The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-05

clear print and an extremely simple
design A wholly black cover with the
title In large white letters has achieved
great popularity. while yellow is also
apt to attract the attention of the
public.
Songs That Sell on Their Looks.
There are some songs, known to the
trade as counter songs" which sell
altogether on the merits of their
covers. They are so lacking in appeal
that no one expects the buyers to sing
them, yet some of them have achieved
a sale of more than 100000 copies,
much to the gratified amazement of
the publishers. The counter song
may be anything from a fox-trot to a
sentimental ballad. but il is always
something which has cast the song
factory very little-probably not more
than $50, paid to some poverty-stricken
hack.
| The name cover featuring the au-
thor of the song and sometimes includ-
ing his likeness, is temporarily out of
fashion, for it has been found that with
the exception of one or two familiar
names like Ernest r. Ball and Irving
| Berlin, the name of the writer on a
cover is merely waste of print The
! public does not see it, Furthermore,
| as has been intimated, names are
| handled rather carelessly by song fac.
! tories.
Staff writers" says one song writer.
put their names on many numbers
which they may have heard only once.
The staff writer thinks he is entitled
| TO a split on the royalties and author.
| ship for introducing the writer to a
publisher Some houses make il a
practice to sign everything with
standard names which they attach to
everything. Many writer's who are in
with the publishers buy UP songs out
right for a few dollars. and turn them
In as their own work. There was a
very popular war song that made a
great deal of money for a couple OF
fellows who signed it, but as matter
of fact they bought it outright from a
poor fellow who needed a little coin
right away. Another big hit of several
years ago was the work Of a staff ar
ranger, who sold the thing to a man
| who placed it on royalty basis"
In one case a young amateur sone
writer sold a melody and lyrics to 4
songproducing plant for $50. The firm
published the song, and it became very
popular. Believing that he had been
deliberately deceived as to it's reaI
value, the young man brought suit fol
an accounting, and the number has
been withdrawn from the market
pending Developments
Most competent song writer's. how
ever. have the sagacity to ally them
selves with song factories and not tc
wander about attempting to sell theil
products to chance acquaintance
They realize that jazz has passed into
the hand sof American industry. and
that the independent, carefree days o.
Tin Pan Alley are over. The old
|, fashioned brownstone houses on thai
famous melodic thoroughfare (other
wise known as West Twenty-eightf
street, are now silent, and Of the val
liant ragtime brigade that once made
their old walls culver with NOISY
, melody, only few personalities have
survived the substitution of modern
industrial methods for what they
chose to call art Chief amone
; these survivors is the Singing Waiter
, OF Niger Mikes dive in Pell Street
; who, successfully bridging the chasm
now owns a 100000 residence OF
, Fifth Avenue, his own theater and hi.
. own jazz factory. He is Irving Berlin