Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
"You're a Grand Old Rag!"

flag and sing it flag" if wanted to
keep 'out of trouble"
Not only was to change the word
verbally as / sang the song. but 1t was
to be changed in the sheet music that
was being sold on every music counter
in the U. S. A. The phonograpn rec
ords were to be changed. And the song
had become a hit, you know.
Don't ask me how many thousands
went into bonfires after the White
House delivered its ultimatum.
Though the unofficial word FROM
Washington said that all the pnonc-
graph records using the word rag" in
the song were to be destroyed, it hap
pened that there was one lone record
that was not smashed. Funny, but that
one belongs to me. / have It placed
away somewhere at my mothers home.
upstate, and I'm going to dig it out on
the Fourth OF july and play it for old
times sake.
You see, the Fourth of July is my
birthday. as well as my country's, and
on this Independence day feel espe-
cially inclined to celebrate a bit, be-
cause I will be so years old. Do you
imagine that when the phonograph
blares forth You're a grand old rag"
from that old record the Government
will send regiment Of secret service
men to throw me into dungeon deep?
In 1914. when 1 got a real piece of
money-as we say on Broadway
bought home in the theatrical colony
at Great Neck. Long Island A dream
place, where thought inspiration would
strike me, and would write the great
dramas l had dreamed of creating.
| Another one Of those dreamsl
! Six weeks after / moved to Great
Neck an idea did strike me. but /
| couldn't complete 1t in that lovely syl-
| van atmosphere. So I came back to
/ Broadway, hired suite of hotel rooms
/ and went to work.
! But I did put on paper in my Great
/ Neck home the start Of one great idea
something I'm more proud Of than any
thing else I've ever written. You've
| guessed tits the war song "Over
| Therel"
/ was sitting in Great Neck when the
word came. 1.-The Government declares
/ that state of war exists with Ger
I many!" You remember the thrill that
| gave you'll got it. too. I knew that
! before 1t was over good many Of our
/ boys would go over there, across the sea,
/ and fight Over there! What theme
/ for song! sat down at the piano
/ and struck few chords. SuNconscious-
| ly struck bugle chords. Before knew
/ it was singing it myself. as impro-
/ viSed the tune. the refrain Of song
/ that later was sung around the world
| by men in khaki. You know the chorus:
I over there, over there.
/ Send the word. send the word over there
/ That the Yanks are coming. the Yanks a.
/ The drums rum -tumming everywhere.
/ Send the word. send the word TO beware,
I Wen be over; WE'RE we're S eoIi1 an over
It's over over there!
/ I jotted down those words on an en-
4 velope. grabbed my hat and ran to the
/ station and took the train for New York.
/ While riding into the city I wrote the
( first verse.
/ That same day I finished the score
I and called in Sam II. Harris. then my
~artner sang it to him with all the
feeling in my body. He said, Gosh,
| George, it's great!' The next night
/! Nora Bayes sang 1t on Broadway-and
I guess you know how far that song
was heard before the last shot was
fired, over there!
When the first officers training camp
( at Fort Myer, Va, opened. was asked
! to take q group OF players from our
Friars to entertain those chaps. My old
time pal. Gus EdwardS-you know him,
Gus Edwards Of school Days" fame
went with me. He sang "Over There
the first man to sing 1t to our soldiers.
You should have heard the welcoming
roar that came from that audience
| when Gus finished the last lines Of the
| chorus:
( And we won't come bacS I'll
/ It's over over there