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I have been in correspondence with a fan in Holland, who has acquired a number of old 78s in what he describes as a flea market, while on holiday in Barcelona, in Spain.
They are all on the Spanish Columbia label, and are labelled in Spanish but apparently with the minimum of supporting information. He was asking for help in identifying them, which, for the main part I have been able to do, but they do reveal some interesting quirks in translation. Interestingly, some of the matrix numbers had been changed to what presumably is a series maintained by Spanish Columbia, whilst others had both the original Decca matrix and a number in the Spanish series. Some of the records were direct equivalents of the original Decca releases but one matched a British Brunswick release with no direct US Decca equivalent pairing. I do not know what the affiliations between Spanish Columbia and their similarly named equivalents in the US and Britain might have been but releases of US Decca material on either US Columbia or UK Columbia affiliates seem, at least superficially, to be a bit odd. US Columbia was a competitor to Decca, and UK Columbia was a label of EMI. US Decca materal at the time was issued by British Decca on their Brunswick label. Possibly Decca had no direct outlet in Spain?
Some of the titles were:
Spanish Columbia R 14370 - Maravilloso d'amor/ Cogeremos lilas
is fairly obviously Beautiful Love/ We'll Gather Lilacs
-whilst Spanish Columbia R 14298 - El vals del aniversario/ Estrella de los vientos
Is The Anniversary Waltz/Trade Winds
- though Trade Winds was a bit far off the literal translation which I think is 'Star of the Winds'
The record covering two songs from 'The Road To Singapore -'Too Romantic/ The Moon And The Willow Tree was merely identified on both sides as
'La Ruta de Singapore' (Sp Columbia R 14370), and my contact initially thought it must be a matter of mislabelling. Original matrix numbers were conclusive here.
Columbia R 14430 - La arena cantante/ Conchita Marquita
is Singing Sands Of Alamosa/Conchita, Marquita, Lolita, Pepita, Rosita, Juanita Lopez
Again the literal translation is a bit off course as 'The Sand Singer' though Conchita etc is about as obvious as could be.
But then we have
R 14589 Una plegaria Lejana (Just a Prayer Away) (literally 'A Distant Prayer')
backed with 'De la Nada' (literally 'Of nothing') And this one is the mystery.
I am told this has two matrix numbers G 090 and L7168, which is puzzling because L7168 is in a sequence used by Decca but not so far as I can trace for any recording by Bing. It is in a sequence that would place it in 1953 which is much later than any of the other records in the batch, most of which are from the late 1930s and early/mid 1940s. 'Just A Prayer Away' is 1944 and was originally issued in a pairing with 'My Mother's Waltz' in both the US and Britain. I had hoped that writer credits or other data might exist but the labels seem to be unhelpful. One or two possibilities suggested themselves to me ('I Got Plenty Of Nothing' or 'Busy Doing Nothing', even 'Nobody'), but given the oddities in translation elsewhere there must be many other possibilities.
My contact lacks the equipment needed to digitise and send me a copy, though I am awaiting a cassette via 'snail mail'. In the meantime if anyone has a bright idea, please let me know.
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This is an interesting query and I can't find anything so far. The online 78 listing (
Look forward to the answer in due course.
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Richard are you also saying that your friend in Holland also lacks the ability to listen to the record and tell you what the lyrics are?
I am wondering if the side in question is by Bing. I have some 78s with different artists on each side.
Could the "G 090" be an album number. 78s pressed for albums in the US had both an album number and a matrix number on each one. Usually they would also be labeled for what no. each side was to be in the album sequence, but that might not have always been true. Individual discs often became separated from the original album binders.
Last edited by Steve Fay (20/9/2011 2:02 pm)
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The mystery is solved, but only to leave another.
The record is in fact 'Out Of Nowhere' from 1931.
I suppose 'Nothing' and 'Nowhere' are not too far apart!
The mystery of the matrix numbers remains.
The Brunswick original was LA 983 A
The numbers on the Spanish issue are C 7168 and G090 or 6090
C7168 is repeated on the label itself which also has the Spanish catalogue number R14589. I would assume that the matrix numbers were added by Spanish Columbia. This partly tallies with others in the batch where additional numbers appear alongside the recognisable originals.
The label identifies Columbia as being based in San Sebastian (or the pressing being made there?) and it is clear from the trademarks that Spanish Columbia was a subsidiary or associate of the British Columbia company (EMI).
Clearly the issue would be later than mid 1944 because the pairing is with 'Just A Prayer Away'