Oley Speaks
Oley Speaks (June 28, 1874 – August 7, 1948) was an American composer and songwriter. His compositions include many religious songs, as well as his best-known success, "On the Road to Mandalay", which takes its lyrics from the poem "Mandalay" by Rudyard Kipling. The Canal Winchester Area Historical Society Museum has exhibits about the life of Oley Speaks, including original sheet music written by him. |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 28, 1874 (Canal Winchester), Died August 27, 1948 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1900 - 1941
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, baritone vocal
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berliner | 0988 | 7-in. | 2/17/1900 | On the road to Mandalay | Arthur Collins | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | B-4616 | 10-in. | 6/25/1907 | In May time | Pearl Benham | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-8966 | 10-in. | 5/18/1910 | In May time | John Barnes Wells | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | C-15238 | 12-in. | 10/1/1914 | On the road to Mandalay | Frederick J. Wheeler | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-15847 | 10-in. | 3/30/1915 | Morning | John McCormack | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-17381 | 10-in. | 3/27/1916 | When the boys come home | Evan Williams | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-18524 | 10-in. | 10/3/1916 | Life's twilight | Lambert Murphy | Male vocal solo, with cello and orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-20340 | 10-in. | 7/16/1917 | My homeland | Clarence Whitehill | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-20694 | 10-in. | 9/24/1917 | When the boys come home | Ernestine Schumann-Heink | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-24302 | 10-in. | 7/6/1920 | Life | Orville Harrold | Tenor vocal solo, with harp, piano, and orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-25319 | 10-in. | 5/26/1921 | Sylvia | Lambert Murphy | Male vocal solo, with cello and orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-25975 | 10-in. | 1/25/1922 | The lane to Ballybree | Elsie Baker | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-26432 | 10-in. | 4/26/1922 | The lane to Ballybree | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | C-26536 | 12-in. | 6/12/1922 | On the road to Mandalay | Reinald Werrenrath | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | CVE-26536 | 12-in. | 4/20/1927 | On the road to Mandalay | Reinald Werrenrath | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-28649 | 10-in. | 10/9/1923 | Star-eyes | Mabel Garrison | Soprano vocal solo, with violin, piano, and orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | C-28896 | 12-in. | 11/15/1923 | Werrenrath song medley | Reinald Werrenrath | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | B-31276 | 10-in. | 12/11/1924 | Morning | Pauline Pipkin | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | C-31813 | 12-in. | 1/28/1925 | Fuzzy-Wuzzy | Royal Dadmun | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | CVE-33082 | 12-in. | 7/15/1925 | On the road to Mandalay | Royal Dadmun | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | CVE-34533 | 12-in. | 2/6/1926 | Sylvia | Associated Glee Clubs of America | Male vocal chorus | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-34779 | 10-in. | 4/14/1926 | Star eyes | Meta Christensen | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-36112 | 10-in. | 8/10/1926 | Morning | The De Reszke Singers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-36547 | 10-in. | 10/15/1926 | On the road to Mandalay | Art Landry Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | CVE-37041 | 12-in. | 11/27/1926 | Sylvia | Associated Glee Clubs of America | Male vocal chorus, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-38987 | 10-in. | 7/7/1927 | Morning | Darwin Bowen, Jr. | Boy soprano vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | CVE-43988 | 12-in. | 5/16/1928 | Silvia | Elva Kalb | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | CVE-45190 | 12-in. | 5/29/1928 | On the road to Mandalay | Lawrence Tibbett | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-46137 | 10-in. | 7/18/1928 | On the road to Mandalay | Lindsay Callum | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-51844 | 10-in. | 5/24/1929 | On the road to Mandalay | Associated Glee Clubs of America | Male vocal chorus, with 4 pianos | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-51852 | 10-in. | 5/24/1929 | Morning | Associated Glee Clubs of America | Male vocal chorus | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-62276 | 10-in. | 6/13/1930 | Sylvia | Richard Crooks | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-67539 | 10-in. | 6/15/1931 | On the road to Mandalay | Jesse Crawford | Pipe organ solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-67593 | 10-in. | 9/30/1931 | Sylvia | Jack Fulton ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BRC-71224 | 10-in. | 1/13/1932 | Sylvia | Jesse Crawford | Pipe organ solo | composer | |
