Music Trade Review

Issue: 1923 Vol. 76 N. 20

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
46
MAY
19, 1923
Old Boa-con-stric-tor. Jazz dance di-rec-tor,
©LEO. FEIST INC. UXC
"You can't &o wron^
Withany'FElSTsong?
CHANGES WHICH HAVE AFFECTED SHEET MUSIC SELLING
Absence of Home Life and Dance Craze Which Is More Pronounced Than Ever Before Since
Its Beginning, the Factors Which Lead to Large Sales of Popular Numbers—Industry Thriving
According to all reports sheet music business
is in a most thriving condition throughout the
country. The exception is probably in the
Metropolitan District of New York, which, in
some respects, is backward in attaining what
is considered a "return-to-normal." The decided
improvement has had enough permanence to
make passe the time-worn question of the past
few years, "What is the matter with the sheet
music business?" The return-to-normal through-
out the country would indicate that there is
nothing the matter with it, nor has there been
anything of a radical nature the matter with it
for the past few years.
One thing is proven, however, that there is
to be no return to normal such as was known
in the pre-war days. The "matter" that affects
the music business is a completely changed sit-
uation and there are no indications that the
present condition will pass. On the other hand,
it is very much with us and the thing to do
is to recognize it and meet the problems ac-
cordingly.
The pronounced changes which have perma-
nently affected the sheet music business are all
based upon the absence of home life as it was
known some years ago. The causes are the
automobile, the movies and the dance craze.
Some years ago, with the first popularity of
the fox-trot and the success of melody orches-
tras, it was announced that we were in the
midst of a dance craze. Those of us who held
that opinion didn't know what we were talking
about. , What was termed the dance craze then
was a mere gesture of its present form and
popularity. The dance hall has now become so
alluring and popular as to affect the show busi-
ness. It was recently estimated that in a given
week in the city of Chicago 30,000 dancers at-
tended three or four of the best-known dance
palaces. Thousands of others undoubtedly vis-
ited dance halls and resorts of lesser caliber.
The admission prices in the more popular of
these dance halls are around $1 and this only
admits one. The price for male or female is
approximately the same. The week's total runs
up into huge figures. The same situation exists
in New York and to lesser extent in other
leading centers.
Popular music in its greatest volume is sold
to the younger generation, boys and girls,
mostly girls. If they are spending one or two
nights a week in the photoplay houses it means
that much less use of the piano; an occasional
visit to the dance halls also lessens the piano
use. Statistics show that there is an automo-
bile for every eight people in the country. In
prosperous localities these figures are reduced
to an automobile for every five people. The
auto industry is turning out cars by the million
a year; automobiles are not confined to the
young, but the young get 100 per cent use of
them.
If there is less use of the piano, as the above
survey would indicate, why is it that the big
hits reach enormous figures in point of sales,
as large as in pre-war times? The answer is
that, while the use of the piano has been re-
duced, it has not been eliminated. The time
now given to it is confined only to the playing
of "Three o'Clock in the Morning," "You
Know You Belong to Somebody Else," "Got to
See Mamma," "Aggravatin' Papa," "Barney
Google", "Yes! We Have No Bananas" and
"Good Night Waltz." There is not time for
numbers of second caliber, so they are not
purchased to any great extent. That does not
mean that they are not salable merchandise,
I ' i J> J^ J* J>
- bod -
SWIN6IN
in
±
i
hand,
but it does indicate that it is only I he unusual
number that reaches pre-war proportions in
popularity.
Nothing has been said about radio. Whether
it hinders or helps sales is mostly a matter of
opinion. In one section of the country it is
reported that sales are reduced by the popu-
larity of radio, in another section that they
are accelerated. One dealer, distributor or man-
ufacturer will say that it helps the new re-
leases of records but does nothing for the
older numbers of the catalog. Another will
say and prove to his own satisfaction that radio
helps the older issues but does little or nothing
for the new. All these contentions are easily
proven. All contentions should have considera-
tion, but as yet there is nothing of permanent
value in the proofs. Specific instances, or a
series of incidents relating to radio, are not
general. With over 500 broadcasting stations,
there probably will be nothing that can be
generalized on for some time to come when
conditions will be stabilized.
The changed situation lias not affected the
prosperity of music publishers or of the legiti-
mate dealer. On the other hand, both have
benefited. This, to a large extent, is due to
the fact that the goods are being wholesaled and
retailed at a fair margin of profit, which, after
all, is the main thing.
"STELLA" MADE A LEADER
The professional department of Waterson,
Berlin & Snyder is making a leader of the
new song "Stella," recently introduced by Al
Jolson in "Bonibo." The number is by Al
Jolson, Benny Davis and Harry Akst and car-
ries many extra choruses as presented in vaude-
ville, all of which adds to its popularity. As a
successor to "Aggravatin' Papa," the firm is
also featuring "Beale Street Mamma." A new
Ted Snyder ballad is also included. It is en-
titled "That Sweet Somebody of Mine."
N J) J)
down the
An Old Fashioned Song With aFcpc Trot Swing
lane,
Si
/-
"You cant
$ $
With any FEISTsor£ w
©Leo.Feistlnc.N.YC
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MAY
47
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
19, 1923
IS1I
COMBINATION ROYALTY FOR MOTION PICTURE THEATRES
NEW HEARST WALTZ RELEASED
American Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers, at Suggestion of Minnesota Motion
Picture Theatre Owners' Association, to Present Such Rate at Meeting in Chicago
