James “Jimmy” Blythe – Player Piano Rolls Part 2 – Popular Songs

This section will present Blythe’s piano roll recordings of popular songs, such as fox trots and waltzes of the day. Frequently, these performances are highly jazz-tinged (even the waltzes) and exhibit Blythe’s characteristic keyboard trademarks. On some, Blythe added hot South Side coda sections to otherwise commonplace tunes, and these are special for that reason.
On the other hand, Blythe was of course a compensated artist and had to perform whatever material was requested of him. Sometimes the tunes might have been so mediocre that even his enormous talents could not rescue them! But more often than not, he left something of himself in these recordings.
As I stated in the last section, Blythe always “played from the heart.” I can still remember the first 88-note format Blythe roll I ever heard; “Sweet Indiana Home.” I felt something there that I cannot put into words.
And his version of the well-known waltz “Who’s Sorry Now” is remarkable. For the first half, it is played in a ‘sing-along’ style with marimba filler effects, rather commonplace and similar to the majority of such rolls (which unfortunately were what the majority of what the roll-buying public of the day wanted). But shortly thereafter, Blythe abandons waltz time and adopts fox-trot rhythm. What follows is an extraordinary display of his artistry; a “South Side” performance in every respect, replete with wonderful jazz licks and an extraordinary coda. So, with the great talents of Jimmy Blythe, treasures may be found in the least likely of places.
James Blythe’s Piano Rolls Part 2 – Popular
Frank Himpsl
File | Action |
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After You've Said Goodbye - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1730-8.mid | Download |
Barney Google - pb James Blythe - COL 607.mid | Download |
Barney Google - pb James Blythe - COL A-1756-3.mid | Download |
Beneath Montana Skies - pb James Blythe - CAP A-997626-5.mid | Download |
Big Bad Bill Is Sweet William Now - pb James Blythe - SUP 5573.mid | Download |
Blinky Moon Bay - pb James Blythe (probably) as Billy Fitch - CAP 1415.mid | Download |
Blinky Moon Bay - pb James Blythe (probably) as Billy Fitch - CAP A-1989-3.mid | Download |
Blue Rose - pb James Blythe - COL A-1832-6.mid | Download |
By The Shalimar - pb James Blythe - COL A-1751-2.mid | Download |
By The Shalimar - pb James Blythe - SUP 5309.mid | Download |
Cat's Whiskers, The - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1774-7.mid | Download |
Covered Wagon Days - pb James Blythe - COL 953.mid | Download |
Crinoline Days - pb James Blythe - COL A-1742-5.mid | Download |
Crinoline Days - pb James Blythe - SUP 5282.mid | Download |
Crying For You - pb James Blythe - COL 557.mid | Download |
Crying For You - pb James Blythe - COL A-1742-1.mid | Download |
Cut Yourself A Piece Of Cake - pb James Blythe - SUP 5337.mid | Download |
Dancin' Dan - pb James Blythe - COL A-1832-4.mid | Download |
Dearest - pb James Blythe - COL A-1742-6.mid | Download |
Dearest - pb James Blythe - SUP 5283.mid | Download |
Deep In My Heart - pb James Blythe - COL 886.mid | Download |
Deep In My Heart - pb James Blythe - COL A-1838-3.mid | Download |
Down Among The Sleepy Hills Of Tennessee - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (per FLH) - COL A-1760-6.mid | Download |
Down Among The Sleepy Hills Of Tennessee - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (per FLH) - SUP 5338.mid | Download |
Down By The River (Layton) - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1755-5.mid | Download |
Echoes From My Old Plantation Home - pb James Blythe - COL 913.mid | Download |
Echoes From My Old Plantation Home - pb James Blythe - COL A-1852-8.mid | Download |
Everything Is K.O. In K.Y. - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1756-5.mid | Download |
Everything's Gonna Be All Right - pb James Blythe (NOT characteristic of JB per FLH) - CAP 1458.mid | Download |
Everything's Gonna Be All Right - pb James Blythe (NOT characteristic of JB per FLH) - SUP 5728 (w pedal).mid | Download |
Everything's Gonna Be All Right - pb James Blythe (NOT characteristic of JB per FLH) - SUP 5728.mid | Download |
Everything's Made For Love - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-2059-8.mid | Download |
Georgia Cabin Door - pb James Blythe - COL 576.mid | Download |
Georgia Cabin Door - pb James Blythe - COL A-1737-6.mid | Download |
Girl Of My Dreams - pb James Blythe - American 1989.mid | Download |
Gone, But Still In My Heart - pb James Blythe - COL A-1756-4.mid | Download |
Hard To Get Gertie - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-2031-6.mid | Download |
Hard To Get Gertie - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-2143-10.mid | Download |
Hawaiian Rainbow - pb James Blythe - COL 578.mid | Download |
Hawaiian Rainbow - pb James Blythe - COL A-1743-1.mid | Download |
