Music Trade Review

Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 25

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted by Fred B. Diebl
Many Opportunities for the Dealer
in Theme Songs, Declares Robbins
T p H A T the theme song, is the salvation of
•*• the music merchants, and that, properly
hooked up and intelligently exploited, it will
prove a boon to the publisher and the dealer
alike, is the opinion of J. J. Robbins, head of
the Robbins Music Corp., New York.
Mr. Robbins, whose firm enjoys an exclusive
song association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
and important contracts with the other leading
film producers, is well qualified to discourse on
the subject of theme songs. His number,
"Cross Roads," is the musical tie-up of "Show
People," the William Haines-Marion Davies pic-
ture, and "Love Dreams," another theme of
considerable promise is featured in "Alias
Jimmy Valentine," now in New York for a long
run. "Live and Love" is his contribution to
the John Gilbert photoplay, "The Masks of the
Devil," and other theme songs in his catalog
are slated for early release in conjunction with
pictures now in work.
Speaking of the theme song, Mr. Robbins
has the following to say:
"It is easily possible for the music publisher
to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. in this
instance. A tie-up with a picture must be a
definite hook-up, an association arranged for
prior to the shooting of the picture, and com-
pletely worked out as the photoplay is being
created. Wherever possible, the song must
be sung, and no tie-up is authentic unless the
synchronized result features the song at least
fifteen times during the showing of the film."
"Once this is accomplished," Mr. Robbins
continues, "there is still much to be done before
the publisher can conscientiously feel that he
has exhausted every promotion possibility. The
manager of the theatre must be solicited for
lobby sales and displays, the dealer must be
apprised of play dates, and must be urged to
stock up liberally with copies. Of course, here
is where the fable of the boy who cried 'wolf
comes in. To enjoy the continued and intensive
confidence of the dealer, the publisher must
assiduously refrain from over-enthusiasm, un-
less the photoplay and the nature of the hook-
up warrant it.
"In this way, music business can be reju-
venated to no inconsiderable degree. Promis-
cuous printing of alleged theme songs—theme
.songs in name only—will as surely kill this new
source of revenue as intelligent propagation
will enhance it."
"Naturally," Mr. Robbins goes on to say, "our
years of association with the leading picture
firms made possible through our extensive
photoplay catalog, have enabled us to obtain
just the correct perspective on the whole situa-
tion. The production of a moving picture is a
mammoth enterprise, and 'small time' methods
SAM FOX PUB. CO.,
are out of place utterly in the general scheme
of things.
"Before our staff writers concoct a theme
song, we see to it that they arc fully acquainted
with the nature of the photoplay, and that their
finished effort is to some extent inspired. There
must be definite coherence, or the theme song
becomes an irrelevant proposition, unworthy of
publication.
"The Robbins Music Corp. is proud of its
contacts with the important figures in the mo-
tion picture industry, and is quite convinced
that the theme song is destined to play a com-
manding role in the future of music business.
Publishers everywhere can cash in on the new
vogue, if haphazard publication is avoided and
if intelligent and efficient methods arc em-
ployed in the development of this promising
field."
Paul Whiteman Appears
in Role of Music Critic
Paul Whiteman, who won his spurs some
years ago as a band leader, recently appeared
in the role of music critic when he acted as
judge in a music-writing contest held under
the auspices of the Omaha World-Herald. Over
150 manuscripts were submitted, of which six
were judged as having commercial possibilities
and were broadcast over radio station WOW.
Mr. Whiteman regarded only one composition,
however, as being suitable for the use of his
orchestra.
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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 22, 1928
Songs that Sell
Irving Berlin, Inc.
Songs
ROSES OF YESTERDAY
By Irving Berlin
HOW ABOUT ME? (New),
By Irvine Berlin
BELOVED
TEN LITTLE MILES FROM TOWN
I WONDER
I STILL. KEEP DREAMING OF YOU
GET OUT AND GET UNDER THE
MOON
I CANT DO WITHOUT YOU
'TAINT SO, HONEY, 'TAINT SO
THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS I
LOVE YOU
ILL GET BY
THE SPELL OF THE BLUES
OLD PALS ARE THE BEST PALS
AFTER ALL
REMEMBER ME TO MARY
LONELY LITTLE BLUEBIRD
JUST YOU AND ME
WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE
A SONG OF INDIANA
LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE
WATCHA GONNA DO. DO NOW
Picture Theme Songs
