The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-25
HOW POPULAR
SONGS AROSE.
Music Publisher Talks About
The Usual Methods.
FACTS ABOUT PAUL DRESSER.
n, Has Had More Sount Successes Than
Any Other Song Writer Of the
Present OaI.

some OF our most popular songs came TO
! he written said a music publisher.
THE subject Is most interesting Very
few people know exactly how some OF
the biggest hits were inspired.
Song writing today is quite and art.
| There are more publishers and more sing
| ers than In former years. You've got
TO have a hustle on or else youll soon
find out that you are not IN the swim.
AT a rough estimate / think hundreds OF
songs are turned out every week In New
York city alone.
You've got 10 be up-to-date I'm your
I ideas and the song must be exceptionally
/ clever before "A publisher VIII take the
| trouble even 10 scan the manuscript.
| "Of course, you remember poor Charlie
| Graham? No? lie died few months ago
| In abject poverty, though he was one Of
the most prolific OF song writer's, He
\ wrote night and day, and his compost
tions were very much sought after by
\ publishers.
| Graham composed III the Waters
| Could Speak as They Flow. Two Little
| Girls i'm Blue. the Picture That Was
| Turned Toward the WALL. and other
| popular songs. He got his idea for his
i SONG, II the waters tVulu Sptah ts
| They Flow. strangely.
He was bathing at the seashore. where
| he was filling an enga cement. for Graham
| was quite singer himself While the
| bathers splashing ia the surf, Gra-
| ham, who was ever on the alert for
ideas, abruptly turned 10 friend and
said: Bob. IL these waters could
speak as they flow, wouldn't they tell
| lot of funny thingsT
A hAf he reiOfnder
| Charlie, that would make fine title for
| song, wouldn't it?'
TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE
"when Graham went 10 his room in
| his hotel that night he sat down and
| composed the song which soon became
| very popular. Graham came to write
| Two Little Girls I'm Blue by a mere ac-
| cident. ~sy
"One afternoon while he was racking his
| brain for a new theme he went 90 n win
| dow In his home I'm Brooklyn and gazed
| into the street below. Across the way
from his home was primary school.
IL was about O'Clock and the children
! were Just leaving school. Graham no.
ticed two little girls.
"They were very pretty and presumably
sisters. for they looked very much alike.
and both we're dressed In blue. Without
| any ado Graham quickly left the win
dow, took out his pencil! and jotted down
! an his note book Two Little Girls in
| Blue
That same night he wrote the words
| and composed the melody and In the
THAT same night he wrote the words
| and composed the melody and In the
| course OF an hour II was all ready for the
| publisher. The following day he went
from one publishing house to another and
| tried to, dispose OF the manuscript. AT
almost every place he failed TO get en-
| couragement No one seemed 10 want
| the song At last in despair he induced
one publisher 90 buy the song for Seo.
| We'll, l guess you know the rest. The
song was one Of the biggest hits In years
| and Is probably sung somewhere tonight.
The publisher who bought the compost
| ton says he made nearly $4,000 out of IT.
'Graham never thought much of the
! song himself. which goes to prove that
writers of this kind OF music have little
business ability. Graham's ether hit.
The Picture That Was Turned Toward
| the Wall had a checkered career before
| IL found purchaser.
| 'Charlie received his inspiration from a
| scene In the play Blue Jeans You re-
| member that part where the old man.
| think IL was Sues father-turns her pic
| ture 10 the wall? Graham, who I'm my
| estimation was genius, saw a capital
idea in that incident and used Il for his
| song. This song practically made the
house which published IL.
| 'fThe firm IL rated at present among
| the best music publishing houses in the
| country | don't know how much Gra-
/ ham received for the manuscript hut
| don't think IL was more than Sl5. Ha
| sold most OF his stuff outright and did
| not care to take chances on royalties.
| PAUL. DREssERs NOVEL METHODS
paul Dresser. who has more successes
| TO his credit today than any other cons
| of getting themes for his compositions
! lie l. very thrifty fellow and busi-
ness man. too. Heels member Of To-
cal publishing firm. and, OF course. has
no trouble In finding a market for his
Il consider Dresser very original Hc
| wrote The Pardon That Came Too Late,
just Tell Them That You Saw Me-
! Here 1les an, Actor on, The. Banks OF
the wabash Far Away Don't Tell Her
New oYrk Town. and the Blue and the
i Gray Just Tell Them That You Saw
Me- was very popular,
"One day Dresser met the son of ar
| old friend I'm front OF the Morton house
i'm linton Square. lie had known the
| Young man I'm a village In the west. and
| WAS surprised TO see the young fellow
Tho young man was In III health and
II" Well" said Dresser to the son oi
I his old frield I'm going home to ---
! tomorrow. and n you have any message
| 10 give TO the old folks. | will be very
! glad to deliver ~. What shall I say :?
on, replied the young fellow With
= touch OF pathos ia his voice. Just tel
them that you saw me. and that was
! looking we'll
This was far from the truth because
the Young man was pale and lookinr
! uI Dresser after giving the fellow some
! MONEY bade him good-by and tho two
| parted Dresser then wrote the song
! using the same expression, Just tel
| them that YOU saw me
| "Ic changed the story around a hi
| and made the real character n woma r
! who had fallen. Paul told me that the
! Young man never lived 10 return home
for he died few months after the SONG
""Dresser wrote Here Lies An Actor
| after the burial OF the late John McCui.
iough. the tragedian.
"TIIE GIRL J LEFT BEHIND NE "
"tohn Kelly, who wrote and composed
| The Girl Left Behind Me- got his idea
while starring with his company out wssl
years .go one night the leading sou
brstte " his show Got into o r9w with
smother member OF the troupe ana gave
! notice 10 Kelly that she would leave.
4 Kelly Was much worried becaIee ~