Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-09-04
SONGS WE USED TO SING.
SOME OLD MELODIES AND THeIR
LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS.

LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS.
How and from Whom Came ''The Old
Oaken Bucket life on the Ocean
Wave" and other Familiar Verses.
Little Compensation for the Authors.
In small and old fashioned but cozy
chop house, way down town, two veri-
table Bohemians sat the other afternoon,
and over their pipes exchanged recollec-
tions. Their talk after while touched
upon old familiar songs, many of which
possess peculiarly interesting local asso-
Citations.
Now there's The Old Oaken Bucket,
said one Of the Bohemians, ''that song
had its birth up here in Duane street in
1917. Samuel Woodwork, a gifted but
erratic printer, was living there at the
time One hot summers-day he went
into his house and drank a glass Of
water, remarking, that tastes good, but
how wish that could drink Just at
this minute from the old oaken bucket
on my fathers farm Woodworth's
/ wife remarked sympathetically, What
poem could be written on that
thought The printer pondered for
minute, and sitting down at the nearest
table began to write Soon the touching
verses beginning How dear to this heart
are the scenes Of my childhood were
written. Soon afterward the words
! We're coupled with melody composed
By Hallmark for Arabys Daughter.
and were sung far and wide
Woodman. Spare That Tree, is an
other famous song based on il local in
cident said the second Bohemian.
The words were written by George P.
Morris, who lived III New York almost
all his life and died here in 1864 When
he was boy his home was on farm
not far from Bloomingdale He was
wont to play there under an old tree
/ planted by his grandfather
Many years after he had left the
farm and the property had passed ont Of
the hands of his family he happened in
that neighborhood one day, and saw d
man about to cut down the old familiar
tree. He begged the man to desist, and
received the gruff response that the tree
would bring $40 for irewood He gave
the man the money and took Il bond for
the safe protection Of the tree. Soon
afterward he wrote the noted song.
which was set to music by Henry Rus
sell =
You have heard how "A Life on the
Ocean Wave came to be written, | sup
poseE qneried the first speaker. as he
moistened his lips. No? Well. it was
this way Epes Sargent was walking
along the edge Of the Battery one bright
morning when the numerous craft. dane
ing on the glistenins water, brought to
his mind a suggestion made TO him some
time before by his friend. Henry Russell
that he write Il marine song He wrote
the words Of A Life on the Ocean Wave.
and showed them to George p Morris
who remarked that they made nice lit
tie poem, hut they would not do for a
song ~
and asked him foT tie verses, ists. f'akHfng Ing
them to Il music store at Broadway and
Park Place. Russell went into little
back room. seated himself at a piano and (
in few minutes composed the air of the .
famous song. Sargent never received
cent for it, although the sales of the song
We're large
Ben Bolt. you remember was
noted song along about 1850" continued /
the first Bohemian The original words
Of that song were written ID 1912 by DR. 4
Thomas Dunn English. of Philadelphia, (
while on a visit to New York, and sent
as Il gratuitous contribution to 4 maya
zine edited by his friend n p Willis
Some years afteward the verses were re- n
peated from memory to Nelson Kneass. \
New York Bohemian. who set them to
music, adapting an old German song
The Instantaneous success or Ben Bolt
made il ii source Of great profit to its .
publishers. but KneaSs died in poverty,
complaining that he only received trifie 4
for his work So far as is known the
writer Of the original verses got nothing.
But few writers Of popular songs ever Y
made any money ont Of them oracular
ly remarked the SECOND Bohemian
There's the familiar case Of John How
ard Payne. Il New York boy. who wrote
Home. Sweet Home while starving in
an attic III Paris The song was to be .
sung in his opera, 'Clari. the Maid Of .
Milan Payne never got anything for
it, and later in his life he wrote 70 4
friend III this city: How often have .
been in the heart of Paris. Berlin. Lon
don or some other city and have heard
persons singing or hand organs playing \
Home. Sweet Home without having (
shilling to buy myself the next meal ora
place to lay my head
True. Paynes case was Il pathetic
one. asSented Bohemian No l. "but 4
there have hpru instances where song
writers made a great deal of money and +
did not know how q keep il Take the
experience Of Stephen Collins Foster, for
example. He produced Old Kentucky
Home, Old Dog Tray Old Folks at
Home. Old Uncle Ned and scores Of \
other popular songs for which he re
ceived large sums Of money 1t isamat-
ter Of record that more than laj.00O
copies IF Old Dog Tray were. sold in
eighteen months Foster WAS :, reckless
happy -go-luc5y fellow Some of his
rlost famous songs were written Oh
brown wrapping paper in th4 back part /
Of 4 dowutowu grocery i'll this city He \
was taken Sc; here and was conveyed Z
to hospital where he died penniless
Jan lS 1864
Another man who received large
sums OF money for his songs was Henry
O. Work of this city the author Of
Wake Nirodemus. Marching Through
Georgia and 'tiranifathers Clock The
sales of the last mentioned song We're
enormous. and Worb received $1,000 in
royalties On that alone New York
Times
No inducements
Freddie Let us break this cup.
Little Johnnie-No: it doesn't belong
TO a set. Epoch