The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-06-23

In radluS or several BLOCKS of Forty
second street. AS in every other bus
mess, there are various branches In
the publishing of sheet music There
are the high class editions, compris-
ing operate scores, symphonies and
the works of the masters. Then the
publication of comic opera, musical
comedy and the semi classical scores.
and finally the million odd copies an
nually of the popular or and 10 cent
store editions. This latter, although
he most humble of all, is really the
most pretentious from a profit stand
point. Although sold on a small mar
gin of profit to permit the retailer to
sell 1t for 10 cents the volume of bus
mess which emanates from one hit
song mounts high into the thousands of
collars.
There is a certain amount of gla-
rlour or fascination about the compo-
sition of a popular melody, the sight
| of ones name on the cover of the mu-
! sic and more than all the possible roy
elites
"In hardly any other business" said
a publisher, ARE the returns so great
| for the minimum amount of energy ex-
pended, That is, of course, from the
| composers standpoint. for as in any
other national organization, the wheels
within wheels for worldwide distri-
button are Just as complete and we'll
oiled as in any other great system
which extends from coast to coast.
| ut is always of interest to the pub
lie how a popular song or ballad is
conceived written and composed, but
as rule their conjeetures hit wide of
The true mark.
For instance I recall a national
campaign song used in one of the late
presidential contests which swept the
H..
| c.hc was whistled by everyone who
could remember a tune and which had
| a life that long outlived the Presi-
dent 1t helped to land In the White
| House. This songs career is interest
| ing, inasmuch as 1t was written, COM
posed. printed and shipped from New
York to Washington all in the short
space of "a hours.
| II received the order for the song
| from the publicity manager of the po-
litical campaign about 10 o'clock in
The morning we want a rousing cam
paign song he said over the phone,
| and we want 1t on sale in Washing
/ ton tomorrow morning. l remon-
strated | Informed him that it was al
most an impossibility, but when he as
sured me of its Importance l gave him
my word that the song would be
shipped that night and 1t was.
| II called in my best lyric writer. In
| two hours the poem was ready for tho
composer. A half hour later the song
was complete on my desk, and by 5
o'clock that evening all the proofs had
been corrected and the mammoth
presses were grinding out the copies
that were to become famous in fort
night.
''This song alone realized thousands
Of dollars In royalty and earned, during
its lifetime, nearly as much as the an
nual salary of the President which it
elected The latter day songs have, In
| their composers independently wealthy.
"One song writer, who, several years
ago. was waiter in a Bowery dance
hall now has an income of from $4,000
| to $4,000 a year. realized solely from
the royalties derived from his popular
songs"
Each large publishing house has its
stan of writer's and the opportunities
| for the layinan or amateur to break
/ into this field are few The royalties
/ on a popular composition which sells
/ to the customer for 10 cents fiuctuate
AS a rule they hover about the cent
mark That is. one cent for every copy
which is sold. This, perhaps, seems in
/ hnitesimal--a trifle too small to be
lconsidered--but when one stops to con-
slider that a successful song may sell
a million copies or $4,000 In royalties
they will readily see that the half hour
or hour devoted to its composition was
not wasted.
Then there is the Interpolation in &
big Broadway musical production. OF
then again, the hit song in that same
performance. For instance, Every Lit
Itle Movement" in Madame sherry Is
said to have earned $4,000. DAY
dream" in THE Spring Maid" as much
If not more, with none of the expenses
IA l.. L.. tN-f.x 49,
ular song. In a musical production Their,
lis practically no outlay required. The
lsong sells itself from the advertising
1t receives by the Broadway show.