Delightful Diversions 2/Ada Jones/Billy Murray: Come Josephine In My Flying Machine

To begin this post, I can offer no other introduction than to say God bless Joel Whitburn. Through years of careful dedication and a team of professionals, the man has taken a fine tooth comb to the history of American popular music. From its roots to its emergence onto the Billboard charts, it’s all been catalogued by Mr. Whitburn. Even back when this hobby was but a twinkle in the eye of yours truly, I knew that eventually I would have to get my hands on one of his tomes. Well I finally achieved that mission, and received this in the mail for my troubles

As stated on the cover, it details the songs and artists that made up the hit music from 1900-1940. This book’s largest section is listed by artists alphabetically, with their hit songs listed below. There is so much to grapple with between its covers, and quite a few songs listed within will definitely get an analysis here. With that, hey look! An incoming analysis!

The year was 1910. The aviation era was new. Aircraft was around a year from being first used in warfare. Aviation had become a craze among Americans and Europeans, with the technology being shared between the continents. The ground was fertile for a catchy tune about the subject. Enter “Come Josephine in My Flying Machine” by Fred Fisher and Alfred Bryan. This version, by popular vocalists Ada Jones and Billy Murray, was recorded in November, 1910 but released the following year. Ada Jones was one of the pioneer female recording vocalists, while Billy Murray had become a legend in his own right. Jones had recorded another version within the same year, but this version is a standout.

As planes had yet to deal with any sort of horror (save for the danger that befell early pilots and scientists) the lyrics are free to dwell in a land of pure whimsy. The singer entreats Josephine to join him in his “flying machine”. This sounds, to the modern listener, as if someone had called a train or car a “horseless carriage”. Yet one can hear the feeling of flying in the jaunty instrumentation. Both music and lyric encapsulate the feeling of impressing one’s sweetheart with a ride in your newfangled plane, and marveling at how close the heavens feel. When something is so new, why shouldn’t it be celebrated? Our turn of the century counterparts had a handle on celebrating the new through music. May that trait never fade.