Billy Merson

58 records in the collection· mostly on Winner, Zonophone, Columbia

Billy Merson was an English music-hall comedian, singer and songwriter active in the early decades of the 20th century. He is remembered above all for writing and performing the 1911 comic song “The Spaniard That Blighted My Life”, subsequently taken up by Al Jolson, and his records preserve the exaggerated character comedy of Edwardian and post-Edwardian music hall.

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Records by Billy Merson

Billy Merson
1. AA Prairie Life for me
2. BThe Wreck of the Dover Express
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian, with 'A Prairie Life for Me' and 'The Wreck of the Dover Express' on Marathon.AI summary

Marathon 319 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ABy special request
2. BSenora
Billy Merson was a British music-hall comedian and singer of the early 20th century, famous for novelty songs and variety routines; this Winner pressing of 'By Special Request' and 'Señora' is from his recording career.AI summary

Winner 3287 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ADon't blame me
2. BThe Photo of the Girl I left behind me
Billy Merson, a music-hall comedian and singer, recorded 'Don't blame me' and 'The Photo of the Girl I left behind me' for Zonophone, catalogue 621. Zonophone was a short-lived British label of the 1920s. Merson was an established performer, making this a recording of period interest.AI summary

Zonophone 621 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ADon't blame me
2. BThe Photo of the Girl I left behind me
Billy Merson was a British music-hall comedian and singer popular in the early 1900s, celebrated for his comic monologues and his signature song "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life"; this Zonophone recording is from the acoustic era.AI summary

Zonophone 621 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ADon't blame me
2. BThe Photo of the Girl I left behind me
Billy Merson recorded 'Don't Blame Me' and 'The Photo of the Girl I Left Behind Me' for Zonophone (621). Billy Merson was a British music hall performer and comedian; this is an early Zonophone pressing from the acoustic era.AI summary

Zonophone 621 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AEngine Driver
2. BSince Father retired
Billy Merson, the British music-hall comedian and singer, on two comic songs, Engine Driver and Since Father retired, recorded for Zonophone 749.AI summary

Zonophone 749 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AFireman
2. BMy Yacht
Billy Merson on Columbia 1579 — 'Fireman' and 'My Yacht' — is from the standard Columbia series, making this a more widely distributed pressing than his minor-label recordings elsewhere in this collection. Columbia 1579 is a mid-period acoustic issue; Merson on Columbia is collected but not scarce.AI summary

Columbia 1579 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AGirls
2. BBack to my Home in the Mountains
Billy Merson, a British music-hall comedian and singer, performing 'Girls' and 'Back to My Home in the Mountains' on Zonophone 808, sides from the 1920s–1930s.AI summary

Zonophone 808 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AGladiator
2. BGondolier
Billy Merson, the British music-hall star and pantomime comedian, recorded 'Gladiator' and 'Gondolier' for Piccadilly, a cheap British budget label of the 1920s–1930s. Merson was famous for his comic songs and character work.AI summary

Piccadilly 139 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AGladiator
2. BGondolier
Billy Merson, a British music-hall entertainer and singer of the Edwardian and 1920s era, recorded "Gladiator" and "Gondolier" for Piccadilly 139. Piccadilly was a cheap British label of the 1930s-1940s.AI summary

Piccadilly 139 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AGondolier
2. B(H Darewski)Can't you hear me say I love you
Billy Merson with The Gondolier and, with H. Darewski, Can't You Hear Me Say I Love You on Metropole.AI summary

Metropole SPECIAL Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AGood Ship Yacki Hicki Doola
2. BPhoto of the Girl I left behind me
Billy Merson, a leading British music hall comedian and singer, performing 'Good Ship Yacki Hicki Doola' and 'Photo of the Girl I Left Behind Me' on Broadcast 165; Merson was a major star of variety theatre and pantomime.AI summary

Broadcast 165 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AGood Ship Yacki Hicki Doola
2. BPhoto of the Girl I left behind me
Unison 165 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AHard Boiled Herman
2. B(+Hardwicke) Why shouldn't we?
Billy Merson was a popular British music-hall performer and comedian of the 1910s–1930s, known for comic songs and character work. 'Hard Boiled Herman' and 'Why shouldn't we?' (with Hardwicke) are recorded on Columbia 3640, a catalogue number consistent with the early 1920s.AI summary

