Will Glahé

Will Glahé (February 12, 1902 – November 21, 1989) was a German accordionist, composer, and bandleader.

Glahé was born at Elberfeld, Germany. In the 1930s, he was, along with Heinz Munsonius and Albert Vossen, one of the most successful accordionists in Germany. He led his own orchestra from 1932 and became successful particularly in popular music.

One of his most famous songs in Germany was his 1936 recording of "Rosamunde" (a German female forename), a cover version of the song "Škoda lásky" ("Wasted Love") by Jaromir Vejvoda. Under the title "Beer Barrel Polka", the tune hit No. 1 on the Hit Parade in the United States in 1939. It sold over one million copies by 1943, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. After World War II he was known as the "Polka King" in the U.S., and did both big band and folk music arrangements with his orchestra.

His "Liechtensteiner Polka" was also a hit in the U.S., hitting No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957. The follow-up single "Sweet Elizabeth" (1958) appeared in all major U.S. charts, nearing the top 40 in Cashbox and Music Vendor.

He had some success with "The Cuckoo Waltz" by Swede E. I. Jonasson in 1969, and the song is now used widely, in the Alice in Wonderland dark ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and in Efteling, Holland.

His album, Oktoberfest peaked at number 53 in Australia in 1973.

He died at Rheinbreitbach.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 12, 1902 (Elberfeld), Died November 21, 1989 (Rheinbreitbach)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1933 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, accordion, composer

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

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 122 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone 0RA2403 10-in. 11/2/1937 Alles tanzt walzer Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal group leader  
Gramophone 0RA2404 10-in. 11/2/1937 Gib Acht auf den Jahrgang Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal group leader  
Gramophone 0RA2477 10-in. 11/23/1937 In guter Stimmung Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2478 10-in. 11/23/1937 Das macht Laune Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2516 10-in. 12/8/1937 Tauperlen (Fox trott-intermezzo) Glahé Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with accordion solo instrumentalist, accordion, leader  
Gramophone 0RA2517 10-in. before 3/7/1939 Schabernack (Fox trot) Glahé Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with accordion solo composer, instrumentalist, accordion, leader  
Gramophone 0RA2518 10-in. 12/8/1937 Feuerwerk Glahé Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble leader  
Gramophone 0RA2521 10-in. 12/8/1937 Spanischer Walzer Glahé Musette Orchestra ; Will Glahé Accordion solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, accordion, leader  
Gramophone 0RA2536 10-in. 12/15/1937 Hör' mein Lied, Violetta Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble leader  
Gramophone 0RA2536 10-in. 12/15/1937 Hear my song, Violetta Glahé Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble leader  
Gramophone 0RA2537 10-in. 12/15/1937 Gutenacht-Gruss Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal trio leader  
Gramophone 0RA2572 10-in. 1/12/1938 Und dann drücken wir noch mal auf's Knöpfchen Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2573 10-in. 1/12/1938 Die Welt wird schöner mit jedem Glas Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2574 10-in. 1/12/1938 Tanze und sing! Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2575 10-in. 1/12/1938 Puppen parade Orchester Will Glahé ; Schuricke-Terzett Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal trio leader  
Gramophone 0RA2628 10-in. 2/3/1938 Das ist Berlin Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal trio leader  
Gramophone 0RA2701 10-in. 3/3/1938 Pony Express Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble leader  
Gramophone 0RA2763 10-in. 3/24/1938 Haben sie den neuen Hut von Fräulein Molly schon gesehen? Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with female-male vocal duet leader  
Gramophone 0RA2764 10-in. 3/24/1938 Nur das Lachen nicht verlernen Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2924 10-in. 5/11/1938 Irrlichter Glahé Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with accordion solo leader, instrumentalist, accordion  
Gramophone 0RA2954 10-in. 5/19/1938 In meiner Burg am Strande Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2955 10-in. 5/19/1938 Montmartre (Musette-waltz) Glahé Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with accordion solo leader, instrumentalist, accordion  
Gramophone 0RA2977 10-in. 5/24/1938 Es ist so schön, Soldat zu sein Orchester Will Glahé Jazz/dance band, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA2978 10-in. 5/24/1938 Ein Viertelstündchen mit Dir allein Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble, with vocal leader  
Gramophone 0RA3010 10-in. 6/2/1938 Schiff ahoi Orchester Will Glahé Instrumental ensemble leader  
(Results 51-75 of 122 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Glahé, Will," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107148.

Glahé, Will. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107148.

"Glahé, Will." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107148

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