The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-10
Money in Songs.

| The secret of success IN the world de-
sends upon hitting popular fancy at a
critical moment. Those who aim to
cad or direct taste generally fail; those
Who catch the spirit of the hour tri-
lmph. Thus il IS that ephemerals
grow rich and notable while giant
minds are starving in obscurity. We
need not 90 far for an illustration of
his anomalous condition. If one will
contrast the success of a certain class
If song-writers with the unsuccess of
composers Of grand melodies and the
builders of noble verse there will be
I seen in bold front the difference be-
tween qualification and education in
the matter Of taste.
There are several young men In the
cOun ~. bright. observing, but not very
intellectual fellows, who devote a
small fraction of their time to the max
inc Of light-havored songs that appeal
sentimentalIy to the heart, the music
being little more than a Jingle of notes,
with an occasional melodious stra n.
Being written to catch the masses, and
not to delight the sense of the unsteady
refined. these fugitive pieces are de-
scriDei Is craze songs. and the uni
Versalitv OF welcome given to many of
them ius:itic, the term. These are the
tunes that. heard from the stage, are
picked up readily aud hummed by
every one. ere whistlct in the street
and SUNG in the parlor until they are
familiar with all conditions of people,
from gamin TO belle. And these songs
are mostly musical tricks. The writers
shrcwdlv take mp some common emo
ion and play upon it, nothing being
more characteristic of these songs than
heir nursery flavor. their childhood
elements.
In one of the most popular there is
an insignificance of ideas. fairness of
verse, a schoolgirl quality Of rhyme
and an insipidily of musical character,
set there have been over 10000 copies
If ii sold, and the fortunate author has
already received $4,000 in royalties
This is the sone entitled "Pcek-a-Boo,~
written by bright young I;ishman
named Seaman. This young man, who
IS bat twenty-five years of age. has
written several of these ''craZe" songs,
among them. He Never Went Back on
the Poor, Terry Joined the Gang"
"By-bv, Baby, Bv-bv," from which he
has received something more than $2j,-
900, and now calculates his income
from continued royalties about $4,000
month.
The sentimental Silver Threads
Among the Gold is still selling, after
10000 copies OF it have been put upon
the public "Put Ne in My Little Bed"
and MY Grandfather's Clock have
reached 500, 900 copies each, and are
ont Of demand. There are score or
more of these craze songs that have
been sold pheaomanally, and they are
being turned OIL inces>antly, each sea-
sou having born 10 il from one to 3
dozen. OF course great many write
who get no returns, but That is because
they have neither the tact nor the
means of introducing them to the pub
lie. not because they can possibly write
ANYTHING too idiOti,. to win favor. We
cannot imagine any one writing less
sensible things than the popular
catches,
never drini, behind the har,
Though may smoke a mild cigar,
"Babies on Oar Block" or Are Ye
There. Moriarity?" The profits on such
songs range between $1,000 and 3d.,
600.
There is another field in which trash
tells agains: worth in the conquest OF
public favor in astonishing proportion.
Among the most popular plays now are
those tina some years ago would nave
been denied admission to the stage.
They are made up of the most direct
appeals to the sympathetic emotions n
distinguished from the reasoning f&rgl-
ties, usually being such affairs aS he
Judgment condemns, while the >cnti.
mcnt. easily affected, approves. \
successful play Yields its proprietor
anywhere from $1,000 to %i0n, 900
year. though the latter figures, OF
course, cove the very rare exceptions.
Profits OF $4,000 4 year on thta,riC
enterprises are not uncommon. Ii vii.
not DO to say thar good plays and good
attractions do not succeed. for Il = mat.
Ter of fact they make. in the long run,
the most money. But the phenomena,
successes are the plays that, like the
adrOitly-timcd HTs,'hecOme a craze,
either for their striking novelty or he
cause of some Fictitious circumstance
attending their production The re
ceipts from the performances Q!
:. Hazel Kirke, for example, have
SO far considerably exceeded $1,000.
600. and it is vet by no means worr
out. Mr. hartley Campbell received
in one year from two of his plays
the sum of $4,000. lie perhaps re
ceiyeS more than that now. OtherP'ay-
writer's sell their works outright. wheE
the terms range from $1,000 70 510.0Jt
for play. This wear Mr.. DAILY. of New
York. gets $4,000 for merely renting
two of his old plays for 4 season OF
thirty weeks to Mr.. John Stet>on. There
is still cheaper class Of plays. foI
which the terms are 500 to 5000 for s
play perhaps the work of three woehs.
With these figures to encourage the
aspirant for wealth and fame, it is small
wonder so many rush into attempted
with successful Song-writer;
and dramatists. But alas for credulous
human nature. The successes are as
one to a MYRIAD Of failures. The for
tunes Of the few is the iCnUs fatuS OF
the MANY. There are musical geniuses /
whose songs viii never be SUM, anc
prodi~ies OF playmakers whose writings
will never be read. They may he more
entitled to the forward place than those
who get there; but the battle * moi
always to the strong nor the race to tie
swift. They who succeed are twice
fortunate fortunate in the chance and
fortunate in happily ava,lin~ themselves
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