The sun., 1893-05-28
POPULAR PLAY WRITING.
CHiRLEs HorT TiLKs OF PLAr AND
IOPICIL SON0 COMPOSITION.

pressing n sleepy Composer ln;o service
"No. I'm not the man who wrote 'Ta-ra-ra,
goom.dc.ay." said Charles Hoyt the other
dsv. as he sut in his Office at tho Madison
souare Theatre.
"Idon't know who did write II cithc-. But
7 can tell you all about Razzle Dazzle and
sThe Bowery' and Push Dem Clouds and
other songs that have caught tho popular ear.
"'Rnzzlc Dazzle was written by viii Barton
OF San Francisco. a genial gentleman who fol-
lows tho prosaic but profitable business OF
having streets and who cheers his leisure hours
by the composition Of songs. One night Fred
Brighton was at tho Bohemian Club. Mr.. Bar
Ton was also there and was seated at tho piano.
playing and listening at the same tine. Brigh-
ton used the expression 'rnzzle dazzle which
was at that tme new thing in San Francisco.
II caught lartons ear. and he began drum
ming softly. with the phrase running in his
head
"'Listcn to this. boys hc said finally. and
played over what was a'terwnrd the chorus.
We'll. II made n hit. Before the evening was
over tho whole crowd was singing II. The
next day Barton wrote tho verses. They were
done more to order. as it were. and do not
amount TO so very much: but the chorus.
which was m inspiration. took like wildnrc.
1.-THE Wild Man Of Bornco' was also written
by Will barton. He doesn't writo for money
sither. / told him that 'Razzle Dazzle was
worth thousands OF dollars. but he snid he
guess ed he'd make his money paving streets.
MY wifc always said that / could como
nearer TO IL tuno without getting II than any
ono she had ever known. For n fact don't
know much about music. although was once
amusica critic in Boston But when get to
humminE an air it's pretty sure to be q little
of. That was the case with the old Spanish
air 'Mandolinata.' which I got into my head
one time. | Put words to my version OF It, and
there had the song. You'll Get There Just
the Same which madc such q hit in The Tin
Soldier
You remember tho song in A Hole in tho
Ground, Well. ono time we were coming
from Chicago on the D. and O. My wife hnd
neral March Of the Marionettes. had a time
table in my hand. and after u while l said.
Here. III give you sOmo words Tor thut,' anu
1gaye the first iincs
"Ihesnortcs, route and the best by far
ST. rauI. pvt III. and Manitoba,
Is tile tnnvrc and OHIO.
"My wife Immediately. said that there was
pretty soon everybody in tho company was
Grounu at the time. and that's the way it
Then there was the sorG. Drill. Ye Tar
riers Drill! got hold of that In queer way.
nd e1s ns hs e at he %
telling me that he had heard II great song. He
said ne couldn't remsmber Very much. and
could remember. But he, was SO ,pers!stent
about, about fht great song, he had heard that
TINT time he had iorgotten ei most Of tie
little he had known. He could sing Iust a few
fragments; but they got to running in my
song from them. After we had ieen singing
it2n itn,. the he stage while nce-lookinG young
oa s sa hss gSi
his version oi It could have it. He was was very ,G
that was welcome to see his. He brought it
"; and really there wasn't such a very great
fr9m, both. and made the soLc as it was after. after,
,,:As ,,.Ass @ The The B!owery:' W. were playing in
went 70 supper with Walter, Sim. 80 that 1t
4' up oecb he Wss1 .sd snf':d hGm this i
the greatest street on earth it never stops
here. hight away my wife asked me why
minutes. then asked Dashor II .ho had a piece
OF paper, He,pulled out n courl" OF old envel-
SSpes and ID holding them by the window 50 that
When We renched the Hoffman House. we
more verses. My wife picked out tho o music music
Srh, Sn The pane We wrot" + down and the next
-" rush Dem Clouds was written by Percy
Gaunt It's composition was dellhcrate-that
was sitting here one day humming to himself.
and saving oyer and over In an absent minded
.gto .oTt o way Just rush-don't shove. lust push
Percy said. there's an idea for you:
,,Ii He d!d and every barrol organ In the land
on.[n Nd" E9 }og Tememher the bnresgpe on italian
E!ven him directions about It. but ,somo way
GUS susr; 4 last was walfine down WIN Broaiwsy
that thing right away. Iwent un to the apart.
msats Where Percy lived with some other fel:
nr n he 81 sm N ss wsr" %p sm1kinG and
sSn.,'eslns. The poor fellow tried to beg or OH.
sv5 the ts}ioWs had noared
fbn Su,' , Drank it. lighted cigar. and sat down at
e Ia wns mshp ,, never saw any one so sleepy ms
win ,uhenoanneH n.H mo orchestral parta He plead
WIN me to le' him OH: said he was SO sleepy.
70 hGve them In time for rehearsai the next
iAH, u assured him that knew he would. for
tnsbee beiHH ,bon to sit right there by him until he
nit they are very clever. wv '''' "N
do.'t EfG kocwt did write 'Ta;ia.ra Doom;de.ayY
ish nsi;;N tHlhk IL is undoubtedly OF Span |
OIigin and came up into this country
oattoqdgh NJ Mexico. The first authentic record
VI !W y " as one OF the Southern darky melodies"
Mr. nHnat Hnn, vas the first play you ever wrote.
II me first play wrote was better than those
iTs.,ho i.e zone since; 1t happened In this way:
snh.he dramatic critic on tho Boston If,sL
oSSeS oaH one day when wlen was going down to the
N. fh'n ~ saw Billy Harris stantipg outside OF
ths sthhSsard Athenmum. He was manager OF
raudaratre. which. at that time. was not OF the
snJ snJ.s,lle .slle type 1t Is now. Billy wore n sad
euirs s1towinl wh. expression which led me to in
~.M"ss whnt was the matter.
NAV s1ay,' he said. don't You want to write n
sCI]Sr ~ I've a lot of good people. bnt haven't
sSSay ior them want one inside of wesk
thai assured ns . him. In a rather sarcastic tone
Fryon on 1hs %ho evening wns and he could have
ssssnery ready, by ,morning. and he eouls 'hs
pap .an. II tba hon iGs0 n the a'tsrn1"n. All the
Pleased Plea me. and thought Of it ali aiiory. ihtay
~. tfna wrote all night; The next morning took
Me sl nlSynit was u short one. to occupy an hour
shd s half to the theatre. Harris liked IL II
sss sods 5ssAcarsed four days. spd then put with
is.opy oi II. and Frank Wright. who played the