Columbia 3640 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AI know there's someone waiting
2. BI'm setting the Village on Fire
Billy Merson on Pathé 78876 — 'I Know There's Someone Waiting' and 'I'm Setting the Village on Fire.' Pathé pressed vertical-cut discs requiring a special stylus for lateral-cut playback, which limits the audience slightly but does not diminish collector interest. Merson on Pathé is less common than his HMV or Columbia output.AI summary

Pathé 78876 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AI'm going away(11)
2. BThe Wreck of the Dover Express
Billy Merson, a leading British music-hall comedian and singer, performs 'I'm going away' and 'The Wreck of the Dover Express' on this Regal record from the 1920s.AI summary

Regal 6487 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AI'm setting the Village on Fire
2. BNot exactly
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian and songwriter, records 'I'm Setting the Village on Fire' and 'Not Exactly' on Columbia 1545. The early Columbia series number suggests an acoustic-era pressing; Merson is a collected music-hall name.AI summary

Columbia 1545 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AI'm setting the Village on Fire
2. BNot exactly
Phoenix 585 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AI'm setting the Village on Fire(13)
2. BLighthouse Keeper
Billy Merson, a British music hall comedian, performing 'I'm Setting the Village on Fire' and 'Lighthouse Keeper' on Pathé, recorded in the early acoustic period (1913).AI summary

Pathé 1552 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AI'm so spiteful
2. BThe Spaniard that blighted my Life
Billy Merson, the British music-hall comedian and early recording star, on two comic novelty numbers, I'm so spiteful and The Spaniard that blighted my Life, on Columbia 1757.AI summary

Columbia 1757 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AIf I catch Alfonso tonight
2. BSpaniard that blighted my Life
Billy Merson was a popular British music-hall comedian, revue artist, and songwriter known for his comic songs and character work. This Diamond Records pressing preserves his comic sketches, likely from the 1920s. Diamond was a small British imprint, making Merson recordings on this label less common than his major-label sides.AI summary

Diamond 382 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AIt's going to be a serious Thing for England
2. BSpaniard that blighted my Life
Billy Merson on Pathé 79099 — 'It's Going to Be a Serious Thing for England' and 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life,' his signature song — is on Pathé's vertical-cut format, requiring a specialist stylus. Merson's most famous song on Pathé is a more unusual find than its appearance on Columbia or HMV.AI summary

Pathé 79099 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ALighthouse Keeper
2. BDon't blame me
Scala 520 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ALighthouse Keeper
2. BDon't blame me
Billy Merson, the British music-hall comedian and performer, recorded 'Lighthouse Keeper' and 'Don't Blame Me' on the Scala label, catalogue 520. Merson was a popular variety and revue performer of the 1910s-1920s.AI summary

Scala 520 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ALighthouse Keeper
2. BDon't blame me
Billy Merson, a British music-hall comedian and singer, performing two light songs on the Scala label. Merson was a prolific variety recording artist of the 1920s-1930s.AI summary

Scala 520 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AOn the good Ship Yacki Hicki Doo La
2. BSpaniard that blighted my Life
Billy Merson was a British comedian and recording artist of the music-hall era, famous for his comic songs and sketches. This Decca F2653 side captures him performing in his characteristic style, and his recordings remain of interest to collectors of British variety and musical comedy.AI summary

Decca F2653 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AOn the good Ship Yacki Hicki Doola
2. BWhen first we met
Billy Merson, a prolific British entertainer and comedian, on Winner 3219 with 'On the Good Ship Yacki Hicki Doola' and 'When First We Met'. Merson was a popular interwar recording artist and performer.AI summary

Winner 3219 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. APopular songs of Billy Merson
2. B(2 sides)
Billy Merson, the British music-hall star, on a two-sided compilation or medley of his popular songs, Winner W30.AI summary

Winner W30 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. APrairie Life for Me
2. BOpera de Merson
Billy Merson, a British music-hall comedian and singer, performs two of his novelty songs on Regal. Merson was active from the Edwardian era through the 1920s and was known for comic patter and character songs.AI summary

