Ukulele Blackmail

Slightly amended (poor print) from the Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA) 8 April 1930.

Girl — No, No. I won’t kiss you!

Boy — Then I warn you — I’ll play my ukulele!

I question is, does he intend to warn the sensible young woman of the powerful romantic effects of the ukulele (from which she should flee for her own good), or does he warn of his particularly lousy musicianship (and she better kiss him to prevent the occasion)?

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If you were the only girl in the world…

Hawaiian Maiden and a Ukulele

The following account from the Ashburton Guardian, 4 August 1921, highlights the advantage of doing your research before making your investments.

A curious story is being told just now of the horrible hiatus in a beach-comber’s repertory. The B.C. was in Hawaii, that land of dusky dancers. He saw a girl dancing to a most attractive air played on the ukelele, and so taken was he with it that he was convinced all the world would like it as well. So with the dusky maiden and a ukelele hied him to Broadway, New York, where on the first night after arrival he heard a gramophone give out the very tune on which he was staking his fortune. What, he asked, is that? Why, it’s the tune we’ve been jazzing to for months. Only then did he discover that the ukelele girl had caught the air from a passing liner.

But you’ve got to admit, he knew a hit when he heard one.

Ukulele — playing the goat

Here a great shot from 1919 — a goat doing the shimmy to ukulele music (from the New York Tribune, 14 September 1919).

Girl, uke and goat to go

 The caption reads:

‘Now that the Dancing Masters’ Association has put the taboo on the shimmy, Geraldine Rays, of Los Angeles, is at a loss to know what to do with her pet goat. He’s the original Shimmy Kid, and just can’t make his feet behave when his mistress plays, “Oh, Minnie” on the ukelele.’

My attempts so far to identify the tune, “Oh, Minnie” have led me to “Minnie the Moocher” (too late), Minnie Bannister of Goon Show fame (too silly), and Minnie Mouse (too silly and too late) — my search continues.