DESCRIPTION:
M. J. O'Connell sings "For Me And My Gal" on Columbia A2190, recorded on January 6, 1917.

What a beautiful day
For a wedding in May!
See the people all stare
At the loveable pair.

She's a vision of joy.
He's the luckiest boy.
In his wedding array
Hear him smilingly say:

The bells are ringing for me and my gal.
The birds are singing for me and my gal.
Everybody's been knowing
To a wedding they're going,
And for weeks they've been sewing,
Every Susie and Sal.
They're congregating for me and my gal.
The Parson's waiting for me and my gal.
And sometime I'm goin' to build a little
house for two, for three or four or
more--in Loveland for me and my gal.

Michael J. O'Connell did not use his full name on records but was identified as M.J. O'Connell. The tenor made most of his recordings for Victor, Columbia, Pathé, Rex, and Edison in the World War I era, beginning in 1916. He also made anonymous Little Wonders.

The song most associated with O'Connell was "How Could Washington Be A Married Man And Never Tell A Lie," which the tenor recorded for both Victor (18192; issued in January 1917) and Columbia (A2127; also issued in January). It was with this comic song that he made his Edison debut (Diamond Disc 50414; Blue Amberol 3086).

The January 1917 issue of Edison Phonograph Monthly states, "A new Blue Amberol artist of unusual ability has been secured in M.J. O'Connell, a concert tenor who is highly popular in New York City. Mr. O'Connell is a comparatively young man, but he has been connected with many musical organizations that won great success. He appeared in vaudeville with a number of quartets, and has done much concert and Lyceum work throughout the country. Mr. O'Connell has won such decided success in the metropolis that he is not making any more vaudeville tours or engaging in Lyceum work, but is permanently located in New York, where his engagements keep him continually busy."

Accompanied by Frank Banta on piano, he sings the comic "Piano Man," written by Irving Berlin and Ted Snyder, on Rex 5342. He recorded Will Dillon's "I'll Wed the Girl I Left Behind" for Victor 18196, issued in February 1917, and "Come Out of the Kitchen, Mary Ann" along with "When Ragtime Rufus Rags the Humoresque," a song by Harry Ruby, for Victor 18221, issued in March. With Ada Jones he recorded "Some Sunday Morning" (Columbia A2330, 1917) and other numbers. He cut duets with Jones for Rex using the name "Harry Dunning."

He was "Robert Denning" (similar to the "Dunning" name he had used on occasion for Rex) when he returned to Edison in 1922 after an absence of a few years. As a solo artist, "Denning" made five Diamond Discs, and with partner "Jack Holt" (a nom de disque for Ed Smalle) he made an additional four Diamond Discs.