Music Trade Review
Issue: 1907 Vol. 45 N. 26 - Page 43
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE: MUfelC TftA£>E
ices a commission of 10 per cent, of any royalty
which may thereafter accrue on the song when
published, agreeing to furnish "proper music"
for any lyrics accepted. At least this is what the
booklet specifically states. But on the receipt of
the lyric it has always been found necessary to
It is witn no small aegree or grautic&i.iOu mat augment this 10 per cent commission by a fee
we record the first results of our campaign of $10 in cash, which as a personal circular let-
against the bogus music publishing industry ter subsequently explains, "prevents the few un-
which we have waged with unceasing energy. scrupulous individuals from taking advantage of
Marked copies of The Review which have been me, and is fair to all concerned." In return for
sent to the Post Office authorities both at Wash- this sum the song writer president furnishes the
ington and New York resulted last week in music written by one of the "coterie of musi-
the issuance of a fraud order against another cians" with which he has surrounded himself
one of the concerns complained of which is now and also solicits the publishing houses with a
denied the use of the mails. Nor has The Re- view to placing the song on the market.
view contented itself with exposing the ways and
Some Interesting Misrepresentation.
means of these tricksters and submitting them
So interesting is the booklet to which we have
to the postal authorities. Evidence has been referred that we have no hesitation in quoting
taken to the District Attorney's office in an en- from it extensively. Here are some of the
deavor to bring these trade parasites to a reali- pointers in this lexicon of song writing: "I
zation that the law is a dangerous thing to tam- stand ready to help all aspiring song writers in
per with. In the meantime the postal authori- case I find their work acceptable. . . . While
ties have given us their assurance that they will the words are the foundation for the music it is
in future watch out for the illegitimate concerns a well-known fact that you cannot write good
and give them short shrift when detected. So music to poor words. . . . If you have not
far so good.
already done so, send me some of your work and
/ will give you my honest opinion of it (the ital-
A Song Writer in the Game.
It is with a sense of shame that we are now ics are ours). . . . I am personally acquainted
called upon to deal with a booklet issued by a with all the big music publishers and many of
well-known song writer, in which he tells "as their employes, and when I present a song to
simply and clearly as possible," how it was that them it receives the attention it deserves, for
he became a song writer; how he writes a song, they knoiv I would not handle a piece unless it
"the method of placing a piece on the market" had merit (again the italics are ours). . . .
. . "and many interesting facts regarding the These men (i. e., the publishers) long ago
music business." On the back page of this book- learned that I will take hold of nothing unless I
let are enumerated some nineteen songs, all of am reasonably certain of making a success of it.
which have met with some degree of success. . . . Poetical talent is not limited to any one
This information is cited to show that the song class, you find it among the rich and the poor,
writer in question has had enough experience to high and low, anywhere nature has seen fit to
know a passable lyric from a meaningless string implant the power. It is my business to dis-
of words. For some considerable time past this cover these true poems no matter from whom
man, as the president of a company bearing his they come. . . . As I have already said, the
name, has been advertising for lyrics written by first song which I wrote netted me $5,000. In
aspiring authors for whose "guide" his booklet this I was extremely fortunate, for usually the
was apparently written. In soliciting these first effort of a song writer does not bring him
"poems" he asks as remuneration for his serv- more than $500 or $600 (once again the italics
are ours). I am telling you this so that if your
song i3 accepted you will not be disappointed
when you find that your profits at first are con-
siderably less than mine were."
COMMENTS B Y - „
An "Honest Opinion."
We have shown this song writer to be a self-
constituted adviser of aspiring members of the
song writing craft. We now take him on his
merits as a critic. For this we quote but one
instance of an "hone3t opinion" given by him
of a "poem" which we reproduce in part. In a
circular letter dated March 9, 1907, printed in
imitation typewriting and filled in a t the requi-
site points with a typewriting machine having a
peculiarly blurred A, we find the following criti-
cism of the "lyric," part of which we print be-
low. "I am in receipt of your song poems and
thank you for submitting them to me for con-
sideration. After a most careful examination I
find that while all of them are good one of your
poems possesses exceptional merit, and is espe-
cially worthy of a good musical arrangement.
