Delaware

Delaware has no official state waltz. There are two waltzes titled Delaware but since both seem to relate more to the Delaware River than to the State of Delaware, neither seems likely to be a candidate for an official state waltz.

In February, 1920, the Victor recording of Let the Rest of the World Go By by Charles Hart and Elizabeth Spencer hit number 2 on the record charts.  In 1921, hoping to get another hit, Hart and Spencer recorded Delaware, a waltz, for Thomas Edison's record company. It was released both as a Blue Amberol cylinder and as a Diamond Disc. Elizabeth Spencer is the most recorded vocalist on Edison records - more than 600 recording sessions. Charles Hart, her duet partner, was a Broadway musical star and later sang opera. Fortunately, their recording is available courtesy of the University of California, Santa Barbara Library Cylinder Audio Archive. You can hear it below.

The song, whose title on the sheet music is Delaware Waltz Song, was composed by the Tin Pan Alley composer, producer and and band contractor, Marvin Smolev.  Curiously, jazz artist Cliff Jackson and his Krazy Kats released records under the alias Marvin Smolev and the Syncopators on the Grey Gull label - Smolev himself apparently never appeared on a recording. In addition to the Spencer/Hart recording, the piece achieved some success as sheet music published by Joseph P. McDaniel (who also wrote the lyrics for Delaware).  While long out of print, you can still buy a digital copy of the music from Sheet Music Plus.  You can hear a MIDI rendition of the sheet music version below.

You will also find a simplified score and lyrics near the bottom of this blog.

What has been left out?

Brigid Kaelin has recorded a very nice, country style waltz titled Delaware which you can listen to here.  I have left it out because it's subject is clearly not the state but rather the Delaware River and George Washington's crossing of it - and it is a tenuous connection to the river at that. Nevertheless, it is a nice song by a talented musician.

In 1863, T.M. Todd composed a Grand Waltz for piano which is titled Sounds from Fort Delaware.  There is a copy of it in the U.S. Library of Congress Civil War Music collection which you can see on-line here.

[Note added 8/3/19 - add video https://youtu.be/iPYo7JpPoFg

Add Delaware Waltz from glass, Down Home in Delaware https://books.google.com/books?id=9zEhAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA565&lpg=PA565&dq=%22down+home+in+delaware%22&source=bl&ots=QmzAlUHvTW&sig=ACfU3U27vBfFCgOOzJ53hedH4gHC5KoJJg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFmZzLvubjAhWRxFkKHZjSBBYQ6AEwCnoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22down%20home%20in%20delaware%22&f=false

[Note added 8/9/19 - https://www.discogs.com/composition/a55dd715-6d71-439e-ad02-3109090241ab-The-Delaware-Waltz  ]

and visit ebay for photo of glass.]

If you are aware of other Delaware waltzes, please leave a comment below.

Simplified Score:

 Lyrics:

Verse One:

Delaware you're beautiful,
Delaware you're wonderful.
Stream of my delight,
Reflecting stars at night.

In my little wonder boat,
I just want to sit and float
While the moon is gleaming
To where my love lies dreaming.

Chorus:

Winds are softly sighing thru the shady trees.
Bringing to me tender memories.
Moonbeams slyly stealing thru the Sycamore
Seem to say my love awaits me on the shore.
Hurry Delaware, before my love awakes.
Hurry Delaware, before my heart breaks.
Take me Delaware,
Oh, take me where my heart longs to be tonight.

Verse Two:

Delaware I love you so.
Delaware I want to go
To the spot so fair,
With beauty oh so rare

Where my love awaits for me.
And it's there I want to be.
Where beside the roses
She silently reposes.

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