Miscellaneous, Unreleased, Pirated, and Misidentified Recordings
Unreleased Brunswick, ARC
These recordings were spotted in Brunswick’s ledgers and later listed by “party record” discographer David Diehl. Actual copies of the records, or pressing plates have never been found. They’re listed in Brunswick Records: Chicago and Regional Sessions by Ross Laird, page 1329.
“SCOTCH & BOURBON, comic dialog.
Los Angeles, October 29, 1929, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
LTR 236-A, B Shopping with Ella (Brunswick Test)
LTR 237-A, B Ella in Hollywood (Brunswick Test)
Note: The recording sheet shows that both selections are composed by Rae Bourbon, and this indicates the identity of one member of this duo.”
The following listing is from and Ross Laird’s Moanin’ Low : A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1919-1933.
LAT 973-A – I Want to Be Good (Brunswick Test)
Probably Recordings, Inc. studios, Los Angeles, March 17, 1931. By Rae Bourbon.
According to David Diehl, the following listing is from typewritten lists by Helene Chmura circulated among collectors.
LA 1082 – My Harmony Man
LA 1083 – My Swimming Lesson
Listed as by “Bourbanas” (Ray Bourbon with George Chichester “Chet” Forrest and Robert Wright). Recorded at the American Record Corporation studios, Los Angeles, December 18, 1935.
Hi-Lite Records, Party Record
Though more typical of labels that pirated Ray’s records, these may be genuine authorized releases by Ray. The titles have not turned up on Ray’s usual authorized labels.
Hi-Lite Records 103 Days of Yore
Party Record 515 When Knighthood Was in Flower (same performance as “Days of Yore”)
Party Record 515 Air Raid Warden
Anonymous White Label
These sides have not been verified as being by Ray. They may be test pressings of material by Ray or sides that have misattributed to Ray.
All are from David Diehl’s Blue Pages discography.
Anonymous White Label (X 025) Shanghai Flo
Anonymous White Label (X 026) Singapore Lilly
(These sides appear to be a missing disc from the series of recordings released on WRC Bourbana. They fit with the matrix numbers known for those releases. A 1937 copyright entry exists for the composition “Shanghai Flo” by Ray Bourbon. Diehl had a cassette dub of these sides in the 1990s.)
Anonymous White Label (24) Strip Tease Queen
(This side may be a test pressing of Bourbana X-24.)
Anonymous White Label 516 (A)–Armchair General
Anonymous White Label 516 (B)–Ivan
(“Armchair General” has been verified by Jared Marconi as not being by Ray. “Ivan” is likely a pirate of one of Ray’s releases, Imperial 109-B, “When Ivan Stated Diving”.)
Anonymous White Label BD-1 and 003–[Three Guesses]
Anonymous White Label BD-2 and 004 –[Haggerty’s]
(According to David Diehl, BD-1/003 is a “chattier” version of Imperial 103-B. Diehl also says that “Haggerty’s” was mentioned in a mid-1946 review of Ray’s appearance at the Starlit Room in Hollywood. Both are truncated to fit on a 10″ disc. Diehl had a dub of these sides in the 1990s.)
Hollywood Hot Shots, Good Humor, Party Novelty’s, Hi-Society
These are pirated or unauthorized reissues of Ray’s material. The tracks shown are verified as being by Ray; the other side of the recordings contain similar “party” numbers by other artists. They were issued as anonymous releases.
Hollywood Hot Shots 338 (24) Strip Tease Queen
Good Humor 17-A (24) Strip Tease Queen
Party Novelty’s (24) Strip Tease Queen
Hi-Society Records (HS 502-B) The Masseur (reissue/pirate of “Chiropractor’s Wife”)
Don't Call Me Madam 