Tootle of a Devilish Song

The episode begins with host Roman Mars describing a warm June day in Basel, Switzerland, where a festival called Yodlerfest takes place every three years. The scene is set with visuals of traditional Swiss outfits, local food, and the pervasive sounds of yodeling echoing through the streets. Roman introduces listeners to Anita Fieliger, a lifelong yodeler from Central Switzerland, and Francisco Morgan and Gabriela Santamaria, who are visiting from the area and are trying yodeling for the first time at the festival. This segment paints a vivid picture of Swiss folk culture in its lively, festive form, emphasizing how yodeling remains a cherished tradition and social activity in Basel during this event.

The episode shifts to explore the deep history of yodeling, emphasizing its mysterious origins in the Alps, dating back possibly to around the year 400. Scholars like Janik Wei suggest that early yodeling may have been used by cattle herders for long-distance communication or ritual purposes. The segment discusses the regional variations of yodeling, including differences between Swiss and Austrian styles, and describes how yodeling served practical functions such as calling cattle across vast mountain terrains. The historical overview highlights yodeling’s elusive history, with limited written records, but notes its importance in Alpine life and folklore.

The episode details how yodeling expanded beyond Swiss borders in the 1700s, mainly due to tourism by European elites exploring the Alps. As travelers flocked to Switzerland, yodeling was showcased as an exotic folk spectacle, often performed in costumes for tourists, which both popularized and commercialized the tradition. Mark Twain’s writings are cited, describing how tourists, including himself, paid local shepherds to yodel. This commercial aspect led to the challenge of documenting yodeling, which was primarily an oral tradition, prompting efforts to transcribe and standardize styles. The segment underscores how tourism helped transform yodeling from cattle calls to performance art.

The narrative continues with yodeling’s arrival in the United States in the early 1800s, brought by European performers. It explains that the earliest known recordings of yodeling were made in America in the late 19th century. The episode discusses how yodeling was incorporated into American entertainment, from minstrel shows to vaudeville, and eventually into Hollywood cowboy films, exemplified by performers like Gene Autry. The segment details how yodeling, combined with American musical influences like blues, led to a distinctive American genre—country music—thanks notably to Jimmy Rogers, a railroad worker turned recording artist. Rogers’ innovative blending of blues and alpine yodeling is portrayed as a pivotal moment that elevated yodeling’s status.

This section focuses on Jimmy Rogers, who popularized yodeling in American country music. It describes how Rogers, a versatile performer, integrated yodeling into his blues-influenced songs, notably in his hit "T for Texas," considered the first blue yodel. Rogers’ style was inspired by alpine singers but adapted it to suit American tastes, creating a new, highly popular sound. The episode highlights how Rogers’ recordings, including collaborations with artists like Louis Armstrong, revolutionized country music and made yodeling a core element. The story underscores Rogers’ role as the father of country yodeling, setting a template for future artists.

The episode explains how yodeling became embedded in American country music and popular culture, with artists like the Carter Family and Hank Williams continuing the tradition. It describes a specific vocal technique—the head-chest register flip—that remains common among country singers today, evoking the emotion of a lonely cowboy. The segment notes the divergence between the enduring image of traditional Swiss yodeling, which remained static during WWII for nationalist reasons, and the dynamic, evolving American style. It also discusses how yodeling’s cultural significance was manipulated during WWII as a symbol distinguishing Switzerland from Nazi Germany.

The final segment discusses Switzerland’s current resurgence of interest in yodeling, especially among young people. Nadia Rás, an expert featured at Yodler Fest, explains how younger generations are learning, performing, and innovating with yodeling beyond traditional styles. Academic programs like the one she runs aim to both preserve and evolve the art form, incorporating new influences from genres like jazz and reggaeton. The episode concludes with examples of contemporary Swiss artists blending yodeling with various musical styles, suggesting that yodeling’s future lies in its reinvention and integration into global music trends.