The general construction of the piece is excel-
lent and the theme is one which contains that
element of human interest that usually attracts
and holds the ear of the music loving public. In
fact, I am confident that if given a suitable musi-
cal setting the piece would be accepted by one
of the music publishers of New York. The poem
which I refer to is, "They'd Better Go and
Get Married" (the title is filled in by the above-
mentioned blurred typewriting machine). Below
we present part of the lyric which has "that ele-
ment of human interest that usually attracts and
holds the ear of the music loving public," quoted
verbatim as criticized and accepted for subse-
quent publication by this song writing shark
and reprinted by permission of the author, who
owns the copyright. "They'd Better Go and Get
Married and Make Their Sweetheart their Wife."
Some fellows aren't married ; yot have a let of nmn.
They siport around and blow It In, and thinks they're
having fun,
These fellows hain't no sense at all,
And you kin .jest bet your life.
They'd better g<> and get married.
And make their sweetheart their wife.
M'KINLEY 10'MUSIC
FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER
are the publishers of all the songs
SUNG BY
HARRY LAUDER
and all the successful songs
SUNG BY
VESTA VICTORIA
LIVE DEALERS RIGHT NOW ARE
Costs You 3 Cents
Write To-Day for Samples and Special Offer
McKINLEY MUSIC GO.
WM. McKINLEY, Pns.
158 Harrison St., Chicago
74 5th Avc, N. Y.
VICTOR KREMER CO.
REALIZING PROFITS SELLING COPIES OF
CHICAGO
152 Lake Street
THE MOST POPULAR
MANDOLIN FOLIO
NEW YORK
1431 Broadway
PUBLISHERS
Published in the following books
"Under the Tropical Moon," "Won't You
Let Me Put My Arms Around You,"
"Cinderella," Inst. and Song.
"Not Be-
cause Your Hair Is Curly," "Will the
Angels Let Me Play," "Paddy," "Can You
Keep a Secret," "Vanity Fair," "I Never
Can Forget You Dear," Kremer's Mandolin
Folio, No. 1, etc., etc.
1st Mandolin dist 5Oc Introductory 20c
2d Mandolin " 5Oc
"
" 20c
Guitar Ace.
" 5Oc
"
20o
Piano Ace.
" 5Oc
"
22'Ao
t3?~Send for complete descriptive circular and
thematic booklet. Don't delay. Write at once.
NEW YORK 15 West 30th St. NEW YORK
HINDS, NOBLE <& ELDR.EDGE
SPECIAL TO THE TRADE!
THE NEW YORK PRESS UNANIMOUS IN DECLARING THAT THE FOUR BIGGEST
HITS OF CHAUNCEY OLCOTT'S CAREER ARE IN "O'NEILL OF DERRY/'
FOR
THIRTY DAYS OINL.Y
31-33-35 West I5tK Street, New York City
These 1907 Song Hita at 10c. per copy or $10 per hundred.
"EVERYONE IS IN SLUMBERLAND BUT YOU AND M L "
"TWINKLING STAR."
u
SWEETHEARTS MAY COME AND SWEETHEARTS
MAY GO."
"WHERE THE JESSAMINE IS BLOOMING, FAR AWAY."
Instrumental
P A U L A VAL.SE C A P R I C B
will pay you to keep in touch with us. Write to-day
TIIEBES-STKRLIN MUSIC CO., SI. Lonis, Mo.
Michael McGinnity
A R o s e of O l d D e r r y
Every Star Falls In Love With Its Mate
AND
O-n-e
L-i-t-t-1-e, S-w-e-e-t L-i-t-t-1-e G-i-r-1
'Almost as gummy as the waltz in the'Merry Widow.'"
—ASH TON STEVENS in The Evening Journal.
