[Dixielandjazz] Origin of San

[david richoux]

You can hear the full song here, instrumental only:
http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/7858 benson Orch
or http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/9920  Paul Whiteman Orch.

Dave Richoux

On Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 2:56 PM, david richoux <domitype at gmail.com> wrote:
> It is one of many "Oriental Fox Trot"  songs that were quite popular
> between the late 1890s and 1920s. The lyrics of the verse help place
> it:
>
> First Verse
> King San of Senegal Sat on the shore At Bulamay, Singing a sad
> refrain. To his dear queen who'd gone away, This was his lay.
> Second Verse
> One day the queen came home Saw San in sadness on the shore, Told him
> she'd no more roam. Only her San would she adore, Then came this lore.
> Chorus
> Oh, sweet heart Lona, my darling Lona, Why have you gone away? You
> said you loved me, But if you loved me, Why did you act this way? If I
> had ever been untrue to you, What you have done would be the thing to
> do; But my heart aches, dear, And it will break, dear, If you don't
> come back home again to San!
> Chorus 2
> Oh, sweet heart Lona, my darling Lona, Have you come back to stay? You
> said you loved me, I knew you loved me, I knew you'd | come some day.
> If I had ever been untrue to you, What you have done would be the
> thing to do; But now you're mine, dear, For all the time, dear, And
> you're forgiven by your loving San!
>
> I don't know if this is the original score artwork, but anyway :
>  http://www.halcyondaysmusic.com/covers/august2001/san.JPG
>
> Dave Richoux
>
> On Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 12:06 PM, Bob Smith <robert.smith at tele2.no> wrote:
>> Dear Lynn,
>>
>> I think the origin of 'San' as a tune title is most probably lost for all
>> time.
>> My suggestions for possible origins are twofold, viz.:
>> As a homage to the various towns and cities with Spanish names where 'San'
>> means Saint, e.g. San Diego, San Francisco
>> My second suggestion is that it is from the Zulu word 'San' that means
>> 'Bushman'. The word San is used to name various geographical features in the
>> countryside.
>> Both suggestions are of course wild speculation.
>>
>> Kind Regards
>>
>> Bob Smith
>>
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