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 851-875 of 1016 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | W351134 | 10-in. | 11/16/1931 | Now's the time to fall in love | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351135 | 10-in. | 11/17/1931 | I promise you | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351136 | 10-in. | 11/23/1931 | Hiding in the shadows of the moon | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351137 | 10-in. | 11/23/1931 | I wonder who's under the moon with you tonight? | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351138 | 10-in. | 11/27/1931 | Bend down, sister | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351139 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | One little quarrel | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351140 | 10-in. | 12/7/1931 | By the sycamore tree | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351141 | 10-in. | 12/7/1931 | I wouldn't change you for the world | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351142 | 10-in. | 12/7/1931 | Save the last dance for me | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351143 | 10-in. | 12/18/1931 | All of me | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351144 | 10-in. | 12/18/1931 | I found you | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351145 | 10-in. | 12/18/1931 | You're my everything | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351146 | 10-in. | 12/31/1931 | One more kiss then goodnight | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351147 | 10-in. | 12/31/1931 | Too late | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351149 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | Auf wiedersehen, my dear | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351150 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | Goodnight moon | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351151 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | How long will it last? | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351152 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | Kiss by kiss (I'm falling in love with you) | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351153 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | When we're alone | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351154 | 10-in. | 1/12/1932 | Between the devil and the deep blue sea | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351155 | 10-in. | 2/4/1932 | Carolina's calling me | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351156 | 10-in. | 2/11/1932 | Kiss me goodnight | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351157 | 10-in. | 2/18/1932 | Can't we talk it over? | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351158 | 10-in. | 2/18/1932 | Dancing on the ceiling | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader | |
Columbia | W351159 | 10-in. | 2/29/1932 | Soft lights and sweet music | Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | leader |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed May 2, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.
Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.
"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Selvin, Ben, 1898-1980 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98080176
Wikidata: Ben Selvin - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q304517
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/54338200
MusicBrainz: Ben Selvin - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/84733717-7fa8-43da-a6aa-259fa1f36eb0
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