Hawaiian Slumbertime - pb James Blythe - COL 551.mid | Download |
Hawaiian Slumbertime - pb James Blythe - COL A-1743-2.mid | Download |
He's The Last Word - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-103-7.mid | Download |
He's The Last Word - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-2074-7.mid | Download |
Hey, You Want Any Codfish - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL 653.mid | Download |
Hey, You Want Any Codfish - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL C-453-6.mid | Download |
High Tone Mama Of Mine - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (possibly, per FLH) - CAP 1256.mid | Download |
Hilo Bay (FT, poss. Arthur Sizemore) - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1743-6.mid | Download |
Hilo Bay (FT, poss. Arthur Sizemore) - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1814-9.mid | Download |
Honey Love - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1706-8.mid | Download |
Honeymoon Time - pb James Blythe as Wayne Love (per FLH) - COL A-1737-2.mid | Download |
Hot Lips - pb James Blythe - COL A-1722-5.mid | Download |
Hot Lips - pb James Blythe - SUP 5231.mid | Download |
Hula Lou - pb James Blythe - COL 861.mid | Download |
I Ain't Got Nobody And I Don't Want Nobody But You - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-2031-1.mid | Download |
I Can't Stop Babying You - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-1905-10.mid | Download |
I Don't Want Nobody But You - pb James Blythe - SUP 5815.mid | Download |
I Love Sweet Adeline - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1751-9.mid | Download |
I Wonder Who's Dancing With You Tonight - pb James Blythe - American 810.mid | Download |
I'd Love To Call You My Sweetheart - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2031-5.mid | Download |
I'd Love To Call You My Sweetheart - pb James Blythe - SUP 5835.mid | Download |
I'm A Harmony Baby - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (probably) - COL 582.mid | Download |
I'm All Broken Up Over You - pb James Blythe - COL 804.mid | Download |
I'm All Broken Up Over You - pb James Blythe - COL A-1825-5.mid | Download |
I'm Sitting Pretty In A Pretty Little City - pb James Blythe - COL 761.mid | Download |
Idolizing - pb James Blythe - CAP 1639.mid | Download |
In Rosetime - pb James Blythe - COL 465.mid | Download |
In Rosetime - pb James Blythe - COL A-1721-9.mid | Download |
In The Evening (Donaldson) - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1852-3.mid | Download |
In The Little Red Schoolhouse - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - SUP 5296.mid | Download |
It's Not The First Time You Left Me - pb James Blythe - American 783.mid | Download |
Just a Bundle Of Sunshine - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-1970-1 (partial @ start).mid | Download |
Keep On Building Castles In The Air (Wenrich) - pb James Blythe - COL 434.mid | Download |
Knock At The Door - pb James Blythe - SUP 5457.mid | Download |
Last Night On The Back Porch - pb James Blythe - SUP 5343.mid | Download |
Lindbergh, The Eagle Of The U.S.A. - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-103-15.mid | Download |
Linger Awhile - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - SUP 5385.mid | Download |
Little Red School House, The - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1756-7.mid | Download |
Little Rover - pb James Blythe - COL 591.mid | Download |
Little Rover - pb James Blythe - COL A-1751-7.mid | Download |
Long Lost Mama - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - American 705.mid | Download |
Long Lost Mama - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1788-7.mid | Download |
Louise - pb James Blythe - SUP 5458.mid | Download |
Louisville Lou - pb James Blythe as Gladys Bagwill (per FLH) - COL A-1761-1.mid | Download |
Louisville Lou - pb James Blythe as Gladys Bagwill (per FLH) - COL A-1773-8.mid | Download |
Louisville Lou - pb James Blythe as Gladys Bagwill - SUP 5344.mid | Download |
Love Tales - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - SUP 5345.mid | Download |
Love's Paradise - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1743-5.mid | Download |
Lulu Lou - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - American 1548.mid | Download |
Me Too - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2040-11.mid | Download |
Me Too - pb James Blythe - SUP 5851.mid | Download |
Moon River - pb James Blythe (possibly, per FLH) - COL A-1721-7.mid | Download |
Mother Me, Tennessee - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-1990-9.mid | Download |
My Cradle Melody - pb James Blythe - COL 418.mid | Download |
My Cradle Melody - pb James Blythe - COL A-1699-7.mid | Download |
My Cutey's Due At Two-To-Two Today - pb James Blythe - SUP 5821.mid | Download |
My Gal Sal - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1694-11.mid | Download |
