Strawberry Point (Gustavus), Alaska has been known throughout history for its Saturday night musical “bang-outs” with original, vaudeville-like entertainment in song and dance. What is the earliest known music enjoyed by the first pioneers?

The Fact of the Matter Is. . .

From the Files of Gustavus Historical Archives & Antiquities (GHAA)

Q - Strawberry Point (Gustavus), Alaska has been known throughout history for its Saturday night musical “bang-outs” with original, vaudeville-like entertainment in song and dance. What is the earliest known music enjoyed by the first pioneers?

A - That is an easy answer! Although Abraham Lincoln Parker and his sons were known for their original, hilarious music (GHAA has some wonderful copy of their music and words), there is an earlier song still whose notes and words (made popular in 1913) became the first “theme” song of “Strawberry Flats”.

It is winter 1914. Three adventuresome couples are “snug as a bug” in their newly built “Honeymoon Ranch” log cabin nestled in a few small trees on the western bank of Salmon River. It’s Saturday night and what are they doing? Well, that’s an easy answer too!

Every Saturday night, to mark time and break monotony, they “dressed up” in their very best, styled their hair, put beauty marks on their faces (the women), and hand-cranked the old Victrola. Then, taking turns cranking, and creating hilarity in song, they entertained themselves by singing “at the top of their lungs” and dancing “till they dropped”.

Isolated beyond belief, and no one to visit but themselves (and they lived together!), their Saturday night celebration frolics left them feeling like they had accomplished something important—a weekly milestone. And after another exhaustive week of winter trials, hard work and close quarters, they would reward themselves by doing it all over again!

And what was the song they reportedly nearly wore out that first Strawberry Point winter? Never in a million years could there have been a song more aptly named nor the written words more heartfelt as Billy Murray’s “When You’re All Dressed Up and No Where To Go”!

Here is a partial sampling of verse and chorus. For the complete Edison audio recorded from an authentic, hand-cranked Victrola (exactly as heard by our early homesteaders), click here.  Listen to the song a couple of times, and the GHAA guarantee is that you’ll find it next to impossible to get off your mind!  Perhaps nearly 100 years later it strikes a chord still. Enjoy!

Though your soul may cry for the life on high,

And your coin you would gladly blow…

Tis a bitter cup to be all dressed up

When you’ve no place at all to go.

When you’re all dressed up and no place to go

Life seems weary, dreary, and slow

My heart has ached and bled for the tears I’ve shed

When I’ve no place to go unless I went back to bed…

I’ve had a sad, sad life and whenever I go

To that peaceful spot where the violets grow

Upon a nice white stone will be written below:

“He was all dressed up but no where to go”.

Strawberry Point (Gustavus), Alaska has been known throughout history for its Saturday night musical “bang-outs” with original, vaudeville-like entertainment in song and dance. What is the earliest known music enjoyed by the first pioneers?

The Fact of the Matter Is. . .

From the Files of Gustavus Historical Archives & Antiquities (GHAA)

Q - Strawberry Point (Gustavus), Alaska has been known throughout history for its Saturday night musical “bang-outs” with original, vaudeville-like entertainment in song and dance. What is the earliest known music enjoyed by the first pioneers?

A - That is an easy answer! Although Abraham Lincoln Parker and his sons were known for their original, hilarious music (GHAA has some wonderful copy of their music and words), there is an earlier song still whose notes and words (made popular in 1913) became the first “theme” song of “Strawberry Flats”.

It is winter 1914. Three adventuresome couples are “snug as a bug” in their newly built “Honeymoon Ranch” log cabin nestled in a few small trees on the western bank of Salmon River. It’s Saturday night and what are they doing? Well, that’s an easy answer too!

Every Saturday night, to mark time and break monotony, they “dressed up” in their very best, styled their hair, put beauty marks on their faces (the women), and hand-cranked the old Victrola. Then, taking turns cranking, and creating hilarity in song, they entertained themselves by singing “at the top of their lungs” and dancing “till they dropped”.

Isolated beyond belief, and no one to visit but themselves (and they lived together!), their Saturday night celebration frolics left them feeling like they had accomplished something important—a weekly milestone. And after another exhaustive week of winter trials, hard work and close quarters, they would reward themselves by doing it all over again!

And what was the song they reportedly nearly wore out that first Strawberry Point winter? Never in a million years could there have been a song more aptly named nor the written words more heartfelt as Billy Murray’s “When You’re All Dressed Up and No Where To Go”!

Here is a partial sampling of verse and chorus. For the complete Edison audio recorded from an authentic, hand-cranked Victrola (exactly as heard by our early homesteaders), click here.  Listen to the song a couple of times, and the GHAA guarantee is that you’ll find it next to impossible to get off your mind!  Perhaps nearly 100 years later it strikes a chord still. Enjoy!

Though your soul may cry for the life on high,

And your coin you would gladly blow…

Tis a bitter cup to be all dressed up

When you’ve no place at all to go.

When you’re all dressed up and no place to go

Life seems weary, dreary, and slow

My heart has ached and bled for the tears I’ve shed

When I’ve no place to go unless I went back to bed…

I’ve had a sad, sad life and whenever I go

To that peaceful spot where the violets grow

Upon a nice white stone will be written below:

“He was all dressed up but no where to go”.