Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-08-03
Famous Popular Songs.
THEIR AUTHORSHIP AND THE CIRCUM
STAGES UNDER WHICH THEY WERE
COMPOSED.

| COMPOSED.
"A.uld Lang Syne" is popularity supposed
to be the composition Of Burns, but, il
fact, he wrote only the second and thire
verses of the ballad as commonly sung, re
touching the others from an older and less
! familiar song. 1.-The Old Oaken Bucket
was written by Woodwork in New Yorh
city during the hot summer of 1877. He
came into the house and drank glass Of
j water, and then said: s'How much more
refreshing it would be to take good long
drink from the old oaken bucket shat used
TO hang in my fathers WE'LL" His wife
suggested that it was happy thought fdt
a poem. He sat down and wrote the song
as we have it. NV Goldman Spare That
Tree' was the result OF an incident that
happened to George P. Morris. A friend IS
mother had owned q little place in the
country, which she was obliged, from pov-
erty, to sell. On the property grew a
i 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 should be spared Morris
heard the story, saw the tree, and wrote
the song. loft in the Silly Night" was
produced by Moore after his family had
misfortune. One of his children died
young, another went astray, and a third
was accidentally killed. 1.-THE Light of
Other days. was written to be introduced
into Balfe's opera, The Maid of Artois. !"
The opera is forgotten, but the song still
lives, and is as popular as ever.
Payne wrote s'Home, Sweet Home.n to
help I'LL up an opera he was preparing. and
at first it had four stanzas. The author
never received anything for it, but though
the opera was failure when played in the
Covent Garden Theatre, the song took,
and over 100, 900 copies were sold the first
year. In two years the publishers cleared
over Sl0,O 900 by the publication; and the
variations, prescriptions, and limitations
have been lnnumeraDle. The melody is
believed to be Sicilian air, and Donizettl
has variation of it in his opera Gamma
Bolena." Payne was afterward appointed
American Consul at Tunis. where he died.
and whence his remains the other day were
sent to America. Some of his mlseries may
be guessed from his own words: "How
often have been in the heart of Paris,
Berlin. London, or some other city, and
nave heard persons singing or hand organs
playing Home, Sweet Home" without
having shilling to buy myself the next
meal. or place to lay my head. The
world has literally sung my song till every
heart is familiar with it's melody, yet I
have been wanderer from my boyhooG,
and. in my old age, have to submit to hui
initiation for my bread" Fosters "Old
Folks at Home" was the best song he ever
wrote. Over 100000 copies were sold by
the firm that first published it, and the
author is said to have received SIS, 900 for
his share in it's sale. Christy, the noted
paid $500 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 erro.
neously attributed to him. Crock Me to
Sleep" was written by Mrs. Allen of
Name. She was paid SIS for it, and Rus
sell q Co., of Boston, who had in three |
years gained $1,000 by its sale, offered her |
IS apiece for any song she might write.
some years after, when poor widow and |
n need of money, she sent them a song
which was promptly rejected.
"a Life on the Ocean Wave" by Epes
sargent, was pronounced failure by his
friends. The copyright of the song be-
anne very valuable, though Sargent never
!ot anything from it himself. what are
he Wild Waves Saying ?'' was suggested
o Dr. Carpenter by scene from Dickens
lovel, "Dombey & Son. and the music
vas by Glover. Poor Jackn was from
be pen of Charles Dibdin, the author of
he "Lamplighter. Poor Jack" Melted
"a, 900 for its publisher, and almost moth
ng for its author. 'Stars of the Summer
Nlght,'' very famous song. especially for
erenaders, was written by Alfred TT.
ease, the noted pianist, whose sad death
st. Louis few months ago was 50
realty deplored by his friends. Loves
Dung Dream was one of Moore's best.
uJ the tune to which it is commonly
ung is from an Irish ballad called "The
I'D Woman" Moore sang his own songs
o we'll that both the auditors and himself
Tere often moved to tears. Once when
e was singing this song,a lady who heard
i'm implored him to stop. "For heavens
axe, stop: this is not good for my soal.'
Aud Robin Gray" was the work of LADY
Anne Lindsay, who tells a curious story
the circumstances Of its composition.
I called to my little sister, the only per.
On hear, and said: L have been writing
ballad, my dear. I am expressing my
eroine with many misfortunes. I have
lready sent her Jamie to the sea, and
roken her fathers arm, and made her
other fall sick, and given her Aud Robin .
ray for lover, but l wish to load her ,
18th fifth sorrow within the four lines, i
Dor thing. Help me to one.' STEAL the T
wv, said the little Elizabeth. The COW 8
as Immediately lifted by me, and the =
ing completed" Kathleen Mavourneenn n
as sold by Crouch, the author, for S25 +
I'd brought the publishers as many +
ousands. Bonnie Doom" was the only
ngisb song that the Emperor Napoleon
zed. IN Hang My harp on Willow
re-" is said to have been written by t
'uug English nobemaD in love with the 8
rincess (now Queen) Victoria. Annie c
aurie" is two hundred years old, and y
as the production of d man named Doug b
IS to celebrate the praise of girl C
Imed Laurie. The lady afterwards de- t
rted the man who made her famous and I