The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-22
Frederic Haskin's Lette,
Purified Popular Songs.

New York City. March @.-The
popular song is now scheduled for
moral reform. It. must be steril-
lied II it is to accompany the
prophylatic movies which are des-
tined to appear before long. In its
present condition, you can see for
yourself. 1t would never do ct all.
At any rate, II you can't see IL.
the publishers Of popular music
can. 1t Is they who have declared
the death sentence Of the ~dippant,
naughty song, thus anticipating
our reform veterans who were get
ting ready to turn their disinfect-
ing apparatus upon It.
Hereafter. all lyrics Of q risque
or suggestive" character will re-
ceive prompt rejection slips from
all Of the large popular music pub
fishing 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
syncopation are to be barred. What
the publishers want from now on
are pure and simple ballads, exalt-
ing the commonplace and applaud
ing homely virtues.
Aside from the fact that pub
fishers do not wish to be sponsors
for songs capable Of indecent con-
struction. the purely commercial
aspect Of the situation is that from
now on such songs are to be barred
from the better vaudeville theatres
and publishers who back them
may find professional support with
drawn" explained E. C. Mills, ex-
ecutive secretary of the Music Pub
fishers Protective association, the
other day.
This remark was made at a sort
Of preparedness meeting Of the pub.
fishers, where American ideals and
the benefcient influence of the
popular song lin its future perfect
state) were soberly discussed. Aft.
er the meeting, one of the members
himself a writer Of several success.
full song hits, gave his own private
opinion as to why our songs mus,
must be purified. According tt
him, it is not because of the recent
| threats Of the reformers; not be-
cause the publishers have suddenly
turned squeamish, but because thu
public insists on it.
This may strike you as incred
ible, as it did US, but the man spoke
i with authority, and his argument
sounds plausible. In the frs
place, he pointed out that the pop
ular song has always been consid
cred an infallible barometer of tn,
public's state of mind. 1t is tn,
greatest common medium Of self
expression. Everybody can sing o.
whistle a simple song motif
everybody can easily memoriz,
rhymes Of one syllable; everybod,
likes to sing about something which
appeals to him.
Science Of Appeal.
The basis of a songs popularit,
has always been the scope Of ap
peal. Song writers as a rule d.
not start with any melody in mind
They must first find their idea-al
idea with a popular appeal-ther
write both the melody and the verse
around that This requires consid
cradle intuitive skill, because a ma
tons moods, like those of an in
dividual, are curious and change
able. Sometimes the people are il
favor Of one thing, and sometime.
Of another. And the successful
song writer must look ahead ant
anticipate what they will be il
favor of months after his song i.
written when 1t will be on sale il
the 5 and 10 cent stores.
In other words, popular song
cannot be forced upon the publi
like prohibition. or specified type
of moving pictures, because tn,
public has a share in their making
1t sings them. Moreover, singin,
them Is q purely spontaneous act
which is not apt to be governed
by arbitrary regulations. You cal
give people any number of pur
and innocent ballads as you cal
lead a horse to water, but you can
not make them sing such ballad
unless they happen to be in tn
mood for them.
The publishers, Of course. know
this better than anybody else
They would probably 60 right OF
publishing risque songs. despite re
form opposition" declared the son
writer. If they were not jolly vel
sure the people we're tired Of then
You see, the wicked lyric had q ire
mendous vogue shortly after tn