| Victor | BSHQ-72806 | 10-in. | 5/19/1932 | Sylvia | John Charles Thomas | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | BS-75511 | 10-in. | 3/13/1933 | The prayer perfect | Richard Crooks | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | CS-88970 | 12-in. | 5/15/1935 | The song of the Roger | RCA Victor Glee Club | Mixed vocal chorus | composer | |
| Victor | CS-95371 | 12-in. | 10/10/1935 | On the road to Mandalay | Nathaniel Shilkret ; Lawrence Tibbett | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | BS-01195 | 10-in. | 9/14/1936 | Sylvia | Wayne King Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | PBS-09565 | 10-in. | 6/29/1937 | Sylvia | Nelson Eddy ; Theodore Paxson | Baritone vocal solo, with piano (with orchestra on 6/29/1937) | composer | |
| Victor | PBS-019288 | 10-in. | 5/26/1938 | My homeland | Carroll Hollister ; John Charles Thomas | Baritone vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BS-028196 | 10-in. | 11/3/1938 | On the road to Mandalay | Van Alexander Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-042788 | 10-in. | 10/4/1939 | The prayer perfect | Margaret Speaks | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | BS-048466 | 10-in. | 3/28/1940 | Sylvia | Frank La Forge | Piano solo | composer | |
| Victor | BS-067771 | 10-in. | 9/10/1941 | On the road to Mandalay | John Percival ; Victor Male Chorus | Male vocal chorus and male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1913-06-23-01] | Not documented | 6/23/1913 | On the road to Mandalay | Oley Speaks | Male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
| Victor | [Trial 1915-09-10-01] | Not documented | 9/10/1915 | To you | Carl W. Knorr | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1915-11-29-03] | Not documented | 11/29/1915 | With the dreams of May | Jennie Kneedler Johnson | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1916-10-03-01] | Not documented | 10/3/1916 | Morning | J. A. Long | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1917-02-21-03] | Not documented | 2/21/1917 | Somewhere a voice is calling | Joseph A. Phillips | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1917-09-10-06] | Not documented | 9/10/1917 | We'll never let our old flag fall | Greek Evans | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1920-07-08-01] | Not documented | 7/8/1920 | Morning | Ruth Rodeheaver | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1923-05-07-01] | 10-in. | 5/7/1923 | Star-eyes | Mabel Garrison | Soprano vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Trial 1926-10-20-01] | 10-in. | 10/20/1926 | On the road to Mandalay | Fraser Gange | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Columbia | 39190 | 10-in. | 1/20/1914 | Morning | Peerless Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 46651 | 10-in. | 3/18/1916 | Morning | Paul Dufault | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 77937 | 10-in. | 6/28/1918 | When the boys come home | Columbia Double Male Quartet | Male vocal double quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 78082 | 10-in. | 9/26/1918 | When the boys come home | Columbia Stellar Quartette | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 78296 | 10-in. | 2/13/1919 | When the boys come home | Louis Graveure | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 79996 | 10-in. | 9/26/1921 | Sylvia | Louis Graveure | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 140042 | 10-in. | 9/17/1924 | Sylvia | Binghamton Kiwanis Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with piano | composer | |
| Columbia | 36428 | 12-in. | 8/6/1912 | On the road to Mandalay | Frank Croxton | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 98013 | 12-in. | 1/26/1922 | On the road to Mandalay | Louis Graveure | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | W141946 | 10-in. | 4/9/1926 | On the road to Mandalay | José Mardones | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | W142778 | 10-in. | 10/4/1926 | On the road to Mandalay | Earl Burtnett Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Columbia | W146568 | 10-in. | 6/21/1928 | Sylvia | Alexander J. Kisselburgh | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | W147425 | 10-in. | 12/13/1928 | Love's like a rosebud | Martha Attwood ; Stuart Ross | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Columbia | W152128 | 10-in. | 3/8/1932 | On the road to Mandalay | Ben Selvin and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Columbia | W152212 | 10-in. | 6/9/1932 | Sylvia | The Cavaliers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | composer | |
