Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo : The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World

Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo is the first book to address the question: How did a centuries-old, Swiss mountain tradition make its way into American country music? Along the way, the reader discovers that yodeling is not just a Swiss thing--everyone from Central African pygmies, Nashville hunks-in-hats, avant-garde tonsil-twisters like Meredith Monk, hiphop stars De La Soul, and pop stars like Jewel have been known to kick back and release a yodeling refrain. Along the way, we encounter a gallery of unique characters, ranging from the legendary, such as country singer Jimmie Rodgers, to the definitely different, including Mary Schneider (the Australian Queen of Yodeling) who specializes in yodeling Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms, and the Topp Twins, a yodeling lesbian duo who employ the sound in their songs aimed at battling homophobia. The book is both a serious study of the history of yodeling around the world and a fun look at how this unique sound has worked its way into popular culture. Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo promises to be a classic for fans of music and popular culture. A Jodl Is A Jodel Is A Yodel? -- Who Duh Lay Hee Who : Swiss Yodeling -- Germany And Austria : Velvet Throats & Leather Pants -- Where Yodels Are Jodeled Beyond The Alps -- From India To Down Under -- Africa Beyond The Rainforest -- Transmission And Transition -- The Hillbillies Are Alive With Yodeling -- A Cowboy's Yip To A Yodel -- Modern Epiglottal Frontiers -- Be On Your Avant Garde, Yodelers. Bart Plantenga. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 321-328) And Index. A serious but fun-to-read study of a wide-ranging musical phenomenonCovers everything from opera, cowboy music, rock & roll, world music, rap, and post-modern performance artLavishly illustrated with wonderful photographs But maybe yodel heaven will be something closer to a solemn holy place.