American Folk Song
"Little Brown Jug" is a song written in 1869 by Joseph Winner, originally published credited to "Eastburn" (Winner's middle name) by J.E. Winner in Philadelphia. It was originally a drinking song and remained well known as a folk song into the early 20th century. As a children's song, the lyrics were changed to reflect a more wholesome context. Sometimes a verse is modified to fit the melody and rhythm of the tune. In the Famous Studios 1948 "Screen Song" cartoon short titled "Little Brown Jug", a " Bouncing Ball" cartoon, it is sung with the music credited to Winston Sharples and entirely new lyrics by Buddy Kaye.
Source: Wikimedia |
Jazz and Concert Band
In 1939, bandleader Glenn Miller recorded and broadcast his swing instrumental arrangement of the tune with great success, and the number became one of the best known orchestrations of the American Big Band era. His version did not have the lyrics. The recording was an early chart hit for Glenn Miller. The piece was performed in Glenn Miller's Carnegie Hall concert that year and became a staple of the Glenn Miller Orchestra repertoire and a classic of the Big Band era. "Little Brown Jug" was featured in and was central to the plot of the 1953 Universal Pictures film biography The Glenn Miller Story starring James Stewart and June Allyson. Our arrangement by Art Dedrick, was written and published in 1941 for the “Playground Series” of Kendor Music to be easily performed by all levels of concert bands.
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