Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-13
PLEA FOR OLD SONGS
NOW kLMO 7 fORGOTT \
Modern Hts Often Lewd and Vul-
gar and Lacking in Sentiment,
Says Writer.

To what extent the songs Of n period
influence public opinion and action has
long been a nooted question, Tut certain
it Is that song-writers are. more or less in
fiucnced hy the trend of events of stated
time and season. This was emphasized
during the great war, which gave birth 10
a number Of inspiring melodies great
er number, perhaps, than any other war in
the history of the nation. While it may
be that none of these will live, rs have
some of the masterpieces Of past genera
tions, no Que will deny their influence
upon the morale of the army and folks
back home; and if they served no other
purpose, they were well worth the effort
made to produce and market them.
No song written, except, perhaps, The
Marseilaisc, ever thrilled nation AS has
"The Star-Spangled Banner" Born of a
period when the United States was an IN
FAINT in swaddIing clothes, it has lived and
will always live rs long as martial spirit
and love of country survive 1t hrcatheS
a combination Of faith, of prayer, Of bat
tic. Of victory, of thanksgiving and of
prophecy, as though the immortal Key,
who wrote il, under The most dramatic
circumstances imaginable, was inspired
with vision of the greatness his beloved
country would eventually attain IN the
affairs of the world. Other songs and other
anthems have since been written of the
prowess of American arms, but they lack
cd the inspiration gwen 10 Key, who
watched the battle from an enemy vessel
and who wrote as he was thrilled by the
heroic defense OF his countryInen against a
powerful invader
But thi, IS not intended AS a story of
martial ais or national anthems, but
rather marking back TO the popular songs
of Yesterday; n revival Of melodies for
Qotten. of memories dormant, Of dIttiea
once popular but now forgotten II in
the telling il may inspire some song writers
to higher ideals than those manifested IN
some recent songs, 1T will he well worth the
writing. Certainly. the portrayal Of the
gross. the lazcivjous, the amorous and i'm
moral 50 often heard in songs Of the day,
is not pleasing 10 those With rccollcct'ons
Of The Last Rose Of summer and the
"Old Oakcn Bucket
II seems odd in this day. when the
florists have adopted the beautiful slogan,
Saw II With Flowers. that some lyric
artist has not measured UP to the scnt,-
meut and written sonnet about IT.
Surely such AN opportunity would not
have gone ,mnoticcd IN the days when
Chaunccv Olcott sang Little Bunch OF
,iiaf, to great audiences at Ford's Opera
House. Tho writer attended one IF those
freak extravaganzas some weeks agp
whcrc NJ saw v1llaarltics of stag action
that would not have been tolerated n
polite vaudeville 20 wears ago And not =
song At this performance had the haunt
ing melody that remains with one after
the show
There il 81 much IN flowers that
speaks ~ love and true affection, Ike
tic tale of tho old lovers as told IN lines
written Ia Darling Sue. Dear. How
Miss Your Laughing. and of the poslcs
planted on her grave Not the Kind
the Town Folks Sell; Just Little Nild
Blucbcll Then there was the song Of
.The Lilies telling al the lfc that was
dream a sunshine and the chorus
Of which began