"Piano Dreams" Proves Good Number—Other
Compositions in Hearst Spring Catalog
will predominate at next week's convention still,
of course, remains a question. From the So-
ciety's standpoint there should be no obstacle,
for the rank and file and the members who
have vision will undoubtedly concur in such
an arrangement presented on such a basis.
"Piano Dreams" is the title of a waltz re-
cently issued by Hearst Music Publishers, Ltd.,
New York, Winnipeg and Toronto. It is of
the simple, instrumental waltz variety, readily
played by any pianist. The publishers arc in-
cluding it in an intensive Spring exploitation
campaign. Among the other new issues is a
novelty one-step carrying the title "Step," by
Joe Hearst and Leon Ames. In the black and
white catalog of the company is a ballad en-
titled "Love Is Love for Ever." One of the
most successful songs issued by this house is
entitled "Wonderful Child." It has been in-
troduced in vaudeville together with a Southern
song entitled "Home" (My Lovin' Dixie Home),
and both numbers are being heard on the best
circuits. A semi-blue number is entitled "She's
Got Another Daddy," which is now being in-
troduced by the various branch offices.
George W. Meyer, writer of " 'Tucky Home,"
"For Me and My Gal," and other successes,
recently placed a song in the Hearst catalog
entitled "In the Land of Sweet Sixteen." The
number is of the usual Meyer popular caliber
and has shown indications of repeating some
of his previous successes.
Other active numbers in the catalog of Hearst
Music Publishers, Ltd., are "Always Looking
for a Little Sunshine," "Lonesome Two,"
"Beautiful Rose," "Just a Little Gold Watch
and Chain" and "Broken Hearts." The words
of "Broken Hearts," "Beautiful Rose" and
"Lonesome Two" are by John W. Anderson;
the music of these latter is by Joe Hearst.
On Monday of next week there will be a
convention in Chicago of motion picture theatre
owners and it is understood at that time there
will be presented a plan for a combination rate
of payment by the association to the American
Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers
for the entire country. The consideration ol
this step is prompted in a measure by W. A.
StefTes, president of the Minnesota Division of
the Motion Picture Theatre Owners' Associa-
tion, who communicated with the Society on
the subject of effecting a combined rate for al]
the Minnesota members. This has led to the
suggestion of the national rate.
The present fee set by the Society is 10 cents
per seat annually, but some rebate may be
effected to include the national body. If such
an understanding is arranged at the coming
exhibitors' convention it will mean the saving
of thousands of dollars to the association of
theatre owners and thousands of dollars to the
individual theatre owner who heretofore has
fought the Society and who has incurred great
legal expenses invariably for a losing decision,
the minimum damage allowed' by the Copyright
Law being $250, plus $100 counsel fee and $10
court.
At the suggestion of Mr. Steffes, the A. S.
C. A. 1\ has held off filing a number of copy-
right infringement suits against various Minne-
sota exhibitors until after the Chicago con-
ference.
If a reasonable arrangement on a national
scale can be secured at the coming conferences,
it should be most acceptable to the Composers'
Society. It will save considerable in counsel
fees; the costs of collection will be reduced;
the antagonism now shown by the exhibitors
to the Society will be eliminated; orchestra
leaders who, through a misunderstanding, have
thought ill of the Society will be placated and a
no small amount of dealers will rejoice at the
amicable settlement.
Whether the cooler heads and the more
reasonable and fair-minded of the exhibitors
BEAUTIFUL ROSE
NEW SHERMAN, CLAY NUMBER
"I Cried for You" Proves Immediately Popular
—Shortly to Be Released by Mechanicals
"I Cried for You" (Now It's Your Turn to
Cry Over Me) is the title of a new song re-
cently released by Sherman, Clay & Co., San
Francisco. Orchestrations were recently re-
ceived by the New York professional offices
of the company and a number of orchest.a lead-
ers quickly programmed the number. It met
with immediate approval and a number of talk-
ing machine record and player roll organiza-
tions have booked it for early use. "I Cried
for You" looks like the best number Sherman,
Clay & Co. have published since "Do You Ever
Think of Me?" Arthur Freed, Gus Arnheim
and Abe Lvman are the writers.
SPENCER WITH E. B. MARKS
Herbert Spencer, one of the veteran song-
writers, has been signed exclusively with the
E. H. Marks Music Co. Mr. Spencer is com-
poser of "Underneath the Stars," one of the
biggest successes of some years back. The
Marks' firm, announces two new numbers from
his pen, "Sweets for the Sweet" and "Trust
Me and I Will Trust You." Both numbers were
recently introduced by Helen Bell Rush, the
well-known prima donna, with unusual success.
NEW CALIFORNIA PUBLISHER
The Veritas Publishing Co. is the name of a
new concern, which has opened offices in Holly-
wood, Cal. The first song released by the new
organization is entitled "Just Like a Woman."
WONDERFUL CHILD
TINDALE CO. IN NEW QUARTERS
The Tindalc Cabinet Co., formerly of 159
West Fifty-seventh street, has moved to the
sixth floor of the Lakner Building, 56 West
Forty-fifth street. This firm, which manufac-
tures sheet music cabinets and piano benches,
has just announced a new product, a combina-
tion talking machine record, player roll and
sheet music cabinet.
LONESOME TWO
.ovin
I ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE SUNSHINE - IN BABY'S SMILE |
! - JUST A LITTLE GOLD WATCH AND CHAIN - PIANO DREAMS — !
! • • + • * + * LOVE IS LOVE FOR EVER - STEP — — • • • 1
! Prices F.O.B. Nearest Office
j 100 of One Song
-
14>4c
| 100 Assorted Songs - 14K«
I Less than 100
- - - - 15c
HEARST MUSIC PUBLISHERS LTD.
1058 BROADWAY
NEW YORK
PH GEN IX B LOG.
199
fONGE
ST.
Money Back Guarantee
Unsold Copies of
Hearst Songs arc
Fully Returnable

Download Page 46: PDF File | Image

Download Page 47 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.