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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
JANUARY 6, 1923
lrfFfiir WORLD
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH.
EXPLOITATION REGULATES WHOLESALE MUSIC PRICES
Printing and Royalties Paid to Writers Are Comparatively Small Factors in Producing Music—
The Predominating Item Is the Charge for Exploitation
The latest demand of the syndicate stores
tor a reduction in prices of popular prints to
affect all of their establishments, and which is
reported in another part of this department,
threatens to develop a situation that will make
it possible for the legitimate dealer to handle
popular music without outside competition.
It is. true that there are some publishing
houses that value syndicate support consider-
ably. , On the other hand, there are other very
successful concerns which contend that these
additional outlets are not as important as is gen-
erally assumed. Those who hold this latter
SONGS THAT SELL
Irving Berlin's Latest,
Greatest Song Hit
Homesick
Open Your Arms
(My Alabamy)
You Know You Belong
to Somebody Else
(So Why Don't You Leave Me Alone ?)
Yankee Doodle Blues
Truly
Night
You Tell Her I Stutter
—
Early in the Morning (Blues)
While the Years Roll By
Just a Little Love Song
Choo Choo Blues
Send Back My Honey Man
Some Sunny Day
Don't Bring Me Posies
It's Shoesies I Need
HERE THEY ARE
"The Song Gems From
IRVING BERLIN'S Second Annual
Music
Box Revue
which opened at Music Box Theatre
October 23, 1922
Crinoline Days
Lady of the Evening
Will She Come From the East?
Pack Up Your Sins
and Go To The Devil
Porcelain Maid
The Little Red Lacquer Cage
Bring On the Pepper
RVING BERLIN, I n c . !
L607 Broadway, New Y o r k l
opinion claim that"no popular song sells with-
out a demand being created by the publisher
and if a sufficient demand is created the public
will find the place where it can be purchased.
Naturally, the large organizations which have
the means, facilities and representatives to
carry out campaigns on a national scale do not
put the value on syndicate outlets that the
smaller publisher does. They say that if a
number has merit, which can be shown through
preliminary trials, there is practically little or
no gamble on their part in carrying out a cam-
paign on a national scale in its behalf.
Exploitation is all-important to the big pub-
lisher and he has the facilities to carry on the
work. It is that which makes sheet music
wholesale at eighteen, twenty or twenty-two
cents, but it is also this feature of his business
that sells such goods to the public. If it were not
for his creating the demand on a given number
ir would be possible for such publishers to sell
popular music at less than ten cents. The cost
of printing and the royalties to the writers are,
undoubtedly, factors in his business, but they
are not the most important ones by any means.
The popularization and exploitation of the num-
ber is the really necessary factor.
The frequency with which the music-buying
public hears a number played or sung is what
makes the meritorious number popular. To see
that such works are sung and played often is
the costly part of publishing, but if this were
not done the sheet music in question would
never gain such wide popularity. There are a
few other angles to the situation, but these are
the outstanding factors. Inasmuch as it costs
money to exploit songs the publisher is best
able to judge the costs.
This whole situation was most vividly pointed
out some time ago to the purchasing agent for
a number of stores. He endeavored to buy
goods at a much lower rate than was then
prevalent. The publisher, however, refused to
give any concession. The purchasing agent
then made what he termed a closing price be-
fore he departed. The publisher, in response,
said that he would give him sheet music at that
price and took him back to his stockroom and
showed him a voluminous quantity of old
prints and offered the music at iive cents a
copy. The agent, however, declined the offer,
stating that he wanted the ciirrent selections,
that the goods offered would not sell and were
of no value to him;, he could not sell goods
unless there was a demand. The publisher ex-
plained that to create a demand costs money
and those costs must be covered in the whole-
sale price. The agent, wanting goods that
would sell, naturally paid the price.
WITMARK & SONS GET NICE SONGS
PREDICT LONG RUN FOR "GLORY"
Will Control Sales of Various Numbers Pub-
lished by B. D. Nice & Co.
Leo Feist, Inc., Publisher of Songs for Latest
Musical Comedy
Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy now
have two successes playing on Broadway. Sev-
eral weeks back the William A. Brady produc-
tion, "Up She Goes," had an auspicious open-
ing and early last week a new musical comedy,
"Glory," with music by the same writers, opened
at the Vanderbilt Theatre.
That "Glory" will remain for many months
is apparently undisputed. All of the New York
critics predict a long run for the show. The
New York Times says: "The play is very
pleasing in the development of the plot and
somewhat novel. The score is one of the pretti-
est heard on Broadwa-y in a long time and it
maintains its excellence throughout. And the
songs spring naturally from the score and the
plot. They are not thrown in for the hit they
may make."
The book of "Glory" is by James Montgom-
BIG PROMISE IN NEW PONCE SONGS
ery, who is also the author of "Irene," and un-
The Philip Ponce Publications, 1658 Broad- doubtedly it will be as popular as its predeces-
way, New York City, have two songs which sor. Among the songs that have been men-
show every indication of becoming current, na- tioned as meriting attention are: "The Saw
tional successes. One is a novelty entitled Mill River Road," "Mother's Wedding Dress,"
"Sweet Lovin' Mama" and the other is a ballad "We've Got to Build," "Post Office," "When
entitled "Baby Clothes," along the style of "Ten Curfew Rings at Nine" and "The Little White
Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes." In addi- House." Leo Feist, Inc., is the publisher.
tion to the above songs the following are also
active in the catalog: "Pal of All Pals," "The
INTRODUCING "THAT'S WHY"
Old Homestead" and "Delaware Waltz."
R. L. Huntzinger, of R. L. Huntzinger, Inc.,
spent
the holidays in his old home in Colorado
FEATURING "WISTFUL WALTZ"
prior to his departure for the Pacific Coast.
The new waltz song, entitled "Wistful Waltz," While away Mr. Huntzinger will introduce the
published by Boosey & Co., is being displayed new Geoffry O'Hara song, "That's Why." Fol-
frequently in the windows of dealers through- lowing his visit to the trade in Pacific Coast
out the country. The publishers have been lerritorv he will return East.
congratulated by letter on the merits of this
TRY THIS
popular selection from both the trade and or-
"Mother
Dear
Tin Sad and Lonely"
chestra leaders. While the number was orig-
A Dew Waltz Song that will appeal to
inally an English success it is typically Amer-
all Music Lovers
ican in musical theme and for that reason it
Composed and Publitfied by
has an immediate appeal when demonstrated
MAY BELL ANDREWS,
Eldred, McKean Co., Pa,
that usually results in sales.
M. Witmark & Sons have acquired the catalog
of songs formerly published by B. D. Nice &
Co., Inc., and in the future will control the
sales of the various numbers bearing the im-
print of that company. Lee David, who was
formerly closely associated with the Nice firm,
is already under contract with Witmark's, they
having accepted some time ago his "Where the
Volga Flows," following which, a contract over
a long period was arranged.
Among the numbers that now come under
Witmark control are "Romance," "Paper Doll,"
"Tents of Arabs," "Sweet Lavender," "Won-
d'ring," "Figaro," "All My Life," "Clouds," "I
Might Have Had You," "Congo Love," "Do a
Little This, Do a Little That" and a new song
entitled "In Our Parlor on a Sunday Night."