The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-05
CHAPTER ON COMIC SONGS
THEIR GREAT VARIETY, ORIGIN
AND POPULARITY.

From the London Telegraph.
81 know a very wise man that believed
that, if man were permitted to make all
the ballads, he need not care who should
make the laws of the nation" Thus wrote
Fletcher, of Saltoun, some 200 years ago,
and certainly from the days OF Tyrt@us the
Spartan songs have helped to make revolu-
tiOnS and dethrone GynastieS, while the
power of the ballad mdnger has been
favorite theme with the poet and dramatist,
as well as the historian. Side by side, how
ever, with the stirring strains that move
nations deepest emotions we have in this
country peculiar group of doggerel ditties
which are called, sometimes with a fine
sense of irony, "ccmic songs and in their
own way these odd ebullitions for time
exercise the most marvellous and unac-
countable dominion over every man, woman
and child in the land. The highly cultured
groups and the artistic coterleS who more or
less honestly affect refinement and sensitive
ness, and who boldly carry the banner of
art for arts sake" into the camp
of the Philisunes, may shudder
at the last comic song, but they
can not shut their delicate ears to it or
ignore its potency, for all their indignation
and outraged sense of propriety. True, they
would no more go to music hall than they
would TO a race meeting or indulge i'll the
luxury of nursing fancy for any of the big
autumn handicaps but in some stealthy, i'll
siduous way the popular jingle of the mo
ment is bound to reach their ears. The bar
rel organ will grind it out beneath the win
dows where they sit and seek for inspira-
ton; the shrill, defiant whistle of the small
boy in he street will penetrate to the studio,
and if they go out at all into general society
they are certain to hear the song spoken of
and its catch phrase introduced as an ex-
., esSive ornament to conversation. That
the comic song has a distinct mercantile
value-a value often far beyond that as
signed to. say, perfect cycle of sonnets-is
now settled to be a fact, on no less authority
than the Judgment of Mr. Justice kekewich
who decided the recent case of "Coote VS..
Ingram
In this action, it will be remembered, the
defendant had published a certain " opular
Sixpenny Song Book, in which he boldly
printed certain songs which he had taken
the liberty of artistically annexng from
the plaintiffs list of publications Mr.,
Ingram laid violent hands on the Washer
King" the Two Obadiahs," "A Cow and
/ hree Acres. and even ON woman, Lovely
Woman TO say nothing of such sentimental
strains as are suggested by "Old Familiar
Faces" or such a terrible menace as is CON
viewed in the refrain I'm place it in the
hands of my solicitor" He pleaded, with
some show of reason, that by reprinting
and popularizing the long list of songs that
were relied on at the trial he had really con
ferred on the plaintiffs an advantage in
stead of injuring them The Judge, how
ever, would not listen to the ingenious argu-
ment which in a sense seemed to appeal TO
general artistic sympathy, and marked the
laws sense of the injury done by this distinct
infringement of copyright by assessing
| damages against the defendant to the tune
of G23 and costs. To many it will seem
that the law took a somewhat merciful
view of the case, for there is no doubt that
a really popular comic song which once
seizes hold on the public is often worth to
It's fortunate singer-rarely the author
many thousands of pounds sterling. Some
of the most famous of these songs have been
the most absolutely ,inane and stupid,
pointless, driveling, but the public-that is,
of course, the music hall public Ike to it
with the eager fancy of a child for a new
toy. They pursue the singer from ball to
hall; they clamor for their idol, and shrek
with genuine delight when it becomes their
happy privilege to offer before its shrine in
cense in the shape of vociferous chorus. No
form of Christmas show is considered com
plete without it, and when its well-known
strains MAKE their appearance in the musi-
cal medley known as the overture TO the
pantomime the gods thunder down a well
come to their pet tune, which partakes of
the nature of royal salute. The song has,
as the saying Is caught on" its catch
word or refrain or scrap of philosophy be-
comes more potent than a political cry,
more promptly immortal than the finest
masterpiece of oratOry delivered in debate,
more widely known than the provisi ms of
an act of Parliament. II may do more. 1t
may as in the case of the wellknown word
lingo" christen whole political party. or
it may breathe such defiance to the schemes
of the Muscovite that the scientific from
tier is as nothing compared to the heroism
that infuseS and inspires its chorus. Paris
is Just now ringing with a slang song of no
particular fun or merit but which happens
to suit political notion of the moment
and every true Partisan sings, huns or
whistles it all day long. 1t is a little, but
not much, better than the usual 'Ah! ah!
ah!n or Zig, zig, zig" or "PIf, paff,
poum!n or her wholly unmeaning inter
lection in which the habitueS of the open
air cafes delight but, at the same time, we
must not forget the historic effect once upon
a time produced in our own land by the
"Lillburlero," which all but turned the
peoples heads.
Much might be written on the various
divisions and classes of the comic song. For
instance, there is the affectionate and com
municative sort, in which the festive gen
tleman on tho stage figurativeiy takes his
audience to his heart with a liberal dose of
friendly "patteI' between the verse and the
chorus, and a copious sprinkling Of the
friendly term, Dear boys" Then there is
what may be called the narrative song,n
beginning, GAS | was walking DOWN
something street who dye think
CHANGED to meet" and then. the character
having been introduced, the verse closes
with, "And thus to her did say La this
class it is noteworthy that the lady's coa-
duct is, as rule, false, tickle and not UNI
frequently vigorously combative. The
rollicbing driking song of the reckless, dare
devil sort has completely disappeared, and
it is to be regretted that drunken songs,
which are quite different thin from
drinking songs, have largely succeeded
them. Then here are the character
songs, which require disguise and make
up" and topical songs, whichs need
an evening dress, n cleaning. single
stud. and above all things, hat. Without
a hat the ''lion" or the ''star" would be a
poor, weak creature indeed. He can crush
it under his arm, flourish it to lead the
chorus, stick it now on the back and now on
the side of his head or take it off and put
it on again with meaningless frequency
but a hat he must have, for it is the very
sign and symbol of his power. However,
the catalogue of types must be cut short
that We may notice just another remark
able feature of the comic song. AS it be-