New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-31
hEACf1lNG THE HEART VIA TINPAN ALLIE

Impan Auey, cnoSeu-
The Aname cover" featuring the writer Of
a song, is temporarily out of fashion, although
in the days Of Foster and the almost forgotten
"Claribel'--do you remember "Take Back the
Heart That Thou Gavest" and "Come Back
to Erin?"-a writer's name was considered
an asset. One reason for the decline of names
may be that there's nothing in name GA 3
song cover to-day. The man who is credited
with the making of a song may not even be
on speaking terms with the man who wrote
it. If the song is success, it's sure thing
tact he isn't
''Staff writer's" says a song writer, put
Sheir names On many numbers which they may
nave heard only once The staff writer thinks
that he's entitled to split on the royalties
and authorship for introducing writer to a
publisher Some houses make it a practice to
sign everything with standard names, and
others have pet names which they attach to
everything. Many writer's who are in with the
publishers buy up songs outright for a few
dollars and turn them in as their own work
There was one very popular war song that
made a great deal Of money for couple of
fellows who signed it, but as a matter OF fact
they bought it outright from a poor fellow
VINO needed a little coin right away Another
big Int of several years ago was the work of
staff arranger, who sold the thing to man
who placed it on a royalty basis"
Cases arising from this practice frequent
ly come to court although most of them are
settled by private agreement. One bit of
litigation still unsettled involves youthful
composer and lyrist who sold a song to sew
eral men for $50. The purchasers published
the number and it became fair success. The
youth has brought suit for an accounting, and
the plugging of the number seems to have
subsidized pending developments.
The roster of writer's who have been viii
ing to sell the privilege of published author
ship includes such celebrated personages as
Stephen Collins Foster. The first edition Of
The Old Folks at Home" was credited to the
minstrel, E. P. Christy, who bought the right
to sign the song for about $25 At one tine
1t was considered immodest for women tn an
pear as song writers, and less talented males
would assume the sponsorship for their
products. curious twist in this tradition
occurred in the middle of the last century
when Sep Winner ascribed one of his songs
TO Alice hawthorne" Probably Winner
lived to regret this stratagem, whatever the
motive may have been for it, because the sonp
IN question was Listen to the Mockine Bird"
One OF the writers of current hits is woman
VINO never VIII be known to the world. This
Mrs. Harms, whose professional name is re-
gafded as valuable property, is man who
never has achieved hit under his own sig
nature. Recently he issued song signed
Jointly by the mystical Jazz Sappho and him
self, but IN this instance Fiona Mel cod ort.
shines William Sharp
Inc in1iux OF new writers who have pro-
u0eeu one success only-or even half dozen
successes-nas diminished the value of names
On song covers. Who, for instance. can idsn-
chy' ohhand, the writers of such current hits
as "Chene," Moonlight" "Ain't We Got
rum" Grooming, or ''Na-Jo?"
The names of composers are not tho only,
ores that nave fallen from their high estate ON
song covers. Where are the dedications of
yes0efyeaf! At one time every baIladist fe,ts
moral tand hnanciaD responsibility to i'm
scfloe MS offerings to his parents, to his chill
ofeh' 10 his Maecenas, to his wife or to a
famous slnger-generally to the latter. "Dedi-
Gated to and sung by" was line that r,.,v
publishers might well have left standino in
type Tor permanent use. Economics have han
lshed these public offerings of esteem. II has
been discovered that professional iealousv fro
quehtly causes singers to decline to siug SONGS.
aedlcated TO others. One famous tenor xubo
mas Drought into vogue many of the ballads
so nalVely catalogued as "senli-classic;,I.. ID
SAID to have laid down ukase against ditt;es
to any one save himself. Steuber
Collins Foster dedicated many of his nsIodes
TO his fair friends-and none of them IN b;s
"lfe which fact carries its own Implications
ouC the contemporary writer insists ON ded,.
cations at his own peril
To lesser extent photographs of artists vuh.
sing given song have been eliminated froys
song covers. The publishers Of p. r. gar
nuns day evidently deemed chrome Of Jann..
LIND good sales argument, but the 1921 nph.
Usher who wishes to have his work eyn,o;+ox
oy as many vocalists as possible refrains fro,,,
Identifying 1t with any one performer. Their.
are exceptions, ike Al Jelson with whom,
certain type of song is associated. but. eor,.
herclaiy speaking, drawing of a young man
N evening clothes embracing young woy,a,,
similarly attired is considered a safer ;.v,o-t
nehe than the likeness of a vaudeville st.r