The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-02-07
THE SONGS OF THE DAY.
Ballads that Become POpulRr--Enormous
Editions of simple Melodies that Catch
the Public ERr-- Profits of Authors and
Publishers.

Editions of simple Melodies that Catch
the Public ERr-- Profits of Authors md
Publishers.
What constitutes popular song ?"
was asked by Star reporter of New
York music dealer.
IL can answer your question best by
telling you little story. Some years
ago, when Rollin Howard composed a
song and dance, he took his produc-
tion, of which he felt very proud, to
Pond s. Co., and offered to sell it to
them. They looked it over and re-
turned it with the remark: sWe do
not publish any such stuff as that
Mr.. Howard pocketed his discontinue
in silence and sadly wended his way
homeward- A short time after this
Howard went to Boston, where he was
engaged to sing in minstrel company.
One night Mr.. c. A. White, the com
poser and publisher, heard How
ard, and offered to publish
his discarded song. This is how Shoe
Fly, Don't Bodder Me- came to see the
light. 1t soon became popular all over
the land. The publisher sold over
100000 copies, and with the profits
established the well-known Boston
firm of White, Smith & Co. A song is
popular when it catches the public
fancy, and the best songs seldom be-
come popular"
"How do you account FOR this?"
E" Well, the popular mind is not edu-
Gated enough for them. Many persons
have what they call an ear for music,
but have no knowledge of music. They
have no special training in order to ap-
preciate the general beauties of first
class song, or the fine, delicate shades of
expression that are the very soul of the
piece. The ballad, or comic ditty. is
about the extent of popular apprecia-
tion. In these you will find simple
melodic expression, such as Wait Till
the Clouds Roll by, Jenny and Tommy
Dodd.' There is no effort of the mind
to glide, as it were, through these"
fell me some of the popular
songs
"Just now, wait Till the Clouds
I,oll By, Jenny by H. J. Fulmer, has
captured the popular fancy, and will
continue to sell for some time. Close
on the heels of this piece comes an an
swer to it, The Clouds are Rolling
BY, Jenny by Maylath. much SUI,
perior song in every way and likely to
be as popular. Then we Aave In the
Morning by the Bright Light by
James A. Bland, the colored song
writer, and the best of his kind. All
his pieces have become popular, and
include Keep dem Gates Wide Open,
Won't We Have Jolly Time? 'Oh,
dem Golden Slippers and de Angels
am a-COming.' In the popular list is
When the Leaves Begin to Turn by
G. A. White, of Boston. 1t is a beau
titul waltz song. There is fund of
the popular songs sung by Harrigan
and Hart. l need only mention
Babies in Our Block The Slzids Are
Out To-day Whist, the Bogie Man,
Little Widow Dunn Never Take
the Horseshoe from the Door,.
g In trade we call a song popular
when it reaches sale of 10000 copies.
Many editions OILY reach 5,000 and
some do not run beyond 500 copies.
There may not appear to be any value
to song until it goes before the pub
bic. Ifthey catch on, then the value
of the song is assured. Many good
pieces-real gems of song-have been
published by Pond, which do not 90
beyond his studio. Among this class
is sweet thing called: Say Not,
My Love viii Change with Time,
written by Albert Rowse. When
Harrigan & Hart sold the Mulligan
Guards for $50 they did not expect
that it would march 10 the tune of
100000 copies. The Hildebrandt
Montrose song they sold for $25, and
the publishers worked off 100000
copies"
Who are the leading composers p
You mean Of this class of music
| Well, many of our most popular SONGS