| Columbia | W98333 | 12-in. | 4/13/1927 | On the road to Mandalay | Fraser Gange | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | 6946 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Morning | John Booth | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | W110409 | 10-in. | February 1929 | Tieni kulkee Mandaljaan (On the road to Mandalay) | Jean Theslöf | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| OKeh | 123 | 10-in. | approximately Apr. 1918 | When the boys come home | Henry Burr | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| OKeh | 559 | 10-in. | ca. Jan. 1919 | On the road to Mandalay | Joe Phillips | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| OKeh | [OK cat 4434] | 10-in. | 1920 | On the road to Mandalay | Bernard Ferguson | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | [Br cat 5248-b] | 10-in. | approximately July 1918 | On the road to Mandalay | Greek Evans | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | 11925 | 12-in. | approximately 1921 | On the road to Mandalay | Richard Bonelli | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | X11719-X11721 | 12-in. | 10/24/1923 | On the road to Mandalay | John Barclay | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | X13321-X13322 | 12-in. | 6/13/1924 | On the road to Mandalay | Mario Chamlee | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | X13411-X13412 | 12-in. | 6/27/1924 | On the road to Mandalay | Mario Chamlee | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | XE28123 | 12-in. | 8/21/1928 | Pinafore | Brunswick Light Opera Company | Solo vocalists and mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | XE28134 | 12-in. | 8/23/1928 | On the road to Mandalay | John Charles Thomas | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | XE30845 | 12-in. | 9/6/1929 | Bremer-Tully broadcast record no. 14 | Bremer-Tully Orchestra | Orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | E31566 | 10-in. | Dec. 1929 | Sylvia | Brunswick Concert Orchestra ; Louis Katzman | Orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | E31767 | 10-in. | January 1930 | Brunswick Brevities program X, part 3 | Brunswick Male Quartet | Radio transcription disc : Male vocal quartet | composer | |
| Brunswick | E32391 | 10-in. | 3/19/1930 | En camino a Mandalay | Rodolfo Hoyos | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | E18734-E18735 | 10-in. | 4/10/1926 | Sylvia | Dartmouth Glee Club | Male vocal chorus, with piano | composer | |
| Brunswick | XE24695-XE24697 | 12-in. | 10/11/1927 | On the road to Mandalay | Richard Bonelli | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | XE25301-XE25302 | 12-in. | 11/26/1927 | On the road to Mandalay | John Charles Thomas | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | C1973 | 10-in. | 5/24/1928 | Back again in Eldon | William Phillips | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Brunswick | XYG6200 | 12-in. | approximately Nov. 1930 | Jersey Cereal Company series B, program A, pt. 1 | Ace Brigode Orchestra | Radio transcription disc : Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Brunswick | TCL1515 | 10-in. | 8/6/1931 | Road to Mandalay | The Dictators | Vocal ensemble, with piano | composer | |
| Edison | 4937 | 10-in. | 8/21/1916 | On the road to Mandalay | Wilfred Glenn | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 5003 | 10-in. | 9/18/1916 | When the boys come home | Frederick J. Wheeler | Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 5541 | 10-in. | 5/7/1917 | On the road to Mandalay | Henri Scott | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 7029 | 10-in. | 11/2/1919 | To you | Helen Davis | Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 8247 | 10-in. | 10/10/1921 | The lane to Ballybree | Arthur Middleton | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 9720 | 10-in. | 9/19/1924 | Morning | Arthur Middleton | Male vocal solo and mixed vocal trio, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 9856 | 10-in. | 11/18/1924 | Sylvia | Frank Munn | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Edison | 10449 | 10-in. | 6/22/1925 | On the road to Mandalay | Frederick Kinsley | Organ solo | composer | |
| Gramophone | 0EA8104 | 10-in. | 9/28/1939 | Sylvia | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Gramophone | Bb20691 | 10-in. | 12/5/1930 | The prayer perfect | Herbert Dawson ; John McCormack | Tenor vocal solo, with organ | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Speaks, Oley," accessed April 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103140.
Speaks, Oley. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103140.
"Speaks, Oley." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Oley Speaks
Discogs: Oley Speaks
Grove: Oley Speaks
IMSLP: Oley Speaks
IMDb: Oley Speaks
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Speaks, Oley, 1874-1948 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81047930
Wikidata: Oley Speaks - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2512925
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/87874523
MusicBrainz: Oley Speaks - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6fcb842f-7891-4305-880d-c14d644df822
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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