The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-22
For n Time IL Seemed 20 De on the
wane, but People Like 10 Hear
About "Bill Bailey"
SONGS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT
TWO SEASONS WHEN PUBLISHERS
ARE FLOODED WITH DITTIEs.
show Talks OF His Trials and
Tribulatiops.

There are two seasons of the year when
the publishers Of so-called popular songs
flood the country with their wares" said
the musical director OF a burlesque show,
one morning last week. as he sat down at
the piano in the parlor of local hotel
that is coming to be patronized a great
deal by theatrical people who play at the
Park. Empire and Grand. II receive pro-
fessional copies of all the new musical
stun as soon as 1t comes off the press. and
can tell you ii keeps me mighty busy
trying over the latest pieces for the men,
bers Of our company, each one OF whom
is always DESTROYS Of getting ahead OF all
the others I'm introducing a new song that
seems TO have the earmarks Of a winner.
The music publishers are becoming more
and more prolific. All Of the big firms are
bringing out new stuff at the rate OF about
a song minute. and new publishers are
constantly springing up in all parts OF the
country with musical offerings, some of
them good, but most of them awful TO con-
template. You every man, woman and
child on earth thinks he, she, or IL can
compose verse and many of them also
think that they can compose music IL
the unsuccessful ones fail TO secure pub
fishers for their compositions they will go
to the trouble and expense Of bringing out
the things themselves. perfectly assured
that the music-Ioving public is awaiting
the publication of the pieces with bated
breath. Sometimes / receive copies from
these song writer's who are fighting the
battle all alone. but most of the stuff that
comes to me is sent by the big New York
and Chicago publishing houses. Here's a
bunch of new ones that / have TO try
over"
CRASH OF HARMONY.
The director, who, by the way, was once
the pianist at one of Proctor's continuous
vaudeville houses In New York wheeled
about on the piano stool and brought his
ten fingers down upon the keyboard with
an Introductory crash of harmony. Then
he took little journey over the worries in
the manner peculiar to the variety show
pianist-that is he broke into an inpfo=
vised ollo podrida Of wagnerian modula-
lions. barber shop chords" and trickling
runs in the upper register. Satisfied that he
had trained up to his usual form and was
equal to the task of tackling and vanquish-
ing any musical composition that had ever
dared be printed. he began his review keep
ing up a continuous comment the while,
which showed plainly that he possessed a
complete knowledge OF music publishers,
professional singers and song writer's. His
singing voice was not of the kind that one
would journey far to hear-in fact IL con-
tanned a rasping little sound that set ones
teeth on edge occasionally-but he made up
for this shortcoming by the expression that
he injected into his Interpretation OF the
various pieces. He had learned how TO he
sentimental. melodramatic, serio-comic and
comic all in one sitting.
Now just listen to this one" he said.
Its called 'Nanette,' for the simple rea-
son that the author probably thought that
he had at last hit upon girls name that
had never been sung about before. or
course, he was mistaken-there is no fem
mime cognomen in all the world that hasn't
at some time or other formed the basis OF
a popular song" He played over COM
monplace introduction and then sang lot
of senseless words that gradually led up
to this touching refrain:
mot May, not Sue not Anne, not Tessie.
Not Marie. not Belle. not Bessie,
Fannie Lizzie. Kate nor Jessie
Just Nanette."
EAsED HIS conscience
And there you are" said the man at the
piano, with finishing chord in another
key that gave the song sickening con-
clusion 81 always strike a few bum notes
after one of these tender ditties. II sort o
eases my conscience for having sung 1t
at all, you know. Now. what do you think
of that anyway? You see. the chap who
Is supposed TO be singing has had many
experiences and at last has run across
Nanette as the only girl worth warbling
ABOUT And even then there is a suspicion
that he will soon get tired of her and seek
out another one. for look you. here In this
second verse he compares the darling OF
his heart to Venus with a small " II
were a police Judge and that song writer
should be brought before me I'd say, ten
years Now. here's an example OF what
catches the popular taste. No doubt you've
heard IL If you go to the vaudeville or the
burlesque shows. The publishers have evil
IDENTIFY just issued new supply Of the song,
for it came in the mail this morning as If
IL were a brand new piece"
The pianist struck out into a military
style OF music and sang the refrain OF
"only a Soldier Boy" beginning with the
words
you're a soldier boy-that's al you know:
When duty calls. go forth and fight the
foe"
The singer broke of abruptly. Now
wouldn't those words keep you awake at
night wondering?" he exclaimed. And
yet all the variety show people are singing
'em and the audience are appiauding EN-
night in and night out. The melody is tune
full. I'll admit. but. good heavens. those
words, When you come 10 analyze them
you find that this young hero wearing a
suit OF blue and fighting for the stars and
stripes doesn't know anything at all ez-
cept that he's a soldier. II there had been
a comma after the word all in that first
line. one might interpret the meaning OF
the song in a different light. but. as IL Is.
one is given TO understand that the soldier
boy over whom everybody is going wild
is really a hopeless blockhead who goes
about his business automatically without
even appreciating its significance The
author goes on in the refrain TO say
YOU'RE not supposed 10 have a heart:
Others will play the lovers part
AUTHOR A BLOCKHEAD.
(which all goes 10 show that the author