Evening star., 1923-09-09
"Yes. We Have No Bananas"

Irving Cohn and Frank Silver may
not be entitled to a place on the list
of Jewish notables, but for the pres
ent, at least, they are the two most
talked-of songsters of the day. a
writer jim the magazine section of the
New York Times declared that 80
per cent Of the American nation de-
votes itself Zestfully to singing it"
Inc sale Of the song certainly proves
the truth of the assertion. Ii started
with sale of 100000 copies the first
three months and the market predic-
tions hold out still better prospects
for the future. BY cleverly nanipu-
lating the yes-no-but element the
youthful Jewish song writer's have
produced a song which easily sur
passes anything that has gone before.
In an interview with Myra May,
published in a recent issue of the
Jewish Tribune, the authors of Yes,
We Have No Bananas" were induced
to talk of the natural history of the
genesis of the song. The title phrase
of the song. explained Frank Silver,
one OF its collaborators. was the prop
erty of a Greek fruit Vender before
II became the property OF the whole
American public. They were the only
woods IL bIs i.ot-at-d!i-t"U over
worked English vocabulary which the
two song writer's overheard on their
W. t. Long Beach [" direct the
orchestra, of which Frank Silver was
the leader and Irving Cohn his
pianist. and made up their minds to
make song of ii. They played 1t
privately till music publisher heard
il and induced them to publish 1t,
, with results already familiar.
While a croSS-Se ction of Yes, we
! Have No Bananas" is far from being
inspiring. the motive behind the
words. as explained by the songs own
H..
YOU want psychological explana-
tion." said Frank Silver in his inter-
view. consider il this way. These
are uncertain days: business is un-
stable: society is still in state of
upset from the war; all our ideas and
opinions are topsy-turyy. What is
the result? Why, our music reflects
our national doubt and hesitation.
Lecturers rail against it. but it de-
scribes the peoples state of mind
of course. when we composed the
song we had no intention of putting
psychology in music; we just wrote
, the Greek story with its popular ap-
peal for contradictions"
russia VIII Not Have jews Mocked.
i The world may reject the Russian
program Of economic and social sal
walton. hut il may we'll follow its
way of dealing with the comic stage
land the comic press. which. by cheap
jeStS. expose to ridicule Il considerable
element of the population. Thus, ac-
cording to cable of the Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency, the chief commits
zion supervising the theater roper
toire in soviet Russia has prohibited
the production OF plays. sketches and
SungS which ridicule the Jews or
place them in a comic light. Actors
are prohibited from using Jewish
accent on the stage, or any lntona-
ton likely to suggest peculiar char
acteriStiCS of the Jew. The prohibi-
tion applies to other nationalities as
we'll. but in effect IS aimed almost
exclusively at the protection of the
Jews from ridicule, which. of late. was
assuming constantly growing anti
Semitic character. Ninety-nine per
cent Of the light operas and cabaret
pc performances consist of more or less
malicious poking fun at the Jews.
RCstcrc Nau>OICum tn Famous Con-
vert to Judaism.
The Jewish community of wilma has
restored the. mausoleum Of the Ger
Zedek, famous convert to Judaism
The Ger Zedek. who adopted the name
of Abraham ben Abraham. was a
famous convert to Judaism. who was
burnt at the stake in wilma in 1149.