Will Glahé

Will Glahé (February 12, 1902 – November 21, 1989) was a German accordionist, composer, and bandleader. Glahé was born at Elberfeld, Germany. In the 1930s, he was, along with Heinz Munsonius and Albert Vossen, one of the most successful accordionists in Germany. He led his own orchestra from 1932 and became successful particularly in popular music. One of his most famous songs in Germany was his 1936 recording of "Rosamunde" (a German female forename), a cover version of the song "Škoda lásky" ("Wasted Love") by Jaromir Vejvoda. Under the title "Beer Barrel Polka", the tune hit No. 1 on the Hit Parade in the United States in 1939. It sold over one million copies by 1943, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. After World War II he was known as the "Polka King" in the U.S., and did both big band and folk music arrangements with his orchestra. His "Liechtensteiner Polka" was also a hit in the U.S., hitting No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957. The follow-up single "Sweet Elizabeth" (1958) appeared in all major U.S. charts, nearing the top 40 in Cashbox and Music Vendor. He had some success with "The Cuckoo Waltz" by Swede E. I. Jonasson in 1969, and the song is now used widely, in the Alice in Wonderland dark ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and in Efteling, Holland. His album, Oktoberfest peaked at number 53 in Australia in 1973. He died at Rheinbreitbach.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 12, 1902 (Elberfeld), Died November 21, 1989 (Rheinbreitbach)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1933 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, accordion, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 122 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BAVE-012987	10-in.	10/25/1939	Cervecinas calientes (Hot pretzels)	Orquesta Típica Francisco J. Lomuto	Instrumental ensemble	composer
Victor	BS-034688	10-in.	5/22/1939	Hot pretzels	Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio	composer
Victor	BS-035786	10-in.	4/24/1939	Hot pretzels	Harry's Tavern Band	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal trio	composer
Victor	BS-038342	10-in.	7/12/1939	Jelly roll polka	Elisse Cooper ; Eddie De Lange Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo	composer
Gramophone	0RA7	10-in.	8/9/1934	Luana	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo	leader
Gramophone	0RA8	10-in.	8/9/1934	Tausend rote Rosen blüh'n	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo	leader
Gramophone	0RA84	10-in.	9/20/1934	Mensch ärgere dich nicht!	Erwin Hartung ; Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo	leader
Gramophone	0RA85	10-in.	9/20/1934	Heut' denk' ich nicht an Morgen	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo	leader
Gramophone	0RA86	10-in.	9/20/1934	Holzhackerlied	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo	leader
Gramophone	0RA87	10-in.	9/20/1934	Ist noch jemand da, der zu merckern hat	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with vocal trio	leader
Gramophone	0RA158	10-in.	10/19/1934	Scherenschleifer	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble	leader, composer
Gramophone	0RA162	10-in.	10/26/1934	Der treue Husar	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with vocal group	leader
Gramophone	0RA163	10-in.	10/26/1934	Leichtes Spiel	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble	composer, leader
Gramophone	0RA309	10-in.	1/15/1935	Ja, das sind Sächelchen	Karl Berbuer ; Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with vocal	leader
Gramophone	0RA458	10-in.	3/14/1935	Du kannst nicht treu sein	Erwin Hartung ; Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with vocal	leader
Gramophone	0RA477	10-in.	3/21/1935	Schön ist die Liebe im Hafen	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo	leader
Gramophone	0RA480	10-in.	before 4/6/1938	Eine Seefahrt, die ist lustig	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble, with vocal	leader
Gramophone	0RA713	10-in.	9/6/1935	Shore leave kisses	Will Glahé Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	leader
Gramophone	0RA716	10-in.	9/6/1935	Fang' nie im April was an	Metropol-Vokalisten ; Will Glahé Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble. with vocal chorus	leader
Gramophone	0RA948	10-in.	12/10/1935	Santuzza	Glahé Musette Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	leader
Gramophone	0RA949	10-in.	12/10/1935	Mirabella	Glahé Musette Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	leader
Gramophone	0RA996	10-in.	1/8/1936	Die Namenlose (Bezejmenna)	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble	leader
Gramophone	0RA997	10-in.	1/8/1936	Bezejmenna	Orchester Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble	composer, instrumentalist, accordion, leader
Gramophone	0RA999	10-in.	1/8/1936	Ich spiel' auf der Harmonika	Glahé Musette Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	leader
Gramophone	0RA1001	10-in.	1936	Schiffsjungentanz	Glahé Musette Orchestra ; Will Glahé	Instrumental ensemble	leader

(Results 1-25 of 122 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Glahé, Will," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107148.

Glahé, Will. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107148.

"Glahé, Will." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.