New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-21
"Hot Time" Is the
Soldiers Favorite
Burning Negro Cabin in
Louisiana Suggested
Title
By James A. Dillon

There has been great deal Of talk
recently concerning an appropriate
marching song for our soldiers, and
great deal more Of press agents work
and plugging or the part OF the music
publishers. each on behalf OF mis- Indi-
vidual output, but 10 the minds Of
those most intimate with the situation
the problem Of the soldiers "chanty'
remains unsolved.
have heard the bands in all the
parades up TO date plav hrst one song
and then another, and 70 seemed 70
me that the men marched in more per
feet alignment, carried their heads
more erect, and tina. their whole bear.
ing was more in unison with the spirit
Of the occasion when this song was be-
ing played: "Therell BE Hot Time
in the Old Town Tonight
A few days ago ! had occasion TO
visit Stamford, Conn. / was in pretty.
suburban part Of the city, gazing
around me in a quandary, for no one
was in sight 20 question az 10 the To-
cation of the cerson ] sought
Just then the door Of very pretty
cottage was opened and bespectacled.
niddle-aeed man stepped briskly across
the lawn 70 the hedge which inclosed
the property.
bs oueried. Eyes" I replied, giving
Rim Tho name. and unconsciously start
inc 70 whistle "Hot Time" The man
laughed and. unrolling a paper which
he carried, displayed 20 view copy Of
the song.
The Composer in Secfusion
where did you get that | in
ouired and | saw that his eyes twinkled
with amusement as he replied: Why.
I am the composer OF the Hot Tine
song. Let ME introduce myse!f-Theo-
dore A. Metz"
Think Of tin Stamford, many miles
from Broadway, unaware hat his song
without publicity, without plugging"
was being played more than any other
for our marching warriors. Here was
a chance not to be missed. and then and
there proceeded 20 interview Mr.. Metz
as 10 the history Jf the famous com
position. Here il -. IN the composers
own words:
During the fall Of 1886. while en-
route as musical director with Mcln-
tyre & Heath's Ministries. the train
PASSED a small place in Louisiana called
Old Town at dusk. and a log cabin was
afre and some colored folk we're Try
ing to put out the 're with buckets o.
water, which they were carrying from
a small pond near by. Gee whiz!" says
Tom Mcintyre, they're having a no,
time in the old town" And ! mad Just
finished the melody to new march, and
we were trying it over on the train
with the band.
THAT will make a fine title for your
music" says Tom Heath, and so ]
called the march "a Hot Time in me
Old Town" We played the march all
through the South with the minstrel
band and afterward for many years
throughout the country. ! used me
march with other shows until, in 1895
while engaged in the musical agency
and music publishing business az
+ Thirty-ffth Street and Broadway, Joe
HAYDEN came 70 me one day and said,
METZ. | have a ne set Of words that
will fit your old melody" and then
and there we fixed up the famous song
and chorus, "There'll be a Hot Time
in the Old Town Tonight
/ Caught On Everywhere
| was musical director with Inatcner'
Primrose g. Vests Minstrels in 1887.
and tried my best to get my song INTO
the show, but it was only after May
Irwin had made such a tremendous hit
singing the song at the Bijou Ihestre
in New York that George Primrose
took it up, and. say, was it ht! II
was a riot. When the coon tPrlms
double started singing the chorus
from the balcony, and when he came
down the centre Of the theatre, met
Primrose and they both went oack or
the stage the audience went wild, ana
they had 10 respond to encore after
encore.