Song and Dance: The popularity of the foxtrot and the ongoing evolution of "St. James Infirmary"

 

The versions of “St. James Infirmary” that appeared in Carl Sandburg’s collection of traditional American songs (The American Songbag – ©1927) were written in 6/8 time. They were ballads, or dirges. One of the significant differences between these songs and the recordings that both included and followed the 1928 Louis Armstrong recording was a change in rhythm – to 4/4 time. With this change the song became danceable. One could dance the foxtrot to it.

The foxtrot originated around 1914 in vaudeville, by dancer Harry Fox. As part of his act Fox was executing trotting steps to ragtime music. Referred to as “Fox’s trot” the dance was set to a broken rhythm (slow-slow-quick-quick). Bit by bit the dance moves changed, and with remarkable speed the foxtrot came to dominate the dancehalls and the music scene—becoming the dance phenomenon of the 1920s. And the 1930s. And the 1940s. One could whirl around the dance floor, or one could execute the steps in the crush of a crowded venue, dancing (oh, dear!) close together and more or less in place. (From the Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati: “… there are certain houses appropriate for such dances; but those houses have been closed by law.”)

People danced for the sheer fun of it. They danced for exercise. To aid digestion. To meet people. Dancehalls were ubiquitous. It would not be a great exaggeration to say that dancehalls littered the landscape like coffee houses in the 21st century. The exhibition ballroom dancers Irene and Vernon Castle were among the major celebrities of the day. By daringly including the scandalizing foxtrot in their routines, they sped its popularity. Even tragic songs like “St. James Infirmary” clothed themselves in upbeat danceable rhythms.

Janis Joplin sings St. James Infirmary in 1962

 

December 1962, a folk trio performed in Threadgill’s Tavern, in Austin Texas. An Amex portable reel-to-reel tape recorder caught part of their performance, which included “St. James Infirmary.” The trio, The Waller Creek Boys Plus One, consisted of Lanny Wiggins on guitar, Powell St. John playing harmonica, and Janis Joplin on guitar, autoharp, and vocals.

The three were students at the University of Texas. Joplin was nineteen years old, and five years away from the release of her first album.

A dozen years ago I found a physical copy of this song. It was on a flexi-disc, available from Tokyo. Recently I had it copied as a WAV file, and now as a much smaller MP3.

Here it is, below, along with the clinking of glasses and an abbreviated "Walk Right In." The latter was first recorded by Cannon’s Jug Stompers in 1929 and became a big hit for The Rooftop Singers in 1963.

Janis Joplin at UT in 1962
Photo Daily Texan

Since Blogger does not offer an option for audio postings, to access the MP3 please click here and scroll to the end of the article.