Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-22
PENNY BALLADS.
A Glance at Some Of tIae Nest POp.
ulaY Songs Of the Day.

A Glance at Some Of the Nest Pop.
ular Songs Of the Day.
N. Y. Herald writer VINO has been visiting
penny ballad shop In that city, gives US some
facts In reference to the sale OF that species of
literature, from which the following are culled:
appearance the writer picked up ballad from
aheap near at hand. 1t was headed "I'm Get
ting Big BOY Now" and was evidently OF Eng
lish origin. precoclous youhgster relates his
dOings:
l smoke my papa's best cigars every day,
And once week get drunk:
I wink at my nurse when she puts me to bed. -
And rocks me to sleep In my bunk.
The chorus furnishes him an opportunity to
remark that he fancieS 1t Is time he knew how
TO brush his own clothes and to wipe his own
nose. for he Is getting big boy now. When the
ballad resurrecttonist was found he proved to
be handsome. fair. hatred Young fellow, who
willingly talked OF his enterprise. seemed proud
wares In looking u over them ~ anoeares s t Sa
very few were entirely original. Many were old
ante-war favorites; there was fair sprinkling
OF native genre songs, and considerable pro-
portion were OF London Importation. Strange
to say, there was not ballad OF the late war
among them.
A glance along the pigeon holes reveals the
odd subjects OF the popular muse. The cheap
swell is ever favorite butt for the satire OF the
penny balladiist, and among songs Of this class
'Lardy Dahl" continues I'm great favor, and the
title Is used as an exclamation by gam!ns to ex-
press their contempt for any chance pedestrian
who seems to their eyes gotten up regardless
OF expense The boys fairly revel 10 the de-
scriptive chorus:
In his hand penny stick,
In his tooth penny pick.
And penny In his pocket, lardy dahl lardy
dab!
the writer's on the same general lines as DO very
melo- dramas. The swell Is always scounire
and Is meted out cOndign punishment at the
hands OF some Bayard In rags Poor. but a
q q nV Ia nj 10 nj
The singer describes his fall from affluence to
penury, declares that he Is then hungry, foot
sore and Ill. and modestly relates how he rescued
poor homeless girl whom swell was in
f' cried out, "Iou ueggar, don't NEEDLE with
Or very Soon you'll get pill.
But said. Lay hand on that girl and you Ii
II I'm poor I'm gentleman STILL
OF this class OF songs those sung by Harrigan
and Hart are the newest and by all odds most
in demand, the ''Mulligan" series be.ig printed
In unending editions. These, however, are not
ton, as they are carefully Copyrighted: In this
connection there is good story on Mr.. Harn-
gan. He declined to permit the young man IN
question guest to print his song OF Babies on our
an interview with the comedian, In the course
OF which he secured copy OF the song with
the brogue written in Harrigan's hand. 1t ap-
peared In the columns OF a local paper next day.
Here was the Chatham street man g opportunity.
Before noon hts press had thrown OF an edition,
the copy right being evaded by line at the top
OF the sheet crediting the song to the journal
the law of literature for .:Dan Mailigan." Sim D.
gplarly enough, the most popular song outside
unpleasant memory. ''Grandfather's Clock
also, having run its course In the city, is only
now ticking Its way through the rural dis
In every week. Another odd thing about this
popular song. 1t WAS brought from England
and published here two years before it caught
the popular ear. 1t had come to be re-.
garded by the publisher as a failure, when
suddenly it made hit, and some idea of its
subsequent popularity may be formed from the
disposed OF 80 600 copies in that form. or the
reprints in ballads and song books 1t would be
difficult TO make any estimate. All the motto
songs som come a from England: Many OF these
way. Thrift, honesty and charity are enjoined
by some OF these. and they are all on higher
literary level than any other class OF the
ballads to be found here. One of them. en-
titled MANY Can Help One" has the following
chorus:
Then, give what you can to those in distress,
Let IL be dime or penny,
For many can help one, I've heard people
say
Where one cannot always help many.
Oddly enough there is little demand for comic
! penny ballads, the amateur vocaIlStS having q
| decided leaning to the sentimental The song
of this class which promises to circulate most
| largely Is an old country ditty, current q gen
! Grafton or more ago. The chorus Is:
They say you are false, but | still believe you
mine:
| You are my bonnie blue eyed Scotch lassie
| Jean.
This, like majority OF the songs that appear
| In the penny ballad SERIES owes its present
favor to being sung by prominent minstrel
| troupe A majority OF the purchasers OF the
ballad are working girls, boys and young men,
! who hear the verses sung at a theater or social
| gathering. where they catch the melody, aud.
al the expense CT cent for the words, are en-
| ab,ed to try their own vocal powers.
| 1t IS difficult to account for the popularity OF
| dttty known as The Butcher Boy.h Ii mad a
| great sale la the days when penny ballads we're
/ In their prime. and now again it is largely pur-
! chased by young damselS consumed by hopeless
| love- The first verse relates very pathetically
In Jersey City. where did well,
A butcher boy 1lOyed 80 well,
He court. me nay heart away,
And now with me he will not stay.
The faithlesS lover has abandoned ner for an
other. because she had more gold than l." In
the last verse the unhappy maid is found "hang.
| Ing upon rope" and In her breast a note Is
| discovered beginning
Oh what silly maid am I,
10 hang myself for a butcher boy.