Transcription Mystery Disc #42

I picked up a couple booklets of mixed acetates so we're back in action here with an optimistic weekly Tuesday offering of archival audio. This disc is well labeled, at least with first names and a specific date. The discs include a set of recordings by a singing duo Betty and May. Someone named Skippy plays piano. This is one selected at random. The booklet notes that it's recorded at "slow speed" which turns out to be 33 rpm with an outer edge start. It was recorded on August 28th 1942.

The bed noise is a bit high, but I was able to diminish that with a low pass filter. The first side is the song "Gypsy" which was a single back in the 1940s. On the B-side the song is "With Someone like you" and Betty and May manage a skilled harmony, I don't recognize that tune. It may be an original.The first attempt is clearer and I opted to not use a band pass filter as it hacked off too much of their vocal range. 

 Gypsy


There's an introduction by the engineer, then sing for 2 minutes and then chatter, and do a second take and the engineer talks to himself inanely narrating out the last few rotations of the cutting needle.I am hoping the other discs are this good.