Oley Speaks

Oley Speaks (June 28, 1874 – August 7, 1948) was an American composer and songwriter. His compositions include many religious songs, as well as his best-known success, "On the Road to Mandalay", which takes its lyrics from the poem "Mandalay" by Rudyard Kipling. The Canal Winchester Area Historical Society Museum has exhibits about the life of Oley Speaks, including original sheet music written by him.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 28, 1874 (Canal Winchester), Died August 27, 1948 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1900 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, baritone vocal

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Berliner	0988	7-in.	2/17/1900	On the road to Mandalay	Arthur Collins	Male vocal solo	composer
Victor	B-4616	10-in.	6/25/1907	In May time	Pearl Benham	Female vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-8966	10-in.	5/18/1910	In May time	John Barnes Wells	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	C-15238	12-in.	10/1/1914	On the road to Mandalay	Frederick J. Wheeler	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-15847	10-in.	3/30/1915	Morning	John McCormack	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-17381	10-in.	3/27/1916	When the boys come home	Evan Williams	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-18524	10-in.	10/3/1916	Life's twilight	Lambert Murphy	Male vocal solo, with cello and orchestra	composer
Victor	B-20340	10-in.	7/16/1917	My homeland	Clarence Whitehill	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-20694	10-in.	9/24/1917	When the boys come home	Ernestine Schumann-Heink	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-24302	10-in.	7/6/1920	Life	Orville Harrold	Tenor vocal solo, with harp, piano, and orchestra	composer
Victor	B-25319	10-in.	5/26/1921	Sylvia	Lambert Murphy	Male vocal solo, with cello and orchestra	composer
Victor	B-25975	10-in.	1/25/1922	The lane to Ballybree	Elsie Baker	Female vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-26432	10-in.	4/26/1922	The lane to Ballybree	Louise Homer	Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	CVE-26536	12-in.	4/20/1927	On the road to Mandalay	Reinald Werrenrath	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	C-26536	12-in.	6/12/1922	On the road to Mandalay	Reinald Werrenrath	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-28649	10-in.	10/9/1923	Star-eyes	Mabel Garrison	Soprano vocal solo, with violin, piano, and orchestra	composer
Victor	C-28896	12-in.	11/15/1923	Werrenrath song medley	Reinald Werrenrath	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-31276	10-in.	12/11/1924	Morning	Pauline Pipkin	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	C-31813	12-in.	1/28/1925	Fuzzy-Wuzzy	Royal Dadmun	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	CVE-33082	12-in.	7/15/1925	On the road to Mandalay	Royal Dadmun	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	CVE-34533	12-in.	2/6/1926	Sylvia	Associated Glee Clubs of America	Male vocal chorus	composer
Victor	BVE-34779	10-in.	4/14/1926	Star eyes	Meta Christensen	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	BVE-36112	10-in.	8/10/1926	Morning	The De Reszke Singers	Male vocal quartet, with piano	composer
Victor	BVE-36547	10-in.	10/15/1926	On the road to Mandalay	Art Landry Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	CVE-37041	12-in.	11/27/1926	Sylvia	Associated Glee Clubs of America	Male vocal chorus, with piano	composer
Victor	BVE-38987	10-in.	7/7/1927	Morning	Darwin Bowen, Jr.	Boy soprano vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	CVE-43988	12-in.	5/16/1928	Silvia	Elva Kalb	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	CVE-45190	12-in.	5/29/1928	On the road to Mandalay	Lawrence Tibbett	Baritone vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	BVE-46137	10-in.	7/18/1928	On the road to Mandalay	Lindsay Callum	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	BVE-51844	10-in.	5/24/1929	On the road to Mandalay	Associated Glee Clubs of America	Male vocal chorus, with 4 pianos	composer
Victor	BVE-51852	10-in.	5/24/1929	Morning	Associated Glee Clubs of America	Male vocal chorus	composer
Victor	BVE-62276	10-in.	6/13/1930	Sylvia	Richard Crooks	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	BVE-67539	10-in.	6/15/1931	On the road to Mandalay	Jesse Crawford	Pipe organ solo	composer