PREPARE FOR THE CERTAIN DEMAND
BY ORDERING NOW
Published by M. W I T M A R K @L SONS—Chicago,
New York,
London
THE: MUfelC TftA£>E
ices a commission of 10 per cent, of any royalty
which may thereafter accrue on the song when
published, agreeing to furnish "proper music"
for any lyrics accepted. At least this is what the
booklet specifically states. But on the receipt of
the lyric it has always been found necessary to
It is witn no small aegree or grautic&i.iOu mat augment this 10 per cent commission by a fee
we record the first results of our campaign of $10 in cash, which as a personal circular let-
against the bogus music publishing industry ter subsequently explains, "prevents the few un-
which we have waged with unceasing energy. scrupulous individuals from taking advantage of
Marked copies of The Review which have been me, and is fair to all concerned." In return for
sent to the Post Office authorities both at Wash- this sum the song writer president furnishes the
ington and New York resulted last week in music written by one of the "coterie of musi-
the issuance of a fraud order against another cians" with which he has surrounded himself
one of the concerns complained of which is now and also solicits the publishing houses with a
denied the use of the mails. Nor has The Re- view to placing the song on the market.
view contented itself with exposing the ways and
Some Interesting Misrepresentation.
means of these tricksters and submitting them
So interesting is the booklet to which we have
to the postal authorities. Evidence has been referred that we have no hesitation in quoting
taken to the District Attorney's office in an en- from it extensively. Here are some of the
deavor to bring these trade parasites to a reali- pointers in this lexicon of song writing: "I
zation that the law is a dangerous thing to tam- stand ready to help all aspiring song writers in
per with. In the meantime the postal authori- case I find their work acceptable. . . . While
ties have given us their assurance that they will the words are the foundation for the music it is
in future watch out for the illegitimate concerns a well-known fact that you cannot write good
and give them short shrift when detected. So music to poor words. . . . If you have not
far so good.
already done so, send me some of your work and
/ will give you my honest opinion of it (the ital-
A Song Writer in the Game.
It is with a sense of shame that we are now ics are ours). . . . I am personally acquainted
called upon to deal with a booklet issued by a with all the big music publishers and many of
well-known song writer, in which he tells "as their employes, and when I present a song to
simply and clearly as possible," how it was that them it receives the attention it deserves, for
he became a song writer; how he writes a song, they knoiv I would not handle a piece unless it
"the method of placing a piece on the market" had merit (again the italics are ours). . . .
. . "and many interesting facts regarding the These men (i. e., the publishers) long ago
music business." On the back page of this book- learned that I will take hold of nothing unless I
let are enumerated some nineteen songs, all of am reasonably certain of making a success of it.
which have met with some degree of success. . . . Poetical talent is not limited to any one
This information is cited to show that the song class, you find it among the rich and the poor,
writer in question has had enough experience to high and low, anywhere nature has seen fit to
know a passable lyric from a meaningless string implant the power. It is my business to dis-
of words. For some considerable time past this cover these true poems no matter from whom
man, as the president of a company bearing his they come. . . . As I have already said, the
name, has been advertising for lyrics written by first song which I wrote netted me $5,000. In
aspiring authors for whose "guide" his booklet this I was extremely fortunate, for usually the
was apparently written. In soliciting these first effort of a song writer does not bring him
"poems" he asks as remuneration for his serv- more than $500 or $600 (once again the italics
are ours). I am telling you this so that if your
song i3 accepted you will not be disappointed
when you find that your profits at first are con-
siderably less than mine were."
COMMENTS B Y - „
An "Honest Opinion."
We have shown this song writer to be a self-
constituted adviser of aspiring members of the
song writing craft. We now take him on his
merits as a critic. For this we quote but one
instance of an "hone3t opinion" given by him
of a "poem" which we reproduce in part. In a
circular letter dated March 9, 1907, printed in
imitation typewriting and filled in a t the requi-
site points with a typewriting machine having a
peculiarly blurred A, we find the following criti-
cism of the "lyric," part of which we print be-
low. "I am in receipt of your song poems and
thank you for submitting them to me for con-
sideration. After a most careful examination I
find that while all of them are good one of your
poems possesses exceptional merit, and is espe-
cially worthy of a good musical arrangement.
