It’s too much to hope that YouTube would have footage of Elsa Lanchester (1902-1986) singing any of her Songs for a Shuttered Parlour or Songs for a Smoke-Filled Room (both longtime favorites of mine in vinyl), but this one is aaaaalmost as good, since it has Elsa’s voice, lipsunked by Princess PoodlePoo (who may, for all I know, already be a Household Word…):

…and that put me in mind of another favorite of mine, Agnes Bernelle (1923-1999), whose Father’s Lying Dead on the Ironing Board is staple fare out our way (some lyrics transcribed here, and a CD version seems to be available via Amazon). Here’s a tribute, with a not-untypical song:

If that appeals, this may also:

Upstaging Cab Calloway… be sure to be watching at 4:00:

and mashedup (“cut cropped & crafted”)

and from Hellzapoppin’ (1941):

Here’s an item, via Dreamtime, that I recollect from 50 years ago, but haven’t heard since. The YouTube interface is semisuperfluous (since it’s the audio that conveys the ummmm message):

…and Stochelo Rosenberg (et al.):

I’ve been following the duo Vlatko Stefanovski and Miroslav Tadic for a few years, ever since encountering their Krushevo on the M.A. label (very high-end audio, unreservedly recommended). Daniel sent me a link to this:

…and I’ll just bet that this one will raise a few hairs on the back of collective necks, and occasion some twitching of fingers:

and how about this?

The real action starts (with Cab Calloway’s St. James Infirmary) at about 4:00, but all 7 minutes are pretty surreal:

The breadth and depth of musical resources on YouTube continues to amaze and instruct. I can remember when, in my ignorance, I disapproved of Glenn Gould’s playing of Bach. Tsk tsk. Well, progress is made…

Daniel keeps feeding me remarkable YouTube pointers. Today’s is at the very core of American music:

…and while we’re at it, Tommy Emmanuel’s take is also instructive:

…and another version from Tommy, in Australia:

…and one more, this one in Norway. How much torture can a guitar endure on the road?