Victor	BVE-67593	10-in.	9/30/1931	Sylvia	Jack Fulton ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Victor	BRC-71224	10-in.	1/13/1932	Sylvia	Jesse Crawford	Pipe organ solo	composer
Victor	BSHQ-72806	10-in.	5/19/1932	Sylvia	John Charles Thomas	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	BS-75511	10-in.	3/13/1933	The prayer perfect	Richard Crooks	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	CS-88970	12-in.	5/15/1935	The song of the Roger	RCA Victor Glee Club	Mixed vocal chorus	composer
Victor	CS-95371	12-in.	10/10/1935	On the road to Mandalay	Nathaniel Shilkret ; Lawrence Tibbett	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	BS-01195	10-in.	9/14/1936	Sylvia	Wayne King Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	PBS-09565	10-in.	6/29/1937	Sylvia	Nelson Eddy ; Theodore Paxson	Baritone vocal solo, with piano (with orchestra on 6/29/1937)	composer
Victor	PBS-019288	10-in.	5/26/1938	My homeland	Carroll Hollister ; John Charles Thomas	Baritone vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	BS-028196	10-in.	11/3/1938	On the road to Mandalay	Van Alexander Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-042788	10-in.	10/4/1939	The prayer perfect	Margaret Speaks	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	BS-048466	10-in.	3/28/1940	Sylvia	Frank La Forge	Piano solo	composer
Victor	PBS-049851	10-in.	6/14/1940	Sylvia	Allan Jones ; Charles Previn	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Victor	BS-067771	10-in.	9/10/1941	On the road to Mandalay	John Percival ; Victor Male Chorus	Male vocal chorus and male vocal solo	composer
Victor	[Trial 1913-06-23-01]	Not documented	6/23/1913	On the road to Mandalay	Oley Speaks	Male vocal solo	vocalist, baritone vocal, composer
Victor	[Trial 1915-09-10-01]	Not documented	9/10/1915	To you	Carl W. Knorr	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1915-11-29-03]	Not documented	11/29/1915	With the dreams of May	Jennie Kneedler Johnson	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1916-10-03-01]	Not documented	10/3/1916	Morning	J. A. Long	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1917-02-21-03]	Not documented	2/21/1917	Somewhere a voice is calling	Joseph A. Phillips	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1917-09-10-06]	Not documented	9/10/1917	We'll never let our old flag fall	Greek Evans	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1920-07-08-01]	Not documented	7/8/1920	Morning	Ruth Rodeheaver	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1923-05-07-01]	10-in.	5/7/1923	Star-eyes	Mabel Garrison	Soprano vocal solo, with piano	composer
Victor	[Trial 1926-10-20-01]	10-in.	10/20/1926	On the road to Mandalay	Fraser Gange	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Columbia	39190	10-in.	1/20/1914	Morning	Peerless Quartet	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	46651	10-in.	3/18/1916	Morning	Paul Dufault	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	77937	10-in.	6/28/1918	When the boys come home	Columbia Double Male Quartet	Male vocal double quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	78082	10-in.	9/26/1918	When the boys come home	Columbia Stellar Quartette	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	78296	10-in.	2/13/1919	When the boys come home	Louis Graveure	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	79996	10-in.	9/26/1921	Sylvia	Louis Graveure	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	140042	10-in.	9/17/1924	Sylvia	Binghamton Kiwanis Quartet	Male vocal quartet, with piano	composer
Columbia	36428	12-in.	8/6/1912	On the road to Mandalay	Frank Croxton	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	98013	12-in.	1/26/1922	On the road to Mandalay	Louis Graveure	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W141946	10-in.	4/9/1926	On the road to Mandalay	José Mardones	Bass vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W142778	10-in.	10/4/1926	On the road to Mandalay	Earl Burtnett Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	W146568	10-in.	6/21/1928	Sylvia	Alexander J. Kisselburgh	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W147425	10-in.	12/13/1928	Love's like a rosebud	Martha Attwood ; Stuart Ross	Female vocal solo, with piano	composer
Columbia	W152128	10-in.	3/8/1932	On the road to Mandalay	Ben Selvin and his Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	W152212	10-in.	6/9/1932	Sylvia	The Cavaliers	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet	composer
