The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1883-04-14
Lincoln County Leader.
Saturday, April II, 1888.
FAMOUS POPULAR SONGS
Their Authorship, and the Circum-
stances under which they
were Composed.

Burns, but, in fact. he wrote only
the second and third verses of the
ballad as commoniF sang, rctouch-
ing the others from M older and
less familiar "Ille Old
Oaken bucket" was written by
Woodwork, in New York city,
during the hot summer of 1917.
He came into the house and drank
n glass OF water, and then said:
"llOw much more refreshing it
would be to take a good long drink
from the old oaken bvckct that
used to hang in my fathers we'll &c
His wife suggested that it was a
happy thought for a poem, He
sat down and wrote the song as we
have it. Woodman, Spare that
Tree" was the result of in incident
that happened to George p. Nor
rs. A friends mother had owned
IA little place i'll the country, which
she was obliged, from poverty, to
sell. On the property grew Il 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 a bond that the
oak should be spared. Morris
heard the story, saw the tree, and
wrote the song. Oft in the Silly
Night was produced by Moore
after his family had undergone APP
parcntly every possible misfortune.
One Of his children died young, an
other went astray, and a third was
a~ccidently killed. The Light Of
Other Days was written to be in
troduccd into Balfe's opera, the
Maid Of Artois." The opera is
forgotten, but the song still lives,
and IL AS popular as ever.
Payne wrote Home, sweet
Home" TO help fill up all opera he
was preparing, and at first it had
four stanzas. The author never re-
ceived anything torit, but though
the opera was a failure when played
in the Convent Garden Theatre,
the song took, and over 100, 600
copies were sold the first year. In
two years the publishers cleared
over $4,000 by the publication;
and the variations, prescriptions,
and limitations have been innu-
meraole. The melody is believed
to be a Sicilian air, and Donizetti
has Il variation Of it in his opera
"Anna Bolena." Payne was after
wards appointed consul at Tunis,
where he died, and whence his re-
mains the other day were sent to
America. Some of his miscries
may be guessed from his own
words: GLOW often have | been in
the heart of Paris, Berlin, London,
or some other city, and have heard
persons singing or hand organs
playing Home, sweet Home with
out having a shilling to buy myself
the next meal, or Il place to lay
my head. The world has literally
sung my song till every heart is
familiar with its melody;yet | have
been a wanderer from my boyhood,
and, in my old age, have to sub
nit to humiliation for my bread. "
Fosters "Old Folks at Home" was
the best song he ever wrote. Over
400, 900 copies were sold by the
firm that first published il, and the
author is said to have received
$15, 900 his share in its sale.
Christy, the noted minstrel, paid
800 for the privilege Of having
his name printed on one edition of
''Old folks at Home" as the author
and composer. The song is thus
often enormously attributed TO him.
Rock Me to Sleep was written
by Mrs. Allen of Maine. She was
paid SIS for it, and Russell az Co. of
Boston, who had in three years
gained $4,000 by its sale, offered
her s. apiece tor amy songs she