I came across the original version of a lovely tune Louis Armstrong played on tour in the fifties. the reviewer called it the "biggest selling popular song of the first quarter century." So, which of you music buffs can tell us what it is...?
Just a WAG... St James Infirmary?
Saints Go Marching In?
thanx for playing, real good guesses, but this mystery song sold a million copies in its pre-radio heyday. sounds better on youtube than my cracked 78.
Well, the reference to "biggest selling popular song of the first quarter century", is undoubtedly a reference to sheet music sales, not recordings. That being the case,the far and away most popular song of that period in terms of sheet music sales was George M. Cohen's "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy!", with "America the Beautiful" coming in second. In the event you're actually talking about record sales however, the winner would probably be "Cake Walking Babies From Home", which was recorded by a number of groups that actually featured Louis Armstrong, including Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, and Clarence Williams' band (yes, grandfather of Clarence Williams, III - "Hayes, LEENCON"). 
Well, I don't think it was Caruso's "Vesti La Giubba", Which I believe was the first million selling recording.... I'm stumped. 
Records not sheet music and not competing versions of the song, far as i know. Never became a standard like Saints etc that's fer sher. Title that evokes geography.
Has to be "St.Louis Blues" then.
No it doesn't.
Really reaching... "Back Home Again in Indiana" ?
Is "Dardanella" in the ballpark?
Yeah, my searches led me to that song, an instrumental that was the biggest selling hit in the "first quarter century of recorded music," but there is no hook to "geography" and the title word, "Dardanella" only refers to the song itself or a theater company.
I missed this geographical connection:
Oh, sweet Dardanella
My star of love divine.
Down beside the Dardanella Bay,
Where Oriental breezes play,
There lives a lonesome maid Armenian.
By the Dardanelles with glowing eyes
from: http://www.lyricszoo.com/louis-armstrong/dardanella/
I'm guessing LS is correct.
While it is a famous instrumental, the original lyrics of "Dardanella" mention geography and culture using terms that were acceptable for the day. I also have a copy of "Ambassador Satch" spinning on the turntable right now that confirms the Armstrong connection. I'll stick with my original answer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgLeNIfgFuY
Do I win a frosty case of Skokiaan? 
I call foul. Trick question. Your hint should have said "original version with lyrics." 
Alexander's Ragtime Band.
Hadn't heard of "Dardanella" but I have a very vague recollection of hearing a hook from it in a cartoon where two male characters were trying to bring flowers to the same lady. The dumber of the two males was humming this tune.
...The 'great' Satchmo...
Best Selling Sheet Music Song:
"The Old Folks At Home" (1851) Stephen Foster / 20 million+
[Source: Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954]
With a very fast tempo, it's another old song that could have been Rock, if recorded decades later. That isn't much true with later music.
Hmmm good point semoochie. Thanks Mort and now on with the countdown.
Dardanelles = strategic passage from Mediterranean to the Black Sea. Hence -- Dardanella, a Turkish gal from that area. everyone clear on the geography now? My next clue was gonna be the Sheik of Araby.
Littlesongs must be a fellow Son of the Desert 
, Ambassador Satch was the first record I ever bought as i remarked elsewhere elsewhen. So yes a prize, let's see, 'IRA IRONSTRINGS, MUSIC FOR $3.98 PLUS TAX IF ANY' --unless you own that one too... just buzz my email Littlesongs-- tiomort50@gmail , and let's meet over a Skokiaan since you are an old Rockaholic listener too.
Another remarkable early 78 i have is The Crocodile, recorded 1920:
http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/7491/autoplay/true/
primitive tech--everyone probably playing into a long megaphone-- makes a piano sound like a marimba... 
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