My Honey's Lovin' Arms - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1683-4.mid | Download |
My Old Hawaiian Home - pb James Blythe - COL 452.mid | Download |
My Old Ramshackle Shack (Ager) - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1765-9.mid | Download |
My Papa Doesn't Two Time No Time - pb James Blythe as Florence Sanger (per FLH) - COL 1006.mid | Download |
My Papa Doesn't Two Time No Time - pb James Blythe as Florence Sanger (per FLH) - COL A-1872-1.mid | Download |
My Sally - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1910-3.mid | Download |
My Sally - pb James Blythe - COL 1091.mid | Download |
No No Nora - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL 662.mid | Download |
No One Knows What It's All About - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1905-9.mid | Download |
No One Knows What It's All About - pb James Blythe - COL 1090.mid | Download |
Nothing Else To Do - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - American 1430.mid | Download |
Nothing Else To Do - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-1990-8.mid | Download |
Only A Butterfly - pb James Blythe - COL 842.mid | Download |
Our Little Home - pb James Blythe - American 806.mid | Download |
Pal Of My Lonesome Hours (FT) - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-2059-10.mid | Download |
Panama Twilight - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1760-3.mid | Download |
Pickin' Em Up And Layin' Em Down - pb James Blythe - COL 1005.mid | Download |
Poor Papa - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1990-7.mid | Download |
Poor Papa - pb James Blythe - SUP 5719.mid | Download |
Pump Song, The - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2014-6.mid | Download |
Pump Song, The - pb James Blythe - SUP 5813.mid | Download |
Ray And His Little Chevrolet - pb James Blythe as Wayne Love (probably, per FLH) - SUP 5498.mid | Download |
Red Moon (Kortlander) - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (per FLH) - COL A-1751-5.mid | Download |
Red Moon (Kortlander) - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (per FLH) - SUP 5304.mid | Download |
River Shannon Moon - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (probably, per FLH) - COL A-1755-7.mid | Download |
Rocky Mountain Moon - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1730-2.mid | Download |
Sally (I Wonder What's Become Of) - pb James Blythe - COL A-1852-1.mid | Download |
Sally (I Wonder What's Become Of) - pb James Blythe - SUP 5497.mid | Download |
Saw Mill River Road - pb James Blythe - COL 544.mid | Download |
Saw Mill River Road - pb James Blythe - COL A-1737-4.mid | Download |
Say It While Dancing - pb James Blythe - COL 425.mid | Download |
Say It While Dancing - pb James Blythe - COL A-1706-2.mid | Download |
Say It While Dancing - pb James Blythe - COL A-1722-10.mid | Download |
School Day Sweethearts - pb James Blythe - CAP 1623.mid | Download |
Shanghai Honeymoon - pb James Blythe - SUP 5843.mid | Download |
She Knows Her Onions - pb James Blythe - SUP 5849.mid | Download |
She Was Just A Sailor's Sweetheart - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1967-5.mid | Download |
She Was Just A Sailor's Sweetheart - pb James Blythe - SUP 5664.mid | Download |
She's Still My Baby - pb James Blythe - CAP 1679.mid | Download |
Shine (Dabney) - pb James Blythe - COL 911.mid | Download |
Shine (Dabney) - pb James Blythe - COL A-1849-7.mid | Download |
Sittin' In A Corner - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL 744.mid | Download |
Sleepy Head - pb James Blythe - SUP 5804.mid | Download |
Sneak, The - pb James Blythe - SUP 5245.mid | Download |
Sob Sister Sadie - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1912-2.mid | Download |
Somebody's Lonely - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2011-7.mid | Download |
Somebody's Lonely - pb James Blythe - SUP 5762.mid | Download |
Someone Is Losin' Susan - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2031-10.mid | Download |
Someone Is Losin' Susan - pb James Blythe - SUP 5806.mid | Download |
Sun-Kist Rose (Cal DeVoll) - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1765-8.mid | Download |
Sunshine Alley (West) - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1706-7.mid | Download |
Sweet Child, I'm Wild About You - pb James Blythe - CAP 1427.mid | Download |
Sweet Child, I'm Wild About You - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1990-10.mid | Download |
Sweet Indiana Home - pb James Blythe - COL 395.mid | Download |
Sweet Indiana Home - pb James Blythe - COL A-1694-8.mid | Download |
Sweet Indiana Home - pb James Blythe - COL A-1703-9.mid | Download |
Sweet Indiana Home - pb James Blythe - COL A-1722-9.mid | Download |
Sweet Southern Breeze - pb James Blythe - American 1552.mid | Download |
Sweet Southern Breeze - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2023-4.mid | Download |
Swingin' Down The Lane - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (probably, per FLH) - COL A-1755-1.mid | Download |
