Music: January Records

Unlike Columbia, which has cached its master records of early jazz, Victor has thrown away all its popular discs made before 1925. Among the records Victor junked were 4,000 by one man: broad-faced Billy Murray, balladeer and comic.

In the crank-it-up days of the phonograph, Tenor Murray's brothy voice was one of the great sellers. With a nasal lilt he sang songs like If You Talk in Your Sleep Don't Mention My Name; It Takes the Irish to Beat the Dutch; Oh, You Beautiful Doll; I'd Rather Be a Lobster Than a Wise Guy. Lately Victor gave 63-year-old Billy Murray a chance...