Regal 7417 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AScottish Engineer
2. BWay back in Ohio
Billy Merson, the music hall star of The Spaniard That Blighted My Life, with The Scottish Engineer and Way Back in Ohio on Portland 1123.AI summary

Portland 1123 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AScottish Engineer
2. BWay back in Ohio
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian of 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life', with 'The Scottish Engineer' and 'Way Back in Ohio' on Tip-Top.AI summary

Tip-Top 1123 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASenora
2. BBy special Request
Billy Merson, the British music-hall and revue performer, recorded 'Senora' and 'By Special Request' on the Winner label, catalogue 3287. This is another Merson recording on a minor British imprint.AI summary

Winner 3287 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASetting the Village on Fire
2. BThe Wreck of the Dover Express
Billy Merson on Scala 544 — 'Setting the Village on Fire' and 'The Wreck of the Dover Express' — is on a less common British label than his Columbia or HMV output. Scala is a minor British marque; catalogue number 544 is low. The pairing of 'Setting the Village on Fire' with the Dover Express piece suggests wartime or Edwardian topical comedy.AI summary

Scala 544 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AShe'll think of her Soldier Boy
2. BWallahpazink
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian and songwriter best remembered for 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life', records 'She'll Think of Her Soldier Boy' and 'Wallahpazink' on Columbia 1510. This early Columbia number suggests an acoustic-era pressing; Merson is a recognised and collected music-hall name.AI summary

Columbia 1510 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASing a Song of the Weather
2. BI've got to dance
Billy Merson performing 'Sing a Song of the Weather' and 'I've got to dance' on Zonophone Records catalogue 667. Merson was a prolific British music hall performer and comic singer active in the early 20th century.AI summary

Zonophone 667 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASing of Scotland's Whiskey
2. BThe spaniard that blighted my life
Billy Merson was a British music-hall and vaudeville performer, and 'Sing of Scotland's Whisky' and 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life' are characteristic comedy songs from his repertoire. Merson was a popular recording artist in the 1920s–30s for Brunswick.AI summary

Brunswick 249 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASing of Scotland's Whiskey
2. BThe spaniard that blighted my life
Billy Merson was a British music-hall star and recording artist of the 1920s–30s; 'The Spaniard that blighted my life' was one of his signature comic songs, recorded here on Brunswick in the early 1930s.AI summary

Brunswick 249 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASing of Scotland's Whisky
2. BSpaniard that blighted my Life
Billy Merson, a British music-hall comedian and singer, recorded two comic songs for the Broadcast label.AI summary

Broadcast 249 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASing of Scotland's Whisky
2. BSpaniard that blighted my Life
Billy Merson, the music hall star of The Spaniard That Blighted My Life, with Sing of Scotland's Whisky and The Spaniard That Blighted My Life on Unison 249.AI summary

Unison 249 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASociety Entertainers
2. Bpart 2
Billy Merson was a British music-hall entertainer and comedian of the early 20th century; this Winner side preserves his comic material.AI summary

Winner 3419 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASociety Entertainers
2. Bpart 2
Winner 3410 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ASpaniard that blighted my Life(11)
2. BLighthouse Keeper(10)
Billy Merson with The Spaniard That Blighted My Life and The Lighthouse Keeper on Actuelle 10318.AI summary

Actuelle 10318 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. ATake an old Woman's Advice
2. BI'm setting the Village on Fire
Billy Merson, a popular British music-hall comedian and singer, records 'Take an Old Woman's Advice' and 'I'm Setting the Village on Fire' on Zonophone.AI summary

Zonophone 637 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Bandit
2. BIt's going to be a serious thing for England
Billy Merson was a British music-hall comedian and entertainer. Marathon 206 records 'The Bandit' and 'It's Going to Be a Serious Thing for England' on a minor label; scarce.AI summary

Marathon 206 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Bandits
2. BThe Gay Cavalier
Billy Merson on Famous 97 — 'The Bandits' and 'The Gay Cavalier' — is another coupling on an obscure British label. Famous is an untraced or very rare marque, and as with the Mara pressing elsewhere in this collection, Merson on an unknown small label is considerably more interesting than his standard issues.AI summary

