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Ben Selvin

Benjamin Bernard Selvin (March 5, 1898 – July 15, 1980) was an American musician, bandleader, and record producer. He was known as the Dean of Recorded Music.

Selvin was born in New York City, United States, the son of Jewish Russian immigrants. He started his professional life at age 15 as a fiddle player in New York City night clubs. Six years later, as leader of his own dance band, the Novelty Orchestra, he released what was later alleged to be the biggest-selling popular song in the first quarter-century of recorded music. "Dardanella" allegedly sold more than six million copies and an additional million pieces of sheet music—although in a joint interview with Gustave Haenschen, founding director of popular-music releases at Brunswick Records, Selvin described the alleged record-sales total as “nonsensical” and said the actual sales of “Dardanella” and other purported “million-sellers” in the 1920s was 150,000 discs. He was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) that was presented to Selvin on his retirement on March 14, 1963.

According to The Guinness Book of World Records, Selvin recorded more musical sides (on 78-rpm discs) than any other person. One reason for this prolific output is that he recorded for dozens of different record labels during this productive time in the industry, using a different name for each label. His output has been estimated at 13,000 to 20,000 song titles.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 5, 1898 (New York City), Died July 15, 1980 (Manhasset)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1919 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, violin, vocalist, songwriter, composer, lyricist, arranger

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

Recordings (Results 676-700 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W151578 10-in. 6/1/1931 Dancing in the dark Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151610 10-in. 6/15/1931 When Yuba plays the rumba on the tuba The Knickerbockers ; The Rondoliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151611 10-in. 6/15/1931 Sing a little jingle The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia W151612 10-in. 6/15/1931 Wrap your troubles in dreams (And dream your troubles away) Teddy Raph and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151626 10-in. 6/22/1931 Sing another chorus, please Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151627 10-in. 6/22/1931 Let's drink a drink to the future! Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151628 10-in. 6/22/1931 Just one more chance Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151680 10-in. 7/14/1931 Do the New York Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio and male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151681 10-in. 7/14/1931 Hikin' down the highway Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151682 10-in. 7/14/1931 My sweet tooth says I wanna (But my wisdom tooth says no) Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio leader  
Columbia W151683 10-in. 7/14/1931 Nobody loves no baby (Like my baby loves me) Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio leader  
Columbia W151694 10-in. 7/21/1931 Slow but sure The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151695 10-in. 7/21/1931 Me! The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151723 10-in. 8/31/1931 My song Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151724 10-in. 8/13/1931 This is the missus Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151737 10-in. 8/18/1931 (If this is love) I don't want love Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151738 10-in. 8/18/1931 To-night or never The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151748 10-in. 8/24/1931 It's great to be in love The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151749 10-in. 8/24/1931 Trees Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151750 10-in. 8/24/1931 Yours is my heart alone Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151837 10-in. 10/13/1931 A faded summer love The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151838 10-in. 10/13/1931 Charlie cadet Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151849 10-in. 10/16/1931 Call me darling (Call me sweetheart, call me dear) The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W151850 10-in. 10/16/1931 Little Mary Brown Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W151870 10-in. 10/30/1931 Try to forget Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 676-700 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064

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