"Darktown Strutters' Ball" is a popular

song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...

by Shelton Brooks, published in

1917 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 9 – WWI – Battle of Rafa: The last substantial Ottoman Army garrison on the Sinai Peninsula is captured by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's ...

. The song has been recorded many times and is considered a popular and

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive List ...

. There are many variations of the title, including "At the Darktown Strutters' Ball", "The Darktown Strutters' Ball", and just "Strutters' Ball".

History

Soon after its 1917 publication, "Darktown Strutters' Ball" was included by Sophie Tucker in her Vaudeville routine. The song was recorded on May 9 that year by the Six Brown Brothers. The best-known recording, by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, which was recorded on May 30, 1917, and released by Columbia Records as catalog number A-2297, was inducted into the

Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...

in 2006. The song is very obviously a stylistic generic copy of the 1914 British hit by Nat D. Ayer entitled "At The Foxtrot Ball, That's All" More than three million copies of the sheet music were sold.

Recorded versions

* American Republic Band (recorded December

, released by Pathe Records as catalog number 20282, with the flip side "Homeward Bound"Abrams, Steven and Settlemier, Tyrone
Pathe Records in the 20001 to 20499 series
Online Discographical Project) * Ray Anthony in Australia on Capitol CP-139, flip side "Deep Night" and in the US as the flip side to the single " Count Every Star". * Allen Broome & His Dixieland All-Stars released a version on his debut solo album ''BucketMouth'' in June, 2013. * Boswell Sisters recorded a version (complete with a rumba section!) on May 23, 1934, in New York but was only issued in Australia on Columbia DO-1255. * Joe Brown on Decca F 11207, 1960, flip side "Swagger"; this was Brown's first single to chart. * The Brown Dots (released by Manor Records as catalog number 1166, with the flip side "As Tho' You Don't Know"). * Phil Brito (released by

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

as catalog number 11687, with the flip side "Memories of Sorrento") * Castle Jazz Band (recorded January 11,

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025 * January 2 – Luis ...

, released by Castle Records as catalog number 3, with the flip side "Kansas City Stomps") * Larry Clinton and Orchestra (vocal by Sylvia Syms and the Carillons; recorded January

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

, released by

Bell Records Bell Records was an American record label founded in 1952 in New York City by Arthur Shimkin, the owner of the children's record label Golden Records, and initially a unit of Pocket Books, after the rights to the name were acquired from Benn ...

as catalog number 1035, with the flip side " Answer Me, My Love") * Arthur Collins & Byron G. Harlan (recorded December

, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number A-2478, with the flip side "I'm All Bound Round with the Mason Dixon Line"Columbia Records in the A-2000 to A-2499 series
/ref>) *

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

included the song in a medley on his album '' On the Happy Side'' (1962). *

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peopl ...

Orchestra with June Richmond; (released by

Coral Records Coral Records was a subsidiary of Decca Records that was formed in 1949. Coral released music by Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly, the McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer. Coral issued jazz and swing music in the 1940s, but after Bob Thiele became head ...

as catalog number 60000, with the flip side "Dusk in Upper Sandusky") *

Arthur Fields Arthur Fields (né Abraham Finkelstein; August 6, 1888—March 29, 1953) was an American baritone and songwriter. Early life Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Abraham Finkelstein, Fields grew up mainly in Utica, New York. He became a ...

(released by Pathe Records as catalog number 20315B, with the flip side "In the Land o' Yamo Yamo") * James Gelfand made a version for the Canadian movie ''Jack Paradise (Les nuits de Montréal)'' (2004). * Connie Haines,

Alan Dale Alan Hugh Dale (born 6 May 1947) is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale enjoyed theatre and rugby. After retiring from the sport, he took on a number of occupations, before deciding to become a professional actor at age 27. Dale subsequent ...

, the

Ray Bloch Raymond Arthur Bloch (August 3, 1902 – March 29, 1982) was an American composer, songwriter, conductor, pianist, author and arranger. He is best remembered as the arranger and orchestra conductor for ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' during its entire run ...

