Hula Lou

Album: Broadway's Gone Hawaii (1924)
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Songfacts®:

  • A hula is a Hawaiian dance, and Hula Lou - whoever she was - wore a hula skirt. The British Library catalogue holds no less than four songs published between 1915 and 1924 featuring her name in the title, all of them, unsurprisingly, in the United States.

    The first of these is credited Words by Harry Williams, Music by Neil Moret, published by Charles N. Daniels of San Francisco, 1915. It is said to be by the writers of the successful song "In Monterey". Neil Moret (or Morét) is actually one of the many pseudonyms of publisher Daniels, who is also credited as the arranger of the Scott Joplin hit "Original Rags."

    The second of these is credited Lyric by Edward Grossmith, Music by Ted Ward, published by Bernard Granville at New York, 1916.

    The last of these songs is credited words by Jack Yellen, music by Milton Charles and Wayne King, it was "Successfully Introduced by Buddy Doyle in The Shubert Production 'Artists And Models'" published by Ager, Yellen & Bornstein of Broadway, copyright 1924. There have been a number of musical productions called Artists And Models but this one opened at the Shubert Theatre on August 20, 1923 and closed March 23 the following year.
  • "Hula Lou" has a bizarre claim to fame, it appears to be a song to murder your lover by. On April 3, 1924, Beulah Annan shot dead Harry Kalstedt then sat drinking cocktails and playing a foxtrot version of the song over and over again.
  • The song was also performed by Sophie Tucker, who appeared on another printing of the sheet music. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for all above

Comments: 4

  • Glenn from Carlsbad, CaA third-person version of Hula Lou was sung by Speedy Gonzales (voiced by Mel Blanc) in the 1960s Looney Toons cartoon “A Squeak in the Deep”, set during a boat race from Mexico to Hawaii.
  • Paul from Hillsborough, NcThis is very interesting to find. I'm a longtime fan of Danny Kaye (from childhood) and would enjoy hearing this as well. One thing I can provide is a link to a fascinating band from North Carolina who recorded in the 20's, The Carolina Tar Heels. You can hear their (IMHO great) version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHi672s088s (just skip past the advertisement).
  • David from Atlanta, GaEven Bugs Bunny sang little bits of this song in some of his cartoons.
    There's a very good version on YouTube by the Rhythm Billies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPCrQxp94S8
  • Carol from Orlando, Flhow do I listen to Hula Lou? I am doing some study on the old song and eould like to hear it
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