November 2004
Cylinder of the Month


See also the  Cylinders of the Month Archive.

From 1902, a song of homecomings – one too late – If I Only Could Blot Out the Past sung by the popular baritone Frank C. Stanley.

If I Only Could Blot Out the Past
 
Company Edison's National Phonograph Company
Cylinder # 7133
Category Baritone
Title If I Only Could Blot Out the Past
Performed by Frank C. Stanley
Circa 1902
Announcement "If I Only Could Blot Out the Past, sung by Frank C. Stanley.  Edison record."
 

A poignant song with a compelling title.
(Written and composed in 1896 by Gussie L. Davis, 1863-1899).

This recording, announced by Stanley, is a remake of the original brown wax version released by Edison in mid-1899.   See the September 1998 Cylinder of Month to hear another selection by the versatile Mr. Stanley.

To hear If I Only Could Blot Out the Past  —

 
For help playing these sounds, click here.

See the sheet music to If I Only Could Blot Out the Past courtesy of the Library of Congress.

— This cylinder of the month is from the collection of  Albert J. Menashe —

                                       

To hear other examples of wax cylinders, see the