THERE'S A RAINBOW 'ROUND MY
SHOULDER from "The Singing:
Fool"
I LOVED YOU THEN AS I LOVE
YOU
MOW f r o m
"Dancing
Daughters"
MARIE (By Irving Berlin) from "The
Awakening"
PALS, JUST PALS from "Submarine"
FLOWER OF LOVE from "White
Shadow* in the South Seas"
IN A LITTLE HIDE AWAY from
"Excess Baggage"
LONESOME from "Lonesome"
GIVE AND TAKE from "Give and
Take"
LOVE CAN NEVER DIE from "Man,
Woman and Wife"
LOVE, ALL I WANT
IS LOVE from
"The Godless Girl' 1
HEART O' MINE from "Noah's Ark"
JUST A SWEETHEART from "The
Battle of the Sexes"
I FOUND GOLD WHEN I FOUND
YOU, from "The Trail of '98"
LOVE BROUGHT THE SUNSHINE
from "The Wind"
The Music Trade Review
"Scenes de Carnaval"
Issued by Sam Fox
New Suite for Piano by Joseph Nussbaum,
Popular Arranger and Composer, Given Elab-
orate Printing
One of the most attractive standard publica-
tions to be released by the Sam Fox Publish-
ing Co., Cleveland and New York, during the
past year is a suite for piano, just released,
entitled "Scenes de Carnaval," by Joseph Nuss-
baum. Mr. Nussbaum, who has distinguished
himself in recent years as a popular arranger,
is beginning to loom up just as large in the
capacity of composer, having contributed the
highly successful novelty, "Fascinatin' Vamp"
to the Sam Fox catalog last Summer. "Scenes
de Carnaval" is a more serious work for piano,
descriptive in character.
The suite consists of four parts, "Pantomime,"
"Le Bouffon," "Scene d'Amour" and "Fete."
The work is thoroughly pianistic and, although
well within the range of piano students of the
third or fourth grades, makes a striking pro-
pram piece. The publication possesses a beau-
tiful title page in four colors, depicting the
gaiety of a carnival, the cover being printed
on heavy white stock in kid finish.
Many Revivals in Witmark
Black & White Series
Sales of Old Favorites Greatly Stimulated
Through the Medium of Radio Programs, It
Is Reported
The Witmark Black & White Series, respon-
sible in great part for the success and fame of
M. Witmark & Sons, New York, received fewer
additions during the past year than in practically
any other year of recent date. The reason for
this new policy is that there were a greater
number of revivals in this standard catalog
than in recent years. The special radio hours
have brought many of these classics to tin-
attention of both performers and listeners and
sales have followed in proportion to the re-
newed interest. Leading them all, of course,
are songs by the late Victor Herbert, whose-
music has been the feature of the year over the
air. The success of "Ah! Sweet Mystery of
Life," a success confidently predicted twelve
months ago and abundantly realized, has by no
means dimmed the luster of such other Herbert
Folios
favorites as "Kiss Me Again," "Gypsy Love-
UNIVERSAL DANCE FOLIO
Song," "When You're Away" and others from
No. 1«
this
versatile but now motionless pen. Other
PETERSON'S UKULELE METHOD
Witmark Black and White Series gems, such as
WORLD'S FAVORITE SONGS
Arthur A. Penn's "Smilin' Through," "Sunrise
and You" and "The Lamplit Hour," have more
than held their own, both in active use and in
sales.
\1607 Broadway New York City
Among the older favorites that seem to be
enjoying a new lease on life are Caro Roma's
"Can't You Heah Me Callin', Caroline?" "My
Jean," and such steadfast standbys of the late
Ernest R. Ball as "Mother Machree," "When
Irish Eyes Are Smiling," "Who Knows," and,
perhaps best of all, "In the Garden of My
The Columbia Phonograph Co. will issue the Heart." To these must be added such titles as
first of its weekly record releases on January "Asleep In the Deep," "My Wild Irish Rose,"
4, 1929, and continue to do so on each succeed- "Italian Street Song," "Let the Rest of the
World Go By," "In a Little Town Nearby,"
ing Friday.
Fourteen records make up the weekly release "Just Been Wond'ring," "Across the River,"
as follows: Five dance and popular vocal, three "At Moonrise," "Dear Little Boy of Mine,"
celebrity and standard instrumental, one nov- "Mem'ries (Golden Memory Days)," "That
Wonderful Mother of Mine," and others.
elty, three familiar tunes, and two race.
A weekly hanger in''color will be issued in
conjunction with each release. This will list
The Baldwin Piano Co., Cincinnati, O., has
the dance, popular vocals, celebrity, standard opened a branch store at 131 West Union street,
and novelty records.
Newark, N. J.
M* T
Go
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WITH flNY
Ir
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ITA
"HIGH UP ON
A HILL-TOP *
' IRVINGBERLINlnc
Columbia Go. to Release
Weekly List of Records
The Howell Piano Co., Shelton, Wash., has
:idded a sheet music department and will carry
popular as well as standard music.
The MacFadyn Music Co. has moved to new
and larger quarters at 188 Hay street, Fayette-
ville, Fla.
.,
LEO.FELTT
231 w. 4-orsT.
, „ ^ • V VORK CY* y .

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