Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-11-24
SONGS PERVERT
OUR MORALS
MabelIe Sings Words That
She Would Not Talk.
WALTER kENlLWoRTH ATTRIB.
UTEs THE VULGAR RAGTIME
MUSIC TO FACT OF NEGRO
ORIGIN.

MUSIC TO FACT OF NEGRO
ORIGIN.
What is the cause of this degenera-
ton in the moral sentiment OF popular
songs? In an article on Negro lntiu-
ence in American Life" In the Forum,
Walter Kenilworth attributes the de-
cline to the fact that rag music has
it's visible source in the ancestry OF
negro music" which, in turn, had its
birth through che sensuously sonorous
larynx of the negro and was first
voiced from his savage sensuously
formed mouth" After stating that
there Is certain sway and swing, a
certain indescribable sensuous some
thing appealing about the ring and
melody, the rhythm and versification
of the music" he asks: How could 1t
be otherwise when the ancestry OF the
music was first voiced In the wild,
weird, barbarous howl OF the protypi-
cal African?"
Considering the fact thtt the pres
ent day rag" is usually the product,
as to both words< and music, OF the
white man, whereas the genuine negro
music, whatever its "sensuous swing" "
is usually associated with religious
words, there would seem to be some
unfairness In this exclusive indict-
ment of the negro. II, as Mr.. kenil-
worth claims, the source Of national
retrogression In morals, "the increase
of divorce, the lapsing OF the marital
code all are more or less due to
our popular music" we should be just
enough to question how far exactly
the negro Is responsible for the songs
turned out so profusely by publishers
and so obligingly performed by young
women in department stores to crowds
Of eager listeners.
1T Is easier" says Mr.. Kenilworth,
"for a highly civilized community in
stinctively to follow lower or more
primitive morals than to follow its
own high ideals"
It would seem that it Is easier also
for the highly civilized community to
understand and interpret in words the
meaning OF the ''sway and swing" OF
sensuous music than it was for the
untutored race which made its spon-
taneous melodies the vehicle for reli-
gious feeling. One can fancy the &C
cused race retorting: 1T is not that
our music is base, but the white man
has seized, distorted and debased It,"
Wherever opinion may place the re-
sponsibility, Mr.. Kenilworth's 'charac-
terization Of the songs themselves is
undeniably exact:
"Scrut4nizingly criticized, all OF the
songs are insidiously perverting; they
are indicative OF relaxative morality,
Of disparagement OF the marital tie. OF
triviality in relationship OF sex. ETC.,
and the entire moral code might be
included. There is not even an at
tempt at cohcealment of the thought
conveyed in the song. It is out-and-
out vulgarity."
'rLet me make a nations songs and
care not who makes It's laws" some
wise man has said. If such dictum
has any foundation in truth it would
seem to be fact worth noting and a
condition deserving both attention and
action If the songs that are loved and
sung by the youth of America are bad
II bad songs sell well this season the
demand for novelty will bring out next
season a variety still more daringly
risque.
It is true that not all the popular
songs belong to the class that we have
been discussing. Many Of them are
quite innocent in theme and unobjec-
tionable in dictum. To an onlooker
the varieties appear to exist side by
side in the repertoires and acquaint-
ance of the public without discrimina-
ton as to their respective worth or
sentiment. The music Is the thing,
apparently; If that proves popular the
words are accepted without challenge
and amazingly without comment.
Without comment and without the
music which distracts attention from
them the following stanzas, selected
from the popular songs Of the day. are
submitted for inspection:
Cuddle and squeeze me, honey,
Lead me right to Cupid's door;
Take me out upon that ocean called
the "Lovable Sea-"
Fry each kiss in honey, then present
It to me.
Cuddle and please me, honey,
Anchor at that kissing shore;
Stop, stop, stop, stop. don't you dare
to stop.
Come over and love me some more.
Hug up close to your baby,
Throw your shoulders t'ward the cell
ing, s
Lawdy, Lawdy, what feelin':
Snug up close to your lady,
Close your eyes and do som nappin,.
Somethin' nice is gwine to happen.
Hug up close to your baby:
Sway me everywhere,
Show your darlin' beau just how to 60
to Buffalo,
DOM the grizzly bear.
All alone, all alone,
Nobody here but me;
Parlor's nice and coy,
Everything is rosy,
Well have lots Of
Hurry up and get there. honey,
Take car, It's not far,
My time is all my own;
Hurry up, there's something missing.
a GOOD STORY