Ludwig Koch, at eight-years old, received an Edison cylinder and made the first known recording of a bird. It was a white-rumped shama who lived in 1889. Since then, field recording has been a practice that’s helped shape our understanding of the natural world, preserving histories and spreading wonder across the globe. Droll Yankees Inc. was a Rhode Island-based record label that produced such field recordings, usually of classic New England things: ponds, frogs, birds, lobstermen in conversation, humor, folk songs, and “true yankee dialect.”

Rhode Island’s a small state where everyone knows everyone, so we’ve been surprised to learn that few remember the label, which had offices in both Foster and Providence. To remedy this, we’re collecting the discography and related materials with plans to digitize everything for public appreciation and education—we’ll do some mix of a physical exhibition, pop-up listening stations, loans, and getting things digitized and online.

If you have a Droll Yankees record to donate, please reach out!

A Look Back: Our First DYA Event

What Cheer Record Club
at Myrtle in E.P.
Saturday April 19, 2025
12:00 – 5:00, Free

134 Waterman Ave (Google Map)
East Providence, RI, 02914

What Cheer Providence hosted their Record Club at Myrtle; a place to shop, trade, and talk music. The event was from noon–5:00 PM, and was free.

At their own risk, What Cheer has asked OPEN to spin Droll Yankees LPs. Upon starting the DJ set, the crowd was again informed that the audio they were about to hear was, in fact, intentional. After roughly 90 minutes of bird songs, yodeling, frog croaks, and stories in traditional Maine dialect, the bar staff politely suggested we’d done more than enough, and it would be just fine to stop.

All Items in the Archive
Summer 2025

  • DY-1, 1960, LP, Caused By Rum / The Casket Sinkers

  • DY2, 1962, LP, Oakum Bay And Other Songs Of Old Castine

  • DY-2, 1962, LP, Swearing In The Bushes: A Shocking Record For Men

  • DY-3, 1961, LP, Stories For Gentlemen

  • DY-4, 1962, LP, Capt. Nickerson And The Tug Gaspee

  • DY-6, 1961, LP, Fresh As A Haddock

  • DY-7, 1961, LP, Cape Codder And Down Easter

  • DY-8, 1961, LP, Ross McKenney As Jean Baptiste The French Canadian

  • DY-9, 1961, LP, Never Trust a Skier and Other Songs Sung in the Alpine Inn

  • DY-10, 1962, LP, Aus Tirol

  • DY-11, 1962, LP, A Graduation Address

  • DY-11, 1962, LP, A Graduation Address (alt. artwork)

  • DY-14, 1963, LP, Birds On A May Morning

  • DY-14, 19XX, CS, Birds On A May Morning

  • DY-15, 1963, LP, The Sea At Castle Hill / The Alexander Hamilton Of The Hudson River Day Line

  • DY-16, 1964, LP, Songs Of The Forest

  • DY-17, 1964, LP, The Swamp In June

  • DY-17, 1964, LP, The Swamp In June (repress; color cover)

  • DY-18, 1966, 7", The Farm

  • DY-19, 1967, LP, Will Holmes' Horse

  • DY-20, 1969, LP, Deep Sea Fisherman: A Trip On The Dragger "Roann" Out Of Point Judith Rhode Island

  • DY-21, 1969, LP, The Frog Pond

  • DY-22, 1969, LP, The Edge Of The Meadow

  • DY-23, 1979, LP, The Vocally Versatile Mockingbird

  • DY-102, 1962, 7", From Across The Briny Ocean

  • DY-103, 1962, 7", Sounds Of The Sea

  • DY-104, 1973, 7", Songs Of The Clippers

  • DY-105, 1964, 7", Tug Boats

  • DY-106, 1965, 7", Steamtown

  • DY-107, 1966, 7", Barnyard Animals

  • DY-109, 1969, 7", The Green Mountain Railroad

  • DY-201, 1962, 7", Evening On Mt. Stratton

  • DY-201, 1969, LP, Deep Sea Fisherman (test pressing)

  • DY-M-1, 1963, 7", Spring Morning

  • DY-M-2, 1964, 7", The Brook

  • DY-M-3, ???? 7", Song Sparrow

  • Ephemera, 19??, shipping box with 7" set

  • Ephemera, 19??, shirt, illustration by Peter Hall