Oom-pah-pah

[One of a series of loosely-themed rummages around Spotify.]

The theme today is Oompah which we might associate with German polka music. Not much of that here though, and absolutely no Oompa Loompas.

Link to playlist on Spotify

76 Trombones, Michael Bond

The amusing lyrics describe an epic marching band that oompahs "up and down the square". The song comes from a 1957 musical, The Music Man, by Meredith Wilson. We shall come back to Mr Wilson...

The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, Eddie Duchin

This 1937 song is more familiar to us as the Looney Tunes theme. Duchin channels Einstein halfway through to convey to us how a malfunctioning carousel sounds ("oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah").

Solo Jodler, Zillertaler Schürzenjäger

I think we can call this oompah music - the rhythm is split between bass and accordion. A tuba would have been nice but who cares when there is yodelling?

Oom-Pah-Pah, Nits

If you know of the Dutch band, Nits, it's probably from their 1987 hit single, In the Dutch Mountains. Oom-Pah-Pah comes from the same album.

Oom Pah Pah, Sarah Rose McMahon

Sarah Rose McMahon is a singer/songwriter and cellist from Northern California.

Waltzinblack, The Stranglers

The soundtrack to either a demented carnival or an improvised ragoût in rural France. Down here, Clive.

Oompah Radar, Goldfrapp

Inspired by a 1966 film, Cul-de-Sac, but I'm hearing some Waltzinblack influence too.

Oompah Improvisations, Solo Moderna

Back to the Netherlands for some infectious sampling.

Mountain Oompah, Peter Holzapfel & Lars Kurz

Music by Lars Kurz for a documentary about life in remote Alpine villages, featuring Peter Holzapfel on brass and piano.

Unsteady Oompah, Stuart Mee

I can't find out much about Stuart Mee, except that "he is a talented and highly experienced producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist" based in the UK.

Oom-Pah-Pah, Georgia Brown

From the original cast recording of Oliver! Featuring genuine cockney, Georgia Brown, who originated the role of Nancy. Brown was performing on the same Ed Sullivan show as The Beatles when they made their US debut. One of the songs The Beatles sang that night was Till There Was You, written by Meredith Wilson, the same guy that wrote 76 Trombones, at the top of this playlist.

Bonus Georgia Brown fact: she played Worf's adoptive Earth mother on Star Trek: The Next Generation.