Felix Powell
Felix Lloyd Powell (23 May 1878 – 10 February 1942) was a Welsh British Army Staff Sergeant most famous for writing the music for marching song "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile", in 1915, during World War I. The words were written by his brother George Henry Powell (under the pseudonym George Asaf), and the song was entered into a competition for "best morale-building song". It won first prize and was noted as "perhaps the most optimistic song ever written". Powell later wrote a musical play, Rubicund Castle, which was staged at the Pavilion Theatre in Peacehaven. When a West End producer bought it he drastically altered it, leaving only the music unchanged, and renamed it Primrose Times. This version went unstaged after the latter was arrested and convicted for fraud. Powell committed suicide during World War II in 1942, aged 63. Wearing the uniform of the Peacehaven Home Guard, he shot himself in the heart while on guard duty, using his own rifle. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 23, 1878 (St Asaph), Died February 10, 1942 (Peacehaven)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1942
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | B-18924 | 10-in. | 12/22/1916 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile! | Edward Hamilton | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-18928 | 10-in. | 12/26/1916 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile! | Victor Military Band | Band | composer | |
Victor | B-22210 | 10-in. | 8/13/1918 | Keep the home fires burning | Victor Military Band | Band | composer | |
Victor | BS-100562 | 10-in. | 5/25/1936 | Back up the Victor | The Cadets | Male vocal quartet | composer | |
Victor | PBS-072023 | 10-in. | 1/12/1942 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag (and smile, smile, smile) | City Slickers ; Spike Jones | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble | composer | |
Columbia | 47227 | 10-in. | 12/13/1916 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag (And smile, smile, smile) | James F. Harrison ; Knickerbocker Quartet | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | 77127 | 10-in. | 6/9/1917 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile | Prince's Band | Band | composer | |
Columbia | 77409 | 10-in. | 10/4/1917 | War song hits | Columbia Quartette | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | 49297 | 12-in. | 1/5/1918 | War song medley one step | Prince's Band | Band | composer | |
Columbia | 49303 | 12-in. | 1/25/1918 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag (and smile, smile, smile) | Columbia Stellar Quartette ; Oscar Seagle | Baritone vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | 6753 | 12-in. | approximately 1916 | Pack up your troubles | Lloyd Johnson | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | 6874 | 12-in. | approximately July 1916 | Have you seen the ducks? | Albert W. Ketelbey ; Vaudeville Theatre Orchestra ; Lee White | Female vocal solo, with orchestra and chorus | composer | |
Edison | 5233 | 10-in. | 12/26/1916 | Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile | Helen Clark | Female vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Powell, Felix," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109592.
Powell, Felix. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109592.
"Powell, Felix." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Powell, Felix, 1878-1942 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no93018961
Wikidata: Felix Lloyd Powell - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5442307
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/34029106
MusicBrainz: Felix Lloyd Powell - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/cee10e2f-17c6-4b3f-ae37-2385a42452e1
ISNI: 0000 0000 4352 2395 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000043522395
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