Famous 97 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Bandits
2. BThe Spaniard that Blighted my Life
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian and songwriter, performs 'The Bandits' and his signature comic song 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life' on Victor C54. The Victor C-series is an unusual format; this may be a Canadian Victor pressing. 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life' is the song most closely associated with Merson, and a pressing of it on a non-standard Victor variant is of collector interest.AI summary

Victor C54 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Gay Cavalier
2. BDon't Sing in Ragtime
Billy Merson on Jumbo A462 — 'The Gay Cavalier' and 'Don't Sing in Ragtime.' The A prefix in the catalogue number may indicate a particular Jumbo sub-series. Merson is a collected music-hall name; Jumbo is an uncommon label; 'The Gay Cavalier' also appears on the Famous label in this collection.AI summary

Jumbo A462 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Gay Cavalier
2. BThe Spaniard who blighted my life
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian, sings 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life', the song he made famous, and 'The Gay Cavalier' on Kalliope.AI summary

Kalliope 6130 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Gay Cavalier
2. BA Prairie Life for me
Billy Merson, a popular British music-hall comedian and singer, performs 'The Gay Cavalier' and 'A Prairie Life for Me' on Winner.AI summary

Winner 2983 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Gay Cavalier(11)
2. B(+Allen) If I catch Alfonso tonight
Billy Merson, the music-hall comedian and songwriter, performs 'The Gay Cavalier' and — with Allen — 'If I Catch Alfonso Tonight' on Regal 6486. Regal was a Woolworths budget label; Merson is a recognised music-hall name but the label keeps this at modest value.AI summary

Regal 6486 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Photo of the Girl I left behind me
2. BThe Night I appeared as Macbeth
Billy Merson, a British music hall comedian, performing 'The Photo of the Girl I Left Behind Me' and 'The Night I Appeared as Macbeth' on Winner Records.AI summary

Winner 3587 Personalities (Prs)
Billy Merson
1. AThe Scottish Engineer
2. BWay Back in Ohio
Billy Merson, the music hall star of The Spaniard That Blighted My Life, with The Scottish Engineer and Way Back in Ohio on Ariel 336.AI summary

Ariel 336 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Spaniard that Blighted my Life
2. BI'm so spiteful
Billy Merson, a British music-hall comedian and singer, performing 'The Spaniard that Blighted my Life', one of his signature songs, on the Scala label. Merson was a major British variety star and prolific recording artist.AI summary

Re 6488 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Spaniard that Blighted my Life
2. B(Charman) Oh You beautiful Doll
Billy Merson on Famous 92 — 'The Spaniard That Blighted My Life' backed with 'Oh You Beautiful Doll' (Charman) — is especially notable because 'The Spaniard' is the song Merson wrote and made famous, and this pressing on the obscure Famous label is earlier and harder to find than his more common HMV or Columbia versions. Famous is an untraced or very rare British marque; catalogue number 92 is low.AI summary

Famous 92 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Spaniard that blighted my life
2. BA Prarie Life for me
Billy Merson, the British music-hall comic, on Jumbo Records A152 with two of his comedy songs from the 1920s–1930s.AI summary

Jumbo A152 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Spaniard that Blighted my Life
2. BThey can't find Kelly
Billy Merson, a British music-hall comedian and singer, recorded 'The Spaniard that Blighted my Life' and 'They can't find Kelly' for Zonophone, probably in the 1910s. Merson was a major Edwardian-era variety star.AI summary

Zonophone 691 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Spaniard that blighted my Life
2. BI'm so spiteful (11)
Billy Merson, a celebrated music-hall star and comedian, recorded for Regal: 'The Spaniard that blighted my Life' and 'I'm so spiteful', both character songs typical of his comic tradition.AI summary

Regal 6488 Music Hall
Billy Merson
1. AThe Umpteen Bandit
2. BA Life on the Rolling Sea
Billy Merson, a British music hall comedian and singer, performing 'The Umpteen Bandit' and 'A Life on the Rolling Sea' on Winner Records.AI summary

Winner 3544 Personalities (Prs)