Berlin, Alexander’s Ragtime Band

Irving Berlin (1888-1989) contributed as much to American music over his long lifetime as anyone. It’s hard to imagine a more famous collection of songs—God Bless America (1938), White Christmas (1942), There’s No Business Like Show Business (1946), just to name a few. But his first big hit came in 1911 with Alexander’s Ragtime Band. It sold over 1 million copies in the first year. “Copies” refers to sheet music here because people had pianos and used them.

Berlin arrived at Ellis Island from Russia in 1893 and settled in New York. He learned music informally from his father, a cantor in the synagogue. The young Berlin took his singing skills to the streets and sang for tips, and he said it was there that he learned what succeeded with the public.

The song came out of Tin Pan Alley, the block on West 28th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in New York where numerous music publishers had their offices. We have had many occasions to talk and write about Tin Pan Alley on this site and to include it in our courses. But one of the best resources might be the webinar with Professor Carol and Jim Weiss “From Tin Pan Alley to Oz.” (Access is free.)

The song is technically not ragtime. Nor is it Dixieland, although it lends itself well to a performance by a Dixieland band. The Benko Dixieland Band hails from Budapest. It was formed back in 1957 (behind the iron curtain), and it has a fairly prominent presence online. Although my information is anecdotal, it does seem sometimes that some traditional American musical styles find a more secure home in Europe.