Mississippi

		Listen to a 1923 recording by Alfred Hastings and J. Jameson MP3
The UK version of the sheet music	The Australian sheet music

Fred Godfrey — London: Bert Feldman; Sydney: Chappell, 1922.

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“Fred Godfrey’s latest (and we shouldn’t be surprised if it turned out his greatest) composition ‘Mississippi’ vocal-waltz is certainly attracting a lot of favourable attention. The latest act to ‘cotton on’ is that of the Four K-Foleys, who will work it as a quartet” (The Stage, 2 February 1922, p. 5).

This popular number was performed by many artistes in theatres up and down the United Kingdom, including Leon Bassett & His Orch., Metropolitan, London (February 1922); by Broughton & Creedon at the Olympia, Shoreditch (August 1922); by Frank Butcher in pantomime The Babes In The Wood, King’s Theatre, Manchester (December 1922); by the Canadian Military Singers, Bradford (February 1922); by Felix Godin & the Villa Marina Orchestra, Douglas, Isle of Man (July 1922); by Leslie Carter in Ayrshire, Scotland, where “‘Mississippi’ holds premier position, having a greater number of requests to its credit than any other number in our rep” (The Stage, 6 July 1922, p. 3); by Freda Francis, Woolwich Empire (February 1923); by Frank Mundill’s Orch., Surrey Music Hall (November 1922); by Rose Murray in pantomime Cinderella, Whitestone Pavilion, Weston-super-Mare (January 1923); by Alec Regan in revue 1922 (February 1922); by the Royal Dominion Singers, Metropolitan, London (February 1922); by Hope Vernon; and in Australia by Patti Hill & Vernon Sellars.

One of those who sang it with success was Jack Cranston, “lead” in the revue Pin Wheel, who was married to Fred Godfrey’s younger sister Gladys, after whom his eldest daughter was named.

Recording

Alfred Hastings & J. Jameson (Guardsman 1262, 1923)