Everyone is familiar with the song that goes “There’s a place in France where the naked ladies dance.” What’s the origin of this mysterious song and its seemingly Egyptian melody? –Martin C. Arno, via e-mail
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Bloom was in charge of entertaining the rustics at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. His assignment: set up an amusement park outside the main fairgrounds as a counterpoint to the more highbrow offerings inside. Located on a tree-lined venue known as Midway Plaisance, what became known as the Midway was a huge success–the sideshow portion of state fairs and such has been called a midway ever since. Bloom contributed one of the biggest attractions himself, namely a traveling Algerian village he’d acquired the rights to that had been first shown at the Paris Exposition of 1889. The village was a hit mainly because it featured belly dancers, previously unknown in the U.S.
Not buying Bloom’s story? Here’s a more plausible scenario: he swiped (or at least riffed on) a traditional melody played by the Algerians, and songwriters who later saw the show at the Midway did likewise. In his Book of World-Famous Music, James J. Fuld says the tune’s opening five notes are identical to those of “Colin Prend Sa Hotte,” which appears in a French songbook from 1719. According to Fuld, a 19th-century compendium of old tunes called Echos du Temps Passe lists “Colin Prend Sa Hotte” as a dancing song and says “the first phrase of the melody resembles almost note for note an Algerian or Arabic melody known as Kradoutja [that] has been popular in France since 1600.” That can’t be confirmed as no printed version of “Kradoutja” is known to exist. Whatever the facts, let’s give an old BSer his due: Bloom introduced the tune to America, if only by paying the fare.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): illustration/ Slug Signorino.