Seven, and

Sy Oliver Melvin James "Sy" Oliver (December 17, 1910 – May 28, 1988) was an American jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader. Life Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. His mother was a piano teacher, and his f ...

's Orchestra (released by

Signature Records Signature Records was a jazz record company and label founded in 1939 by Bob Thiele when he was 17 years old. Its roster included Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines, Erroll Garner, and Lester Young. At age 14, Thiele was a disc jockey for his own jazz ...

as catalog number 15197A, with the flip side "Little Boy Blues" * Phil Harris and his Orchestra (recorded February 27,

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Feb ...

, released by

Vocalion Records Vocalion Records is an American record label, originally founded by the Aeolian Company, a piano and organ manufacturer before being bought out by Brunswick in 1924. History The label was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Company, a maker of pi ...

as catalog number 3565, with the flip side " Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea"Vocalion Records in the 3500 to 3999 series
/ref>) * Hoosier Hotshots (recorded December 16,

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...

, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 03734, with the flip side "Nobody's Sweetheart"; re-recorded February 26,

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...

, released by Conqueror Records as catalog number 8661, with the flip side " You're Driving Me Crazy") *

Pee Wee Hunt Walter Gerhardt "Pee Wee" Hunt (May 10, 1907 – June 22, 1979) was an American jazz trombonist, vocalist, and bandleader. Hunt was born in Mount Healthy, Ohio. He developed a musical interest at an early age, as his mother, Sadie, played the b ...

(released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

as catalog number 1691, with the flip side "Oh!" and as catalog number 1741, with the flip side " Basin Street Blues") *

Alberta Hunter Alberta Hunter (April 1, 1895 – October 17, 1984) was an American jazz and blues singer and songwriter from the early 1920s to the late 1950s. After twenty years of working as a nurse, Hunter resumed her singing career in 1977. Early life Hu ...

recorded the song on her 1978 comeback album ''Amtrak Blues'' (on Columbia). (The album was inducted into the

Blues Hall of Fame The Blues Hall of Fame is a music museum operated by the Blues Foundation at 421 S. Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially, the "Blues Hall of Fame" was not a physical building, but a listing of people who have significantly contributed to b ...

in 2009.) * Brown & Terry Jazzola Boys (recorded June

1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...

, released by

OKeh Records OKeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name originally was spelled "OkeH" from the init ...

as catalog number 8006B, with the flip side "Hesitatin' Blues". * Jaudas' Society Orchestra issued a version in 1918 on

Edison Records Edison Records was one of the early record labels that pioneered sound recording and reproduction, and was an important and successful company in the early recording industry. The first phonograph cylinders were manufactured in 1888, followed by ...

. * Martin & Brown ("The Harmonica Duo") (released by Tennessee Records as catalog number 793, with the flip side " I'll See You in My Dreams") * Lou Monte recorded "Darktown Strutter's Ball (Italian Syle)" in 1954. The RCA release was a major hit, reaching No. 12 on retail sales. He parodies the lyrics, including "I'll be down to get you in a pushcart honey", and asks "Are you from Lyndhurst?", the city of his birth. * Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (recorded December 21,

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

, released by

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

as catalog number 29032, with the flip side " There'll Be Some Changes Made") * Ruby Newman and his Orchestra (recorded January 21,

1939 This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...

, released by Decca Records as catalog number 23621, with the flip side " I'm Just Wild about Harry") * Original Dixieland Jazz Band (recorded May 30, 1917, released by Columbia Records as catalog number A-2297, with the flip side "Indiana One Step" . The ODJB recording was inducted into the

in 2006.

* Orlando's Orchestra (recorded January

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen in Finland, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its ow ...

, released by Silvertone Records as catalog number 5007B, with the flip side " Missouri Waltz". This version was also released, with the name of the orchestra given as the Federal Band, by Federal Records under the same catalog number, with the same flip side) * Preacher Rollo and the Five Saints (Recorded April 18, 1951 in

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, released by

as catalog number 30448B, with the flip side "Original Dixieland One-Step") * The Six Brown Brothers, a comedic musical ensemble, recorded the song in 1917. * Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers (recorded March 29,

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the BBC, British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, John Reith becomes the first ...

, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number 15188D, with the flip side "Drink 'Er Down") * Toots' Quartet (released by Decca Records as catalog number 28157, with the flip side "Toselli Jump") *

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, and singer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano. A widely popular star ...

(recorded November 3,

, originally released by

Bluebird Records Bluebird Records is an American record label best known for its low-cost releases, primarily of children's music, blues, jazz and swing in the 1930s and 1940s. Bluebird was founded in 1932 as a lower-priced subsidiary label of RCA Victor. Bluebi ...

as catalog number 10573B, with the flip side " I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby") * Chick Webb recorded a version on January 15, 1934, in New York but was only issued in England on Columbia CB-754. * The Ted Mulry Gang released a rock 'n' roll version of the song catalog number Albert AP11004, produced by Ted Albert in Australia, in February 1976, reaching no. 3 on the

Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music historian David Kent from May 1974 through to January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music Report (AMR) in July 19 ...

. *The Beatles performed "Darktown Strutters' Ball" in their early Liverpool and Hamburg performances, though no recording has ever surfaced. *Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys 1940s.

In popular culture

* ''The Darktown Strutters' Ball'' was the squadron tune of the RFC's elite No. 56 Squadron during the later stages of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. *

Tom and Jerry ''Tom and Jerry'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series ...

1950 animated cartoon '' Saturday Evening Puss'' - Background music as Mammy Two Shoes gets ready for an evening out. *

and Nicole Maurey sang the song in the 1953 film '' Little Boy Lost''. * In a 1975 episode of ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...

'' ("Edie Gets Married"; Season 6, Episode 1) as the answer to a " knock-knock" joke: Knock-knock / Who's there? / Anna Maria Alberghetti / Anna Maria Alberghetti Who? / (sung) "Anna Maria Alberghetti in a taxi, Honey..." (similar to the first line of the song). * The tune features in the 1971

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying villains. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price ...

horror film The Abominable Dr. Phibes. *

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades such as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1994, the ...

is singing it as he gets ill by the piano in the 1984 movie '' The Natural''. * Kristin Scott Thomas sings a portion of it to

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...

as they are driving through the desert in 1996 film '' The English Patient''. * Abe Simpson sings it while getting ready for his date with Beatrice in the "

Old Money Old money is a social class of the rich who have been able to maintain their wealth over multiple generations, in contrast with new money whose wealth has been acquired within its own generation. The term often refers to perceived members of th ...

" episode of ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...

''. * The opening lines of the song are quoted on the rear cover of

The Band The Band was a Canadian-American rock music, rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1957. It consisted of the Canadians Rick Danko (bass, guitar, vocals, fiddle), Garth Hudson (organ, keyboards, accordion, saxophone), Richard Manuel (piano, d ...

's eponymous 1969 album. * In the premiere episode of the TV series M*A*S*H* (1971), it is background music (sung in Japanese) during a party scene. * Performed by Anissa Jones and Pepe Brown in the Elvis movie '' The Trouble with Girls''. * Performed by Antoinette Brown (portrayed by Maura G Hooper) in episode 3 of AMC's

Interview with the Vampire ''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...

(2022) * Played by a dance band at the Summer Ball in the 1954 novel

Lucky Jim ''Lucky Jim'' is a novel by Kingsley Amis, first published in 1954 by Victor Gollancz Ltd, Victor Gollancz. It was Amis's first novel and won the 1955 Somerset Maugham Award for fiction. The novel follows the academic and romantic tribulations ...

, by

Kingsley Amis Sir Kingsley William Amis (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English novelist, poet, critic and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, short stories, radio and television scripts, and works of social crit ...

References

{{authority control Songs written by Shelton Brooks 1917 songs 1910s jazz standards Bluebird Records singles

History

Recorded versions

In popular culture

See also

References