The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19

20, an ~ ,,,htnh we're favorabiy re-
celved. One day young man I'm .sn ,a,,e
waukee named Charles *. haiiis an
20 me and begged ine 10 sing sonb ~
| his called kiss and Let's Mahe ~, o..
/ sang 1t one week. Not long aIter .na'
he brought me another song which PRIV
ed the greatest hit OF the yeaf INV ~" y.
well-worn After the BAH. sans
during a long tour on the roau anu M
Window sang IL here In Chio,So' ~,
other song Of Harris. called hearts
also made a big hit and I sang 1t here
for twenty-one successive "eehs' Inc
latest success have made is In q song
called Love VIII Conquer AL by VII
liam Kohl"
What class Of songs is the most pop
ular?'
songs that are Most Popular.
Sentimental, chiefly, although Of late
the serio-comlc songs have been faNoraoiy
received. These, however are only OF
ephemeral existence and are, as rule,
generally superseded by the more stable
productions that appeal to domestic ties
and the fre-side. The publishers them
selves, who usually reap the lions share
OF the pFe&ts. not infTe9Henny deter
mine the popularity OF many compost
lions"
Upon what do publishers base their
opinion Of the value OF any particular
composition"
There is no definite manner OF ascer-
tanning the value Of song. IL Is all a
lottery. OF course. the purchaser should
have an experienced ear and a knowledge
Of the degree OF skill with which the
words are welded TO the melody. But
even these sometimes fail in determining
truly successful song. Bobby New
combs famous There's a Light I'm the
Window has an eventful history of this
kind. The Letter That Never Came IS
also a striking instance I'm question. l
can euurnerate a list ef popular achieve
ments IN this line by authors who, at the
time Of writing, little dreamed Of the re-
ception their production would meet with
at the time Of publication. Among such
are Poor Old Dad by John W, Gibbons
THE Old Red Shawl By Moreland; The
Clock on the WALL by Belasco, aud The
Little Boy in Blue by Talbert as popu-
larized by James NOrrie. Among the
works Of professional writer's always
more or less IN demand are those Of
Frank Howard whose later creations
Sweet Alpine Roses Two Little Ragged
Urchns Sweet Heather Bells etc. are
still selling; Nearing the Harbor by
Gussie l.. Davis; Teddy Solomon's Life
story md Pretty Little DarkBlue
Eyes by Gus Williams"
How "ttt,r the ia " Was VIZ ffen.
Charles X. Harris. Of Milwaukee, now
famous song writer, says that every
song he has written was suggested by
some incident in human life. His first
effort IN the line Of song writing was
twelve years ago. but the result, ne
thinks, is better off az the bottom of his
trunk than in the music store His first
accepted song was written seven years
ago; il was called Can Hearts So soon
Forget" He sold il for trihe and wrote
others for which he could get nothing,
and MS friends regarded him as a sort
Of tramp musician and advised him 20 go
TO work at something that would bring
sure remuneration. Up to the present
time he has written twenty-foUr songs In
all. Ii did not take him long 10 see that as
long as he gave his SONGS 20 a publisher
be would never realize any material re-
suits from his labor. and finally decided
10 become his own publisher which he
did on borrowed capital. and the proud
est moment of his life was when he look
ed at the first proof Of a song he had
published himself. III ! ever have money
enoygh,' added Mr.. Harris. 81 shall
establish a music publishing house on
grand scale, and j give notice TO authors.
one and all. that I will publish their
music and do them Justice" The work
Of sOng-wT.ting comes 20 Afr. Harris. he
AYERS. without effort or worry--by inspl-
ration. as IL We're. lie did not thtul much
OF after The Ball" not more than OF
his other songs. at least. 1t was written
upon the request OF an amateur friend
who wanted a ntw ballad 10 sing just
after the young composer had been up
all night at "a bati. This suggested both
title and words, and the song was finished
I'm an hour. The amateur made a lament
able failure I'm 10. but J. Aldrich Libby.
who first sang IL I'm a drst-class theatre.
made a great success. Since then SIS
career has been familiar 20 the great
American public; the author has heard it
sung. whistled, hummed strummed on
pianos ana an sorts OF musical instru-
ments. and whsezed out from barrel or
gans. "Stll," he says. II do not get tired
Of il any more than a mother might tire
Of her babe or a painter Of his master
piece"
To find an original and appropriate
title for a song rs usually a very dincult
matter, and ideas are often born spon-
taneously. The Racquet Galop" was thus
named by its author. who while compOs-
ing IL was annoyed by the children about
her at play and whom she begged 10 "stop
that racket" Let her 60 Gallagher
was born. S. Is affirmed from the last
words of a miscreant who uttered them
on the scafiold and addressed them TO
the hangman as a signal 10 spring the
trap; the sherims name being Gallagher
and the place Texas. AS is well known,
"The tune the old COW died Of was born
I'm Scotland and the North 81 Ireland
where the familiar phrase originated from
a heifer who died Of hunger while the
peasant sang unto her this lay:
There was an old man and he had an old
COW.
And nothing had he to give her;
So ne took out his fiddle ana played her a
tune
Consider, good cow consider:
This is no time for the grass to grow
Consider good COW. consider.
Whvr~ n 10 -. fown
Nobody has ever been able 10 explain
exactly what 1t IS about a comic song
that makes 1t leap into instant popularity
and hold the town." as il We're, for
months and mouths at a tine, 4 catchy
refrain or chorus will give long life often
20 a musical composition, but this valua-
Bile popularity does not always account
for the extensive vogue enjoyed by GER
tain old-time songs. The wild absurdity
Of the text sometimes seems 70 tickle the
public and obtain success for eXtraordi-
nary trash.
Such a conglomeration was Whoa,
Emma which had a great run a decade
and a half 0go. lis absaTdities VIII be
noted by recalling the words:
] took my girl one day,
a sailing down ,he bay,
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