“Laffin’ At The Funnies”
Ruby Newman And His Ritz-Carleton Hotel Orchestra
(Victor 22934-B) February 15, 1932
See how many Great Depression era newspaper comic strips mentioned in the lyrics of this happy, up tempo recording you recognize – a few of the names you will hear are still around today.
The vocal on this is by The Funnyboners, a trio that consisted of Dave Grant, Gordon Graham and Bunny Coughlin who had their own network radio program in which they often spoofed the songs and performers of the period.
The Ruby Newman Orchestra was a Boston based society band that had a long-term engagement at that city’s Ritz-Carleton Hotel. The hotel still exists and is the last survivor of the original 1920s era Ritz Carleton chain.
This recording demonstrates that even the sophisticated high-society bands were not above making novelty recordings.