Willem Versfeld - Die Voetbal Match / Yeup Taralie Trala Trala
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LINER NOTES

 

ADDITIONAL NOTES

A discography for Willem Versfeld in chronological order based on matrix numbers sourced from Alan Kelly's research on the history of the Gramophone Company. Note that Kelly's research is sourced from the original ledgers at the EMI archives and some of the translations below contain racial epithets not found on the actual labels:

Willem Versfeld, (comic), Cape Town, March 4, 1912
870ak      Carolus vant Dijk (4093, X-2-42422)
871ak      Laat los Katrina (Eliza! Let go) (4092, X-2-42420)
872ak      De kat kom Weer (The cat came back) (4150, X-4-42293)
873ak      Niks (Nothing) (4150, X-4-42292)
874ak      Bier, bier, bier (Glorious beer) (4109, X-2-42580)
875ak      Toe se de Magistraat (And the verdict was...) (4111, X-42582)

Willem Versfeld, (comic), Cape Town, March 5, 1912
880½ak   You stem is naby als ik Slaap (Thy voice is near, with patter)
                  (4128, X-2-42822)
881ak      Ik gaan met hom (I went with him) (4126, X-2-42818)
882ak      De spooke in de Kirkhof (Goblins in the Churchyard) (4126, X-2-42819)
883ak      Oom Jan sij eetpartij (Gilhooley's supper party) (4127, X-2-42820)
884ak      Jach, Jach, Ja (Laughing song) (4109, X-2-42579)

Willem Versfeld, (comic), Cape Town, March 12, 1912
899ak      Een Vlukse Meid (4127, X-2-42821)

Miss M. Loubser, Willem Versfeld, Cape Town, March 12, 1912
900ak      Wil Mimie Vryers Krij (4111, X-44235)

Willem Versfeld, (comic), Cape Town, March 12, 1912
901ak      Blikbout Jan de Hotnot man (The dandy coloured coon) (4078, X-2-42362)
902ak      Sy kost my twintig shillings (She cost me twenty shillings) (4078, X-2-42361)
903ak      Meneer van der Westhuizen (4128, X-41136)
910ak      Een shilling in mijn sak (A shilling in my purse) (4158, X-4-42294
911ak      Wag een beetjie (4158, X-4-42295)

Willem Versfeld, (comic), Cape Town, March 19, 1912
943½ak   Jan trek jou Broek tog aan (4092, X-2-42419)
944ak      Japie sing in die Gramophone (4110, X-41116)
945ak      De motor bicycle (4108, X-41115)
946ak      De Kanarie Man (4108, X-41114)

Willem Versfeld, (comic), Cape Town, March 22, 1912
969ak      Sakobong Songki (Old Kaffir comic song) (4110, X-2-42581)
970ak      Jeup taralie trala trala (Flynn) (Yip I addy I aye) (4079, X-2-42363)
972ak      De Voetbal Match (The football match) (4079, X-41096)
973ak      De Kaapse Jubelsang (4093, X-2-42421)

 

WILLEM VERSFELD
DIE VOETBAL MATCH / YEUP TARALIE TRALA TRALA


recorded 1912-03-22
issued 1920s
Zonophone
Gramophone Co. EMI
made in UK
4079
matrix 972ak
matrix 970ak
78 rpm
reissue
source: Flatinternational Archive

TRACK LISTING

 

1.1Die Voetbal Match

(Willem Versfeld)

2.2Yeup Taralie Trala Trala

(Abb-Flynn)

ARTISTS

 

WILLEM VERSFELD - spoken word, vocal

NOTES

 

The UK based Gramophone Company Limited (home to labels like His Master's Voice and Zonophone) was one of the first companies to issue South African music and had sent a recording engineer George Walter Dillnutt there with a mobile unit in March and April of 1912. The unit recorded material in Johannesburg and Cape Town that was subsequently issued on 78 rpm shellac discs and marketed in South Africa as the 4000 series on the company's Zonophone Twin label. The company would continue making recordings in the 1920s and 30s at its head office in London. The label pictured above shows the 2nd design used in the 4000 series.

Zonophone issued at least 26 tracks by Willem Versfeld and probably many more were recorded in Cape Town over a three week period in March 1912. The cuts include a blend of spoken word, humorous monologues, Afrikaans folk songs and other somewhat bawdy and also racist tunes.

Die Voetbal Match is a humorous account of a rugby match played at Newlands between Stellenbosch and Hamilton which included rugby legends Paul Roos, and Japie Kruger. Though it was one of the last tracks to be recorded by Versfeld it was one of his first to be issued. The disc must have been quite successful as it was reissued again in the mid to late 1920s. See the 3rd 4000 series label design above.

I am indebted to Alan Kelly for his tireless research on the discography of the Gramophone Company.