The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-05-26
FAMOUS POPULAR SONGS.
Their Authorship and the Circumsta
ceS under which they were Composed
E.o,a the ST Lov;s ReDvbl;coo

Their Authorship and the t'ircUmstan.
ees under which they were Composed.
From the st. Louis Republican.
''Auld Lang Syne" is popularity supposed
to be the composition of Burns, but, in
fact, he wrote only the second and third
verses of the ballad as commonly sung, re-
touching the others from an older and less
familiar song. '.The Old Oaken Bucket
was written by Woodworth in New York
city during the hot summer of 1917. He
came into the house and drank glass of
water, and then said: Chow much more
refreshing it would be to take good long
drink from the old oaken bucket that used
to hang in my fathers well. His wife
suggested that it was happy thought for
poem. He sat down and wrote the song
as we have it. "Woodman Spare That
Tree" was the result of an incident that
happened to George P Morris. A friends
mother had owned little place in the
country, which she was obliged, from prov
erty, to SELL On the property grew
large oak which had been planted by his
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. "Oft in the Silly Night" was
produced by Moore after his family had
misfortune. One of his children died
young, another went astray, and third
was accidentally killed. '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 "Home, Sweet Home, to
help fill 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 100000 copies were sold the first
year In two years the publishers cleared
over $4,000 by the publication; and the
variations, transcriptiOns, and limitations
have been innumerable. The melody is
believed to be Sicilian air, and Donizetti
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 miseries
may be guessed from his own words:
Chow 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,
without having a 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 its melody; yet
| have been wanderer from my boyhood,
and, in my old age, have to submit to hu-
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 ST. 900 for
his share in its sale. Christy, the noted
minstrel, paid $400 for the privilege of
having his name printed on ono 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 Maine.
She was paid $5 for it, and Russell & Co.,
of Boston, who had in three years gained
$1,000 by its sale, offered her S. apiece
for any song she might write. Some years
after, when a poor widow and in need OF
money, she sent them song which was
promptly rejected.
"a Life on the Ocean Wave by Epes
Sargent, was pronounced a failure by his
friends The copyright of the song became
very valuable, though Sargent never got
anything from it himself What are the
Wild Waves Saying? was suggested to DIR.
Carpenter by a scene from Dickens novel.
''Dombey & Son., and the music was by
Glover ''Poor Jack was from the pen Of
Charles Dibdin, the author of the Lamp
lighter" "Poor Jack netted S25, 900 for
its publisher, and almost nothing fer its
author STARS Of the Summer Night, a
very famous song, especially for serenaders,
was written by Alfred H. Pease, the noted
pianist, whose sad death in st. Louis a few
months ago was so greatly deplored by hi
friends Loves Young Dream was one
of Moores best, but the tune to which it is
commonly sung is from an Irish ballad
called ''The Old Woman Moore sang
his own songs so well that both the audi
tors and himself were often moved to tears.
Once when he was singing this song lady
who heard him implored him to stop.
''For heavens sake, stop; this is not good
for my SOUL "Auld Robin Gray was
the work of Lady Anne Lindsay, who tells
curious story of the circumstances of its
composition. Il called to my little sister,
the only person near, and said Il have
been writing ballad, my dear. | am OPP
pressing my heroine with many misfortunes.
/ have already sent her Jamie to the sea,
and broken her fathers arm, and made her
mother fall sick, and given her Aud Robin
GRAY for a lover, but [ wish to load her
with fifth sorrow within the four lines,
poor thing Help me to one. Steal the
cow, said the little Elizabeth. The COW
was Immediately lifted by me, and the song
completed" "Kathleen Mavourneen" was
sold by Crouch, the author, for twenty-five
dollars, and brought the publishers as many
thousands Bonnie Doom was the only
English song that the Emperor Napoleon
liked. 9Th Hang My Harp on Willow
Tree is said to have been written by a
Young English nobleman in love with the
Princess (now Queen) Victoria. "Annie
Laurie is two hundred years old, and was
the production of man named Douglass,
to celebrate the praise of girl named
Laurie. The lady afterwards deserted the
man who made her famous and married
man named Ferguson. "Sally in Our AL
ley was written by Carry, the dramatist.