Polka - Piano solo published in 1850.
The above listed collection contains scans of the original sheet music and is available for download as one PDF book (6MBs), created for easy high quality printing. The price is $4.00.
You can purchase this collection using the following secure Paypal link. After your credit-card or Paypal payment is processed, you will be immediately directed to the download link .
Contact us by e-mail if you have any questions..........
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