Columbia	W98333	12-in.	4/13/1927	On the road to Mandalay	Fraser Gange	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	6946	12-in.	approximately 1916	Morning	John Booth	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W110409	10-in.	February 1929	Tieni kulkee Mandaljaan (On the road to Mandalay)	Jean Theslöf	Male vocal solo	composer
OKeh	123	10-in.	approximately Apr. 1918	When the boys come home	Henry Burr	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
OKeh	559	10-in.	ca. Jan. 1919	On the road to Mandalay	Joe Phillips	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
OKeh	[OK cat 4434]	10-in.	1920	On the road to Mandalay	Bernard Ferguson	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	[Br cat 5248-b]	10-in.	approximately July 1918	On the road to Mandalay	Greek Evans	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	11925	12-in.	approximately 1921	On the road to Mandalay	Richard Bonelli	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	X11719-X11721	12-in.	10/24/1923	On the road to Mandalay	John Barclay	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	X13321-X13322	12-in.	6/13/1924	On the road to Mandalay	Mario Chamlee	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	X13411-X13412	12-in.	6/27/1924	On the road to Mandalay	Mario Chamlee	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	XE28123	12-in.	8/21/1928	Pinafore	Brunswick Light Opera Company	Solo vocalists and mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	XE28134	12-in.	8/23/1928	On the road to Mandalay	John Charles Thomas	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	XE30845	12-in.	9/6/1929	Bremer-Tully broadcast record no. 14	Bremer-Tully Orchestra	Orchestra	composer
Brunswick	E31566	10-in.	Dec. 1929	Sylvia	Brunswick Concert Orchestra ; Louis Katzman	Orchestra	composer
Brunswick	E31767	10-in.	January 1930	Brunswick Brevities program X, part 3	Brunswick Male Quartet	Radio transcription disc : Male vocal quartet	composer
Brunswick	E32391	10-in.	3/19/1930	En camino a Mandalay	Rodolfo Hoyos	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	E18734-E18735	10-in.	4/10/1926	Sylvia	Dartmouth Glee Club	Male vocal chorus, with piano	composer
Brunswick	XE24695-XE24697	12-in.	10/11/1927	On the road to Mandalay	Richard Bonelli	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	XE25301-XE25302	12-in.	11/26/1927	On the road to Mandalay	John Charles Thomas	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	C1973	10-in.	5/24/1928	Back again in Eldon	William Phillips	Male vocal solo, with piano	composer
Brunswick	XYG6200	12-in.	approximately Nov. 1930	Jersey Cereal Company series B, program A, pt. 1	Ace Brigode Orchestra	Radio transcription disc : Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	TCL1515	10-in.	8/6/1931	Road to Mandalay	The Dictators	Vocal ensemble, with piano	composer
Edison	4937	10-in.	8/21/1916	On the road to Mandalay	Wilfred Glenn	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Edison	5003	10-in.	9/18/1916	When the boys come home	Frederick J. Wheeler	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Edison	5541	10-in.	5/7/1917	On the road to Mandalay	Henri Scott	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Edison	7029	10-in.	11/2/1919	To you	Helen Davis	Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Edison	8247	10-in.	10/10/1921	The lane to Ballybree	Arthur Middleton	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Edison	9720	10-in.	9/19/1924	Morning	Arthur Middleton	Male vocal solo and mixed vocal trio, with orchestra	composer
Edison	9856	10-in.	11/18/1924	Sylvia	Frank Munn	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Edison	10449	10-in.	6/22/1925	On the road to Mandalay	Frederick Kinsley	Organ solo	composer
Gramophone	0EA8104	10-in.	9/28/1939	Sylvia	Paul Robeson	Bass vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Gramophone	Bb20691	10-in.	12/5/1930	The prayer perfect	Herbert Dawson ; John McCormack	Tenor vocal solo, with organ	composer

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Speaks, Oley," accessed November 5, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103140.

Speaks, Oley. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103140.

"Speaks, Oley." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 5 November 2024.