Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-24
BY M'LISS

THEY'RE singing it on Che batteships
/ and at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and
at many of the encampments--a new march
ing song which has Tilt and ginger to
It, the mere hearing of which ought to
rake paciRsts into patriots and patriots
into fighting devils.
"Our Sammee Boys" an army and navy
marching song is the bit that Willard
Suenser has contributed in the mighty
lriye against the Hun. In his picturesque
home at St David's the famous author of
"The Little Tycoon" EPrncess Bonnie" and
Miss Bob White" told me about the COM
rostion of his new martial air which Is
already on the lips Of the service men, and
despite the fact that it was composed only
three weeks ago may be heard in the
theatres and at the movies and will doubt
less become n street familiar in short
while
"It all came about as the result of
conversation at the Philadelphia Navy
Yard" the man who enjoys the distinction
of being the author of the first successful
comic opera to be written by an American
composer told me- MY son is an ensign
there and every day in a loft some of the
officers have luncheon in a delightfully."- in
formal way. They were good enough to
invite me to one of them and there we dis
cussed the songs that the men in our navy
ana army are SlnBlHB'
DITTIES OLD AND MELANCHOLY
ut was the consensus of opinion that
the majority of the songs now being sung
were inappropriate-the relics of other
wars Many of them are melancholy, too,
like old Black joe One of the men re-
membered that at the time of the Spanish
American War, Dewey's men had been fond
of a song, If You Would Be a Jackie, and
a-Saiing of the Seas, from Miss Bob
White.
"They called upon me to do my bit and
write marching song. Later my son got
after me and said the men had been in
earnest and so | thought the matter over.
II seemed to me that if could do song
that had a lift n 'hurrah' perhaps 1t
would be contributing my bit and so |
got down to work
From the very outset liked the name
'Sammees' for our men and my interest
was aroused when ! learned that Henri
Bazin, the EVENING LEDGER correspondent
in France had coined it, 1t is by far the
most appropriate. the most endearing term
that could have been chosen. 1t eliminates
the division of the North and the South, and
] understand that it is popular with the
men, too.
A "SINGABLE" SONG
81 decided then that my song would be
to the Sammees My idea in composing
the HuolC was llOl OIly " give IL lllt SO-
called pep but TO keep it in the range of
the average voice The Star Spangled
Banner for instance. is very inspiring, but
few people can sing it well. 1t takes some-
body like a Homer to do it justice. 1
wanted my song to be the kind that every
one who had the desire to could sing.
81 don't know whether it is a good song
or not" Mr. Spenser said modestly, but
three bands are playing it at the navy yard.
and ] understand" this he added humor-
ously, that 1t empties Keith's Theatre more
quickly than anything they've had yet /;
they use it there for that purpose. l am
Told that the battleship bands have also
taken it up"
He went to the piano to give me an idea
OF its melody, which is even more spirited
than its words
More than thirty-five years ago this
quiet, unobtrusive man composed "The
Little Tycoon" which, to the everlasting
resentment of Broadway, was brought out