Swingin' Down The Lane - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (probably, per FLH) - SUP 5305.mid | Download |
Take This Rose - pb James Blythe - CAP 1504.mid | Download |
Tell All The Folks In Kentucky - pb James Blythe - COL 748.mid | Download |
Tell Me With Smiles - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1751-3.mid | Download |
Tell Me, Gypsy - pb Wayne Love (possibly Blythe or Johnson per FLH) - COL A-1760-8.mid | Download |
That's My Girl - pb James Blythe - SUP 5825.mid | Download |
That's Why I Love You - pb James Blythe - CAP 1519.mid | Download |
That's Why I Love You - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2017-6.mid | Download |
There Are Two Sides To Every Story - pb James Blythe - CAP 1467.mid | Download |
There Are Two Sides To Every Story - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1999-6.mid | Download |
There's A Down In Dixie Feelin' Hangin' Around Me - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1706-9.mid | Download |
Think Of Me - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison (per FLH) - COL A-1755-8.mid | Download |
Thinking - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - CAP A-2014-2.mid | Download |
Three O'Clock In The Morning - pb James Blythe as Wayne Love - COL A-1703-5.mid | Download |
Three O'Clock In The Morning - pb James Blythe or Clarence Johnson as Wayne Love (per FLH) - COL A-1694-2.mid | Download |
Three O'Clock In The Morning - pb James Blythe or Clarence Johnson as Wayne Love (per FLH) - COL A-1713-3.mid | Download |
Three O'Clock In The Morning - pb James Blythe or Clarence Johnson as Wayne Love (per FLH) - SUP 5209.mid | Download |
Till My Luck Comes Rolling Along - pb James Blythe - COL 546.mid | Download |
Till My Luck Comes Rolling Along - pb James Blythe - COL A-1737-10.mid | Download |
Tonight's My Night With Baby - pb James Blythe - SUP 5744.mid | Download |
Tripping Along - pb James Blythe - SUP 5387.mid | Download |
Trudy - pb James Blythe - SUP 5838.mid | Download |
True Blue Sam - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (probably, per FLH) - COL 480.mid | Download |
Until We Meet Again, Sweetheart - pb James Blythe (NOT characteristic of JB per FLH) - SUP 4611.mid | Download |
Waitin' For The Evenin' Mail - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones - COL 673.mid | Download |
Waiting For The Rainbow - pb James Blythe as Erwin Schmidt (per FLH) - CAP A-2121-9.mid | Download |
Want A Little Lovin' - pb James Blythe - CAP 1434.mid | Download |
Want A Little Lovin' - pb James Blythe - CAP A-1990-2.mid | Download |
Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL 530.mid | Download |
Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1730-9.mid | Download |
What Do We Care If It's One O'Clock - pb James Blythe - American 1398.mid | Download |
When Hearts Are Young - pb James Blythe as Nell Morrison - COL 586.mid | Download |
When I Was The Dandy And You Were The Belle - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-1882-10.mid | Download |
When I Was The Dandy And You Were The Belle - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL 1036.mid | Download |
When Mother Sings Sweet And Low - pb James Blythe - COL A-1820-5.mid | Download |
When My Sugar Walks Down The Street - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP 1174.mid | Download |
When My Sugar Walks Down The Street - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - CAP A-1927-10.mid | Download |
When The Leaves Come Tumbling Down - pb James Blythe (per FLH) - COL A-1721-1.mid | Download |
When The Leaves Come Tumbling Down - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL 464.mid | Download |
Where'd You Get Those Eyes - pb James Blythe - SUP 5785.mid | Download |
Whispering Pines - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1730-7.mid | Download |
Who - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COl 398.mid | Download |
Who Wouldn't - pb James Blythe - American 1588.mid | Download |
Who's Sorry Now - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1755-6.mid | Download |
Who's Sorry Now - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - SUP 5314.mid | Download |
Why Don't My Dreams Come True - pb James Blythe - COL 948.mid | Download |
Wonderful One - pb James Blythe as Wayne Love (possibly, per FLH) - COL A-1737-5.mid | Download |
Yes, We Have No Bananas - pb James Blythe as Gladys Bagwill (possibly, per FLH) - COL A-1760-1.mid | Download |
You Tell Her, I Stutter - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - COL A-1751-1.mid | Download |
You Tell Her, I Stutter - pb James Blythe as Paul Jones (per FLH) - SUP 5262.mid | Download |
You're More Like A Pal Than A Sweetheart - pb James Blythe - CAP A-2126-4.mid | Download |
You're More Like A Pal Than A Sweetheart - pb James Blythe - SUP 6020.mid | Download |
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