The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-01-05
THE SONGS OF THE DAY.
Ballads that Become Populnr.-EnOrmOus
Editions of simple Melodies that Catch
the Public Ear-- Profits of Authors and
Publishers.


"What constitutes popular song 2"
was asked by Star reporter of a New
York music dealer.
II 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-
ton, of which he felt very proud, to
Pond & Co., and offered to sell it to
them. They looked it over and re.
turned it with the remark: we do
not publish any such stuff as that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 Il Co. A song is
popular when it catches the public
fancy, and the best songs seldom be-
come popular"
GLOW do you account for this 2"
"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
~ al 70
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-
ton. In these you will find a 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"
Tell me some of the popular
songs"
"Just now, wait Till the Clouds
Roll BY, Jenny by II. 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 1.-THE Clouds are Rolling
BY, Jenny by Maylath. much SUI
perior song in every way and likely to
be as popular. Then we have 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,
Wont We Have Jolly Timer '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 beau
titul waltz song. There is a fund of
the popular songs sung by Harrigan
and Hart. l need only mention
Babies in Our Block THE Skids Are
Out To-day Whist, the Bogie Man,
Little Widow Dunn Never Take
the Horseshoe from the Door,
"In trade we call a song popular
when it reaches sale of 1900 copies
Many editions OILY reach 5000, and
some do not run beyond 500 copies
There may not appear to be any value
to a song until it goes before the pub
lie. If they 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 go
beyond his studio. Among this class
is sweet thing called: Say Not,
My Love Will Change with Time
written by Albert Rowse. When
Harrigan a. Hart sold the 'Mulligan
Guards for $50 they did not expect
that it would march TO 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 +?
Iaf Il.