Now here’s an interesting piece of trivia that I like to bring up at parties to sound clever (and make prudish people blush): the word ragtime sprang from the brothels of yore. As is commonly believed, women who live together often experience menstrual cycles at roughly the same time. Business was slow during those pre-Kotex periods of mass menstruation – known as “rag time” – so the madam of the establishment brought in piano players to keep the house full. Thus, the ladies got a break from the action, and a popular form of music got its name!
Now here’s a treat: the Pineapple Rag, performed by Scott Joplin himself. His original recordings are available on iTunes and via Amazon.com.
© Dana Spiardi, Nov 24, 2014
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