Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-08-10
SOME FAMOUS SONGS.
PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES UNDEH
WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN.

WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN.
Payne's "Home, Sweet Home"-Stophet
C.. Fosters Work - Frank Howardn
nIethods-Dexter Smiths Hit-scanlan'l
Inspiration-Penned Upon Plank Fence
, Almost the only exception to the usual OBJ
Acurity of song writers is John Howard
PAYNE, Of whom more has probably been
written and printed than of all others COM
bined. Nevertheless, as much that has ap.
heared in relation to his famous song.
FsHome, Sweet Home" has been purely inn
aginary, we may, perhaps be pardoned If We
Introduce here the true story Of the compose
lion of this far famed melody.
It was in Italy that Payne first heard tn.
air for which his song was written. AS h<
kEas strolling one morning along a quiet
eountry road he was struck by the sweet
voice of peasant girl, who was carrying to
khe city basket laden with flowers and fruit.
Ehe plaintive air which she trilled with SO
bnuch sweetness and simplicity at once caught
his fancy. He accosted her, and after few
moments conversation asked the name Of the
Song, which she was unable to give. How:
lever, using his knowledge of music to good
purpose, he requested her to repeat the air
Fwhile he proceeded to write down the notes.
PIE soon afterward composed the words, and
with the aid Of musician named Bishop
welded them to the italian air, Incorporate
ing the song into his opera Of "Clari," whick
boon gave it world wide fame.
The only rival to "Home, Sweet Home,h
Us s. c. Fosters sold Folks at Home" AZ
a musical critic has justly said, had he not
made the words of the song local by intro
Hucing the Suwanee river, it might well
have equaled the former as the home song OF
khe world. Stephen Collins Foster was 9
strangely retiring and diffident author, and
6ome of his most beautiful songs were com,
posed under the most incongruous conditions.
"a writer who met him in New York in 1854
Says that his favorite haunt was in a tumble
down grocery near the Bowery, in the little
back room of which one at least, of his
famous melodies was written. Foster was
frue poet as well as composer, and wrote
both the words and music Of all his songs.
1t is said that the methods of Frank How.
hrd, the successful author Of "Only Pansy
Blossom" and other songs, are somewhat Pc
culiar, and would astonish many musicians.
fMr. Howard is negro minstrel by profess
Sion. He writes the words Of his songs him
self, and then, with the other members of the
company, proceeds to drum out on hotel
pianos suitable air. 1t sometimes requires
several instruments and changes of scene to
produce taking song, which, when COM
bleted, is written out and tried upon the
audience in the evening. If the song pleases
pit is sent to the publisher and put upon the
market
The composer, Dexter Smith, is known to
nave made several attempts before hitting
the public taste, although he had written
many beautiful verses. Upon one occasion,
as in deep reflection he strobe along the
streets of Boston, he heard an untidy urchin
cry out to his mother: ''Say, ma'am, put me
I'm my little bed" There is subject, thought
the song writer, and on reaching home he
proceeded to write out what he considered
THE --LATEST song of which he was capable.
The result of his effort was gladly accepted
Joy the pubAisher. and, to the poets surprise,
seemed equally to please the public. In
lshortS it was this song which first made thu
author famous, and the sale of 'tPut Me In
My Little Bed" soon reached an enormous
figure
The familiar ''Peek-a-Boo," which has now
been worn nearly threadbare, was, according
ITO its author, Mr.. Seaman, an inspiration d
the moment. 1t was suggested by the gam,
bos OF some children, who were playing
around the door where he was sitting, idly
picking out tunes upon an accordion. As the
children peeped curiously into his door he
began to say 'Peek-a-boo," nodding his head
at the same time Unconsciously the instru.
ment played few notes II suit what he was
saying, and the idcl of new melody struck
ms fancy. Is Immediately wrote off tho
chorus OF "Peek-a-Boo" upon an envelope
and added few stanzas afterward, touching
- up the song at his leisure.
/ "Evangeline" is without doubt the first
song on record to be penned upon plank
fence. It was one Of Hays earliest lyrics,
and was the result of frolic, being written
when he was quite young. The author was
one of party who one evening CHANGED to
ATTEND a social gathering in a small village
i'm Kentucky. Among the ladies present was
one who SO strilingly resembled the ideal
portrait of Longfelow's s'Evangeline" thai
she was at once given that nickname by the
young composer. The company had organ.
fzed quartet and had given a large number
OF popular selections during the evening. Ii
was bright, moonlight night when they
Started to return home, and 'tEvangelinez
suggested that they try some new song.
81 will write you a song," said Hays, sci
you will promise to sing it before we "a
home"
This was enthusiastically agreed to. It ST
happened that there was new white plank
fence just opposite them at that time. A fire
had recently been built near by and mum.
der of charred sticks lay scattered around
Picking up several of these Hays walked ovel
ito the fence and proceeded to write the first
verse of his song on the top plank, and the
notes for the quartet of voices on the fom
planks beneath. AS all could read music
they stood back a short distance and had nc
difficulty in singing it. The girls insisted on
having chorus, and the author went to the
end of the fence and there wrote out the
chorus. The party sung it over and over,
and at last went home with it on their lips
f The following day Mr. Hays was requested
10y "Evangeline" to write out copy on
paper, but he laughingly told her that she
could go down to the fence and copy it Of.
The young lady took him at his word, and
Though it was raining hard she started out
and returned with the words and music com.
plete. To reward her Hays then added an.
jother verse, and soon after the lady re
turned to her home in st. Louis, taking tht
song with her. On her singing it there ii d
fracted much attention, and she finally -,
ft back to the author to have it ppbljr ~ sIn'
Charles T. Adams in Detroit FREQ p neo'