The general construction of the piece is excel-
lent and the theme is one which contains that
element of human interest that usually attracts
and holds the ear of the music loving public. In
fact, I am confident that if given a suitable musi-
cal setting the piece would be accepted by one
of the music publishers of New York. The poem
which I refer to is, "They'd Better Go and
Get Married" (the title is filled in by the above-
mentioned blurred typewriting machine). Below
we present part of the lyric which has "that ele-
ment of human interest that usually attracts and
holds the ear of the music loving public," quoted
verbatim as criticized and accepted for subse-
quent publication by this song writing shark
and reprinted by permission of the author, who
owns the copyright. "They'd Better Go and Get
Married and Make Their Sweetheart their Wife."
Some fellows aren't married ; yot have a let of nmn.
They siport around and blow It In, and thinks they're
having fun,
These fellows hain't no sense at all,
And you kin .jest bet your life.
They'd better g<> and get married.
And make their sweetheart their wife.
M'KINLEY 10'MUSIC
FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER
are the publishers of all the songs
SUNG BY
HARRY LAUDER
and all the successful songs
SUNG BY
VESTA VICTORIA
LIVE DEALERS RIGHT NOW ARE
Costs You 3 Cents
Write To-Day for Samples and Special Offer
McKINLEY MUSIC GO.
WM. McKINLEY, Pns.
158 Harrison St., Chicago
74 5th Avc, N. Y.
VICTOR KREMER CO.
REALIZING PROFITS SELLING COPIES OF
CHICAGO
152 Lake Street
THE MOST POPULAR
MANDOLIN FOLIO
NEW YORK
1431 Broadway
PUBLISHERS
Published in the following books
"Under the Tropical Moon," "Won't You
Let Me Put My Arms Around You,"
"Cinderella," Inst. and Song.
"Not Be-
cause Your Hair Is Curly," "Will the
Angels Let Me Play," "Paddy," "Can You
Keep a Secret," "Vanity Fair," "I Never
Can Forget You Dear," Kremer's Mandolin
Folio, No. 1, etc., etc.
1st Mandolin dist 5Oc Introductory 20c
2d Mandolin " 5Oc
"
" 20c
Guitar Ace.
" 5Oc
"
20o
Piano Ace.
" 5Oc
"
22'Ao
t3?~Send for complete descriptive circular and
thematic booklet. Don't delay. Write at once.
NEW YORK 15 West 30th St. NEW YORK
HINDS, NOBLE <& ELDR.EDGE
SPECIAL TO THE TRADE!
THE NEW YORK PRESS UNANIMOUS IN DECLARING THAT THE FOUR BIGGEST
HITS OF CHAUNCEY OLCOTT'S CAREER ARE IN "O'NEILL OF DERRY/'
FOR
THIRTY DAYS OINL.Y
31-33-35 West I5tK Street, New York City
These 1907 Song Hita at 10c. per copy or $10 per hundred.
"EVERYONE IS IN SLUMBERLAND BUT YOU AND M L "
"TWINKLING STAR."
u
SWEETHEARTS MAY COME AND SWEETHEARTS
MAY GO."
"WHERE THE JESSAMINE IS BLOOMING, FAR AWAY."
Instrumental
P A U L A VAL.SE C A P R I C B
will pay you to keep in touch with us. Write to-day
TIIEBES-STKRLIN MUSIC CO., SI. Lonis, Mo.
Michael McGinnity
A R o s e of O l d D e r r y
Every Star Falls In Love With Its Mate
AND
O-n-e
L-i-t-t-1-e, S-w-e-e-t L-i-t-t-1-e G-i-r-1
'Almost as gummy as the waltz in the'Merry Widow.'"
—ASH TON STEVENS in The Evening Journal.
PREPARE FOR THE CERTAIN DEMAND
BY ORDERING NOW
Published by M. W I T M A R K @L SONS—Chicago,
New York,
London
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).