Image Source: Wikipedia

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 801-825 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W351017 10-in. 5/9/1931 Wrap your troubles in dreams (And dream your troubles away) Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351018 10-in. 5/9/1931 I "wanna" sing about you Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351020 10-in. 5/19/1931 Faithfully yours Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351022 10-in. 5/19/1931 Under your window tonight (Yoo-hoo I'll call to you) Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351037 10-in. 6/19/1931 Many happy returns of the day Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351043 10-in. 6/18/1931 Just one more chance Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351044 10-in. 6/18/1931 Makin' faces at the man in the moon Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351045 10-in. 6/18/1931 Without that gal! Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351053 10-in. 7/7/1931 I'm an unemployed sweetheart Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351054 10-in. 7/3/1931 It's the girl! Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351058 10-in. 7/3/1931 Why dance? Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351063 10-in. 7/21/1931 Me! Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351066 10-in. 7/7/1931 I love you in the same sweet way Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351067 10-in. 7/7/1931 I'm all dressed up with a broken heart Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351068 10-in. 7/7/1931 The kiss that you've forgotten (Is the kiss I can't forget) Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351077 10-in. 7/21/1931 I love Louisa Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351081 10-in. 7/28/1931 Sweet and lovely Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351082 10-in. 7/28/1931 I can't get Mississippi off my mind Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351084 10-in. 8/18/1931 What are you thinking about, baby Lloyd Keating and his Music [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351085 10-in. 8/18/1931 (If this is love) I don't want love Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351087 10-in. 8/13/1931 As time goes by Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351089 10-in. 8/25/1931 This is the missus Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351090 10-in. 8/25/1931 I apologize Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351093 10-in. 8/25/1931 Now that you're gone Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351100 10-in. 9/9/1931 Guilty Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 801-825 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed May 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.