West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-06-23
FdlTOUS rOPULAR SoNUS.
f"'tr authorship dPd the Circumstances
undcr 'cLich htg WcrS Composed.


! posed to be the competition of Bun ma
but, IN fact, he wrote only the secoud
and third verses Of the ballad as
commonly sung. retouchjng the
Others from an older and less familiar
sons. The Oh Oaken Bucket was
written by Woodworth in New York
city during the hot summer OF 1917.
He came into the house and drank a
glass OF water aod then aajd How
much more refreshing i would be to
take good loug drink from the old
oallen bucket hat used TO hang IN
my father woll.' His wife suggest
ed that 1t was a happy thou 2ht for
a poem. lie sat down and wrote the
song as we have il. 'Woodman Spare
That Tree was the result Of hn Incl
dent that happened 20 George F..
Morris. A friends mother had
owned a little place in tho coun;r,,
which ste was obliged, from prverty,
to sell. On the property grew n
large oak which had been planted by
his grandfather The purchaser OF the
house and land proposed to cut down
the tree, and Morris friend paid him
40 for bond that the oak shout
be spared. Morris heard tho story,
saw the tree, and wrote ,he song.
'Ort in the Silly Night was produc-
ed by Moore after his family had
misfortune. One Of his children
died young, srother went astray and
a thlrd was accidentally killed. The
light OF Other Day was written to
be introduced into Balles opera, The
Maid Of Artols' The opera is for
gotten, but the song atill lives, aud
is as popu'er as ever.
Payne wiot Home, Sweet Hsme,
to help fill up an opera he was pre-
pairing, and at first it had four stan
zds. The author never received
anything for it, but though the opera
was a failure when played in the
Covent Garden Theatre, the song
took, and over 100000 copies were
sold tie first year. in two years the
publishers cleared over $4,000 by
the publications, and limitations have
been innumerable. The melody 10
believed to be SiclIlan air, and
Don zsLti has a variation Of 1T in his
opera Anna Bolenl.' Payne was af-
terwards appointed American Consul
at Tunis, where he died, and from
whence his remains were lately sent
to America. Some Of his miseries
may be guessed ircm hia own words
How often have | been in the aeart
OF Paris, Berlin, London, or some
other city, and have heard persons
singing or hand organs playing
Home, Sweet Home, without hav-
ing a shilling to buy myself the next
meal, or place to lay my head. Tb9
world has literally sung my song till
every heart is familiar with its mel
ody, yet have been a wanderer
from my boYbood, and, in. my Old
age, have TO submit to humiliation
for my bread Fosters Old Folks
a. II me was the beet song he ever
wrote. Over 400 900 copies we're
sold by the firm that first published
it, and the author is said to have re
ceived $4,000 Tor his share in its
sale. Chriaty, the noted minstrel.
paid $500 for the privilege Of having
his name printed on one edition q
'O.d Foiks at Home as the author
and composer. The song is thus
often erToneousjy attributed to him.
Rock Ne to Sleep was written by
Mrs. Allen, Of Maine. She was paid
50 for it, and Russell g. Co., Of Bos-
ton, ~ho had in three years gained
$4 600 by It's sale, offered her g.
apiece Tor any song she might write.
Some years at er, when p poor widow
and IN NEED Of money, che rent them
4 song which was promptly reject
ed.
a Lie Oh the Ocean Wave, by
Epos Sargent. was pronounced fail
ore by bis friends. The copyright
oil tho cong becam3 very valuable,
though Sargent never got anything
for it himself What are The Wild
Waves Saying p was suggested to DR..
Carpenter by sceDo from Dickens
novel, 'Dombey q Sor, aud The mu-
SIC was by Glover. Poor Jack was
from the pen oi Charles D.bdin, the
thor Of the LampbghJer. Poor
Jack uet,ed $4,000 for its publish
er, and almost nothing for its autLor.
Stars Of the Summer Night a very
famous song, especially tor serenaG
ers, was written by Alfred II. Pesse
the noted pianist, whose sad death
10 St. Lous few months ago was 60