Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-23
Purified Popular Songs
By Frederic J. Haskin

New York, March 2s.-The popular
| song Is now scheduled for moral reform.
| 1t must be sterilized il it is to accom-
pany the prophylactic movies which
are destined to appear before long. In
its present condition. you can see for
yourself, it would never do at ALL
At any rate, If you can't see 1t. the
| publishers of popular music can. 1t is
| they who have declared the death SEN
tence of the fiippant, naughty song.
| thus anticipating our reform veterans
who were getting ready to turn their
disinfecting apparatus upon it.
Hereafter, all lyrics of risque or
suggestive" character will receive
prompt rejection slips from all of the
| large popular music publishing houses.
Oriental rhythm will be frowned upon.
Jazz must become more genteel. Hula
| hula girls and "hootch" and harems and
other hitherto popular subjects of syn
copation are to be barred. What the
| publishers want from now on are pure
and simple ballads, eXalting the COM
monplace and applauding homely vir-
tues.
Aside from the fact that publishers
do not wish TO be sponsors for songs
capable of indecent construction. the
purely commercial aspect of the situa-
tion is that from now on such songs
are to be barred from the better vaude-
vile theatres, and publishers who back
withdrawn, explained Il. c. Mills, ex-
eCutive secretary of the Music Publish
them may find professional support
ers' Protective Associa ton, the other
day.
This remark was made at a sort of
preparedness meeting of the publish
ers. where American ideals and the
benefcent influence of the popular
song tin it's future perfect state) were
soberly discussed. After the meeting.
one of the members. himself a writer
of several successful song hits, gave
his own private opinion as to why our
songs must be purified. According to
him. it is rot h ause OF the recent
threats of the reformers; not because
the publishers have suddenly turned
squeamish. but because the public in
sistS on Il.
This may strike you as incredible, as
il did us. but the man spoke with
authority and his argument sounds
plausible. In the first place. he pointed
out that the popular song has always
been considered an infallible barometer
OF the public's state of mind. 1t is the
greatest common medium of self-ex-
preston. Everybody can sing or whistle
a simple song motif; everybody can
easily memorize rhymes OF one syllable;
everybody likes to sing about something
which appeals TO him.
Science OF Appeal.
The basis of songs popularity has
always been the scope OF appeal. Song
writer's as a rule do not start with any
ri
their idea-an idea with popular appeal
then write both The melody and the
verse around that. This requires con
siderable intuitive skill, because a ma
tion's moods. like those OF an individual.
are curious and changeable. Some
times the people are in favor ofa one
thing and sometimes of another. And
the successful song writer must look
ahead and anticipate what they will be
in favor Of months after his song is
written when ii will be on sale in the
I'VE and ten cent stores.
In other words, popular songs can
not he forced upon the public like pro-
hibition, or specified types Of moving
pictures. because the public has share
In their making. II sings them. More
over. singing them is a purely spon-
taneous act. which is not apt to be gov
erned by arbitrary regulations. You can
give people any number Of pure and in
nocent ballads as you can lead horse
TO water, but you cannot make them
sing such ballads unless they happen to
be in the mood for them.
The publishers. OF course. know this
better than anybody else. They would
probably go right on publishing risque
sofgs. despite reform opposition de
clared the song writer, IL they were not
Jolly well sure the people we're tired q
them. You see, the wicked lyric had q
tremendous vogue shortly after the war.
50 that reaction was only 10 be ex-
pscted. Now we've got 10 turn out
sweet, clean. ditties Of a soothing rather
than a stimulating nature We've got
10 follow the popular mood.
Now what Is the popular mood al
rresent-a little sober. cautious and
chastened. is i not The restlessness
and. recklessness Of the war period have
greatly subsided. We have quit being
,xtravagant and have settled down TO
sober economy. We have a plain. Sc
date man Of the most conservative ten
lencIes for President. We are de-
PRESSED. as we never were during the
war. by the gloomy prevalence OF un-
emDloyment. Hence. what are we be-
ginning 10 sing? Rather plaintiye songs
about the peace and security OF the
home. the dignity Of true love. and the
folly OF wickedness.
..In the vaudeville theaters. the change
is strikingly evident. For the past dec
ade most vaudeville sketches have
been simply a patchwork Of slurs on
the sacred state Of matrimony. Now. in
the better houses, these have ceased
abruptly, and the domestic hearth is
again surrounded by a lavender halo
A Conservative Reaction.