The Washington times., 1915-12-23

The father of rag time-thc man VINO
made it possible for such people as
irving Berlin to be popular in the
cabarets and national banks-has con-
fessed! Barney Fagin, composer OF
MY Gal Is a High Born LADY, ac-
knowledged as the first Of the coon
songs, and inventor OF the forms OF
dance and march figures that are used
wherever a chorus girl has strength TO
carry a spear, muffI or other elobor-
ate costume, mas come to Washington,
and admits 1t all!
Barney Fagin, with nifty years OF
theatrical effort setting so lightly on his
shoulders that his feet are as nimble
as when he and Richard Golden were
the heifer in the original production OF
"Evangeline:" who is not only the
father of the present day ragtime cab
aret shout, but is known as we'll as
the composer Of the original words and
music OF when the Robins Nest
Again" which the grandmothers OF
modern tango queens sang to their In
fants-this same Barney Fagin IL in
Washington again dancing and singing
as he has done since little lad in
Boston.
nan -SentuIy OH Stagc.
II was fifty years or more ago-Fagin
speaks Of it that way-that five-year-
old boy was led into the stage at the
famous old Howard Atheneam. in Bos-
to, to sing AMI dance as the little cabin
boy in a lurid melodrama known as
THE Lascar Crew" He has been sing
ing and dancing ever since, in all sec
tions of the world--and usually his own
songs. He always has been dancer
and always composer OF popular songs
and ballads. HIS was particularly well
known in the old days Of the big min
strel companies as one Of the big black
face singers and dancers. and was as
popular in London and the British
provinces as he was in this country. He
invented most of the dance and march
figures still used in musical comedy.
This week he is playing with the Dave
Marion show at the Gaycty Theatcr.
and Is putting into the show some OF
the finished dancing OF a past genera
ton Of entertainers.
Does Not Look His Part.
with the look of a successful busi-
nes man and the accent of college
bred Englishman, except for just bit
Of the Bostonese-Irish brogue that lends
what might be called q twinkle to his
"
cism he might utter on things past and
present, Mr.. Fagin would never be set
down as an actor. and certainly not as
one of the best known of the Ministries.
the former partner of Willis Sweatnam,
Billy Rice, George Thatcher. Billy West,
Billy Emerson. George Primrose, and
the rest of the old galaxy of singing and
da ncing black face stars. Nor would
1t ever be thought that he and Richard
rDlI nj Of n ~
calf in Edward T.. Rice's "Evangeline.' -
which afterward made Richard Golden s
former partner. Henry e. Dixey. and
F'agin's former partner, Parks, famous
in its New York production:
1t is as the author Of My Gal Is a
High born Lady" that Fagin is par.
ticularly interesting at this time to
music lovers, however. because this
song, written in 1887. though not gen.
orally known until four or Ave years
popular ragtime songs that nave fol.
lowed. just as When the Robins Nest
Again" which Fagin wrote in 1879 fol
| Frank Howard. was the forerunner OF
! host Of similar ballads.
How He Came to Write 1t.
1T is very curious how I came tc
| write the ''High-born Lady, and still
more curious how 1t became so over
poweringly popular" declared Mr.. Fa
gin when asked about the song and it!
history. THE fact is, the song wa!
| written for no other purpose than tn,
necessity OF soaring up money to bu,
| my wife a birthday present. l had beer
| writing songs for years, and | probably
got into the habit OF depending on m!
| ability to turn out something that woulc
sell to supply me with funds whenever
| | needed them. IL l might confess It
! had been paying too much attention
to remarkably slow set Of horses jus
! about that time. l didn't know they
were slow when they gained my affeC
tions. But by the investment OF larg,
sums of money from our savings
| gained the Information. You can &c
lots OF informa ton about horses tha
| way. my boy. l know all about then
now. and don't need to invest any more
| However, I awoke one morning fla
broke and four weeks out Of work. NJ,
wife greeted me with the informa tiol