New-York tribune., 1921-02-23
No'o It's the Song Writer
Who Nus. Be ''Pt,ritied''
Publishers Protective Association Says His Work Is
loo Rough the Suggestive Stuff Must Be Cut Out
and He Must Strive to Please Blue Sundayites

The announcement by the Music
Publishers Protective Association that
popular songs are to be purified" and
that nothing will be printed which even
the most pronounced Blue Sundayite
will not Ioin in singing is going to
| make SOME difference in the eating ar
rangements Of various young men who
have been in the habit Of rushing ink
wet lyrics to New York's great song
market, in the Forties, just west of
Broadway. A
/ The pronouncement has gone forth
that the words of the modern songs
have been growing too rough, and that
hereafter such will be frowned upon
and that performers who try to "put
over" songs that are capable of more
than one Interpretation will find them
selves barred from the better thea
tiers. while publishers who persist in
printing such songs will find profess
sional support Withdrawn.
All of which has caused the modern
lyric writer to assume why-pick
me attitude. The old songs Of the
years which novelist has pleased to
term "The Age of Innocence" were not
above reproach, it is pointed out. Sup
pose the late Paul Dresser, in the life,
were to visit the vibrant neighborhood
known as Tin-Pan Alley for try-out
Of Just Tell Them That You Saw Me-"
work which everybody sang in
,ocf
T. How 1t Goes
Glow does it go?" asks the pub
Usher of modern expurgated songs.
Here are the first verse and chorus"
says the author. presenting words that
run as follows:
While strolling down the street one eve
.1,val upon nm mere re, pleasure bent.
4 little girl ] CHANGED to see. in whom
recognized
"Is that you. Madge?'' I said 10 her. she
quickly turned away
Don't turn away. Madge. am still
Tonight. I'm going back to see the old
folks. and thought
Perhaps message you would like to
CHORUS
Just 1. tel them Ter, that you saw, me: they'll
Just tell them L was looking we'll, you
know.
Just Whisper IL you, get chance to
mother dear and say
love her as did long years ago.
"It's nice music" observes the pub
fisher, blushing furiously as he turns
away from the try-out organ, "but the
words simply cannot be accepted under
modern rulings. You'll have to change
the story entirely. You might have
this young woman sending message
back to her folks for her Sunday school
credentials, which she had forgotten,
but as the words stand they are en-
tirely too--er, frank"
Here's Another One
Another lyric writer enters-the
author of ballad which once found its
way to the front of many piano-afd
the words he submits are as follows:
III little saloon on the Bowery
4 crowd Of young fellows caEousing:
To them life seemed Ghsarful and bright
At the a,ir, very no next .a table able fas seated
The young fellows all Knocked at her
weakness
Till I heard an old lacy c1c.as,n:
CHORUS
she's more 70 be plted than oensured
Shes more to be helped than despised.
She's only lassie who ventured
On life's stormy way, al advised
DO not crush her with words harsh and
bitter;
Do not laugh at her shame and down
fall;
For moment Just stop and consider
Ihata man was the cause of 1t alI''
But before the last line has been
reached the author realizes that his
cause is lost. There is no light, save
the light of disapproval, in the eyes
of the individual who is doing the try
ing out according to the new rules pre-
scribed by the purifiers of song.
In the same day there were such
songs as "After the Ball." startling
tale of domestic inselicity; 'He Never
Cares to Wander From His Own Fire
registering proolivities Of men who were