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Hello Central, Give Me Heaven

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Wikipedia article




'Hello Central, Give Me Heaven' is a popular Tin Pan Alley song first published in 1901, with lyrics and music by Charles K. Harris, and was among Harris's most popular songs. It was first recorded by Byron G. Harlan and released in July 1901.

The song relates a young girl wishing to use the telephone ("Hello Central" refers to the operator) to call her dead mother.Steffen, David J. [https://books.google.com/books?id=5ljfLgnIYlsC&pg=PA94&d#v=onepage&q&f=false From Edison to Marconi: The First Thirty Years of Recorded Music], p. 94-95 (2005) It was inspired by a newspaper story relating the attempt of the seven-year-old daughter of a widower to make such a call.Janter, Kenneth Aaron. [https://books.google.com/books?id=DjYYAQAAIAAJ&q=%22coal%20dealer%22 The Jews on Tin Pan Alley: the Jewish contribution to American popular music, 1830-1940], p. 105 (1982) Postcards were printed after the song's publication with the "kind permission" of Harris showing young girls using the telephone to call their dead mothers.Levinson, Paul. [https://books.google.com/books?id=mhI9YzOYHdAC&pg=PA2&d#v=onepage&q&f=false Cellphone: The Story of the World's Most Mobile Medium and How It Has Transformed Everything], p. 2 (2004)

The song's popularity led to several "telephone songs" in the following years,Holloway, Diane. [https://books.google.com/books?id=C1R_X2KhGIgC&pg=PA9&dq=%22#v=onepage&q&f=false American History in Song: Lyrics from 1900 To 1945], p. 9 (2001) and a one-reel film of the same title was released in 1913.

It has been estimated that the sheet music sold approximately one million copies.Nicholls, David (ed.) [https://books.google.com/books?id=4CeFAC5MdxwC&pg=PA183&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false The Cambridge History of American Music], p. 183 (1998)

The Carter Family also recorded a version of the song.

Lyrics



Film



A one-reel film of the same title was released in 1913. Prints and/or fragments were found in the Dawson Film Find in 1978.

References




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