Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-10

|
Mothers Name, She Was Bred IL
| Old Kentucky and The Girl / Loved
in Sunny Tennessee Taggart and
Wilt are responsible for two successes
| during the year entitled, Don't Lei
| Her Lose Her Way and a romantic
ballad entitled Moth and the Flame
| Williams and Walker. two colore6
| singers, created 4 Don't Like No CheaI
Man, and Why Don't You Get a Lady OF
Your Own both of which are very popu-
| lar at the time. A white banjo-player
| named Dave Reed, Jr. evolved. oh, t.ben-
ezer, and in the line of sentimental songs
| young theatrical singer named Maud
Nugent has produced two great popular
successes called Sweet Rosy O'Grady.
and Mamie Reilly While among the
motto songs so popular throughout the
country. the very latest and best is
called, It's Not What You Were But
what You Are Today. written BY the
well-known David Marion.
1T is curious fact that recent song
successes have run in lines Of similarity.
This was first noticed in the case of lust
Tell Them That You Saw Me- This story
attained genuine success and soon 9th
ers of the same style appeared. She MAY
Have Seen Better Days Take Back Your
Cold Whisper Your Mothers Name
Mother Was a Lady Baggage Coach
Ahead Just for the Sake of our Daugh-
ter, and number of others in the Mother
and Fallen Woman vein caught on with
the public.
This fad was followed by the craze
for negro songs. for which May Irwin is
largely responsible. The Introduction to
metropolitan audiences of what is called
ragtime in this connection also had a
good deal to do with the popular success
Of this class of songs This peculiar
movement is called syncopation by mu-
sicians Ras-time is the very soul of jo-
Cund movement. 1t is almost impossible
to keep the feet still when Rag-timc =
juggled on the piano. A distinguished
actor said recently that when he was
married he wished to march to the atlar
TO Rag-time.
Among the songs which Rag-timc have
carried into popular favor are Eli Queens
Cake-Walk. Take Your Clothes ana Go.
l Don't Like NO Cheap Man l Don't
Il
Think Of Nuthin Else Eut YOU How 1
Love My Luz Just Come Up ana Take
Your Presents Back All | Want Is NV
Chicken, and a dozen others of similar
character.
Meanwhile there mas come into exist
ence what is known in the musical trade
as the geographical song. by this is
meant the songs relating to a locality
such for instance as on the Banks of the
Wabash which was the pioneer of this
class Of song. This was followed by a
host Of similar songs, chief among which
have been She Was Bred in Old Ken
lucky, The Girl | Loved In Sunny Ten
nesscc.' Mid the Green Fields Of Vir-
ginia,' and many others which did not APP
peal to popular taste.
1t has been more Or less 4 matter of
surprise TO the music-pubIishing trade
that the war with Spain d:d not create
a single great popular song. Nearly all
the successful composers tried their hands
but none Of them succeeded in reaching
the popular heart Probably 5000 songs
were written, 1000 Of which were printed
but not more than u have paid for the
cost Of printing. publishing and advertis-
ing.
"A careful examination Of more than
700 Of these songs show that they were All
deficient in those qualities which made
Marching Through Georgia The Vacant
Chair, and other songs Of the rebellion
resound throughout the country. There
are various conjcctures to account for
this failure. but probably The real one is
that the patriotism of the country WAS
~
masses.
How long does popular song remain
alive? That depends largely on its char
actcr. Some songs exhaust themselves in
six months. Others last through a whole
theatrical season. while some have a fair
degree Of popularity for two years. HUI
morous songs disappear more quickly
than sentimental ones.
And 50 it goes. First one song is up
and then another. You can't tell enough
about the future demand to order Up
much stock ahead"
Mighty poor verses, some Of them
have remarked the reporter critically.
"Oh, yes" assented The other, They're
poor but who cares. The music is whd
folks are after. The successful song isn't
the one with the words composed by a
poet laureate. It's the one that has a
melody that sticks to the ears ana makes
folks wonder if they are going to hum
the blamed thing in their sleep"
Yes said the reporter now there's
the rhyme in this Just one Girl, if YOU
really wanted 4 word to exactly rhyme
with rain You would have to take somc-
thing like insane wouldn't YOU? Thai
would sound well:
shine or rain,
She is just insane
But the music-store clerk only gave 4
snort Of contempt ana went pilinE W his
stock.