Music Trade Review
Issue: 1931 Vol. 90 N. 10 - Page 35
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
October,
AL DUBIN MAKES EARNEST PLEA FOR
THE SONG WRITER IN RADIO ADDRESS
STRONG plea for the song writer
and the returns to which he is entitled
because of his efforts in producing
melodies to entertain and amuse the public
was made recently by Al Dubin, the noted
lyricist, in a speech broadcast over KFWB,
the Warner Bros, station in Hollywood.
Mr. Dubin pointed out that the song writer's
income was derived from sales of sheet
music and records and that he could not
live OR applause alone. In the course of his
talk Mr. Dubin said:
"There has been an inclination on the
part of some, particularly the press, to
ridicule and resent the boys from Tin Pan
Alky. Why this should be is really hard
to understand.
Song-writers do not pro-
fess to be profound composers or poets, they
are merely makers of music and words that
were meant to please your ear. They are
happy-go-lucky minstrels who sing songs
that they may bring you a smile when
you're weary or bring you a moment of con-
solation when you feel a bit miserable.
Song-writing surely is an honorable pro-
fession if it succeeds in doing that. And
the knowledge that thousands derive a few
minutes of pleasure occasionally playing and
singing your song is certainly gratifying
and a compensation in itself. The knowl-
edge that millions stop nightly to listen
to your song on the radio and enjoy doing
so is a reward that can be gained in very
few professions. This leads us to a very
A
35
1931
interesting point. Do you who are listen-
ing in realize that the average song-writer's
earnings in dollars and cents today are
scarcely enough for him to make ends
meet? Would you believe that the general
run of song-writers of the present day have
to struggle for a living?
Of course the
much-mentioned depression has something
to do with it, but that is not the principal
and underlying cause.
The fact is, you
people are no longer buying sheet music and
phonograph records. You still enjoy your
music through the very satisfactory and
wonderful medium of the radio, and that
music is still being composed for you as
fast and as well as ever, but the song-
writers are losing the income they used to
get through the sales of sheet music and
records. So let me make this plea to you
who can play and sing,—don't neglect your
piano, your ukulele of your phonograph,—
buy a copy or a record occasionally, sing
them, play them like you used to, you once
enjoyed doing it and so did your friends.
If you have children see that they get music
lessons and when they grow up you know
they will be grateful to you for it.
"Every time you hear a song on the
air or in the theatre remember this—the
writers of that song will not be paid for
their creation unless someone buys a copy.
I'm not asking you to shoulder the burden
of the song-writer, for after all he means
very little in your scheme of things, but
keep the thought in back of your mind that
if you have someone in your home who can
sing or play, a copy of some new song
brought home once in a while is bound to
bring its moments of enjoyment and will
spur the writers of our land to better efforts
for your edification."
SHEET MUSIC SECTION
BRINGS 25% OF SALES
{Continued from page 9)
customers that otherwise we would never con-
tact. My experience with the attitude of
other dealers is that a sheet music department
is generally regarded more as courtesy
measure than as a guide to instrument sales.
Perhaps it is because few dealers can see
anything relative between a 25 cent sale in
the sheet music department and a $150 sale
on the radio sales floor. We have found,
however, that the 25 cent sheet music cus-
tomer is one of the most likely of radio
prospects. A large sheet music department
brings more, and more frequent, customers to
the store than anv other sales activitv."
E. H. Morris on the Coast
E. H. Morris, vice-president of Music
Publishers Holding Corp., organization unit
of Warner Bros, music companies, left for
the West Coast on September 13, to be away
about a month. Mr. Morris will be oc-
cupied with music as applied to pictures and
will confer with the Warner music com-
panies' sales representatives on the Coast.
NEW LINES
NEW PEP
If you plan to add new lines, enlarge
your present stocks, or make changes
in lines now handled, let THE REVIEW
help you
We shall be glad to put you in quick touch with manufacturers and wholesalers of the
products you desire whether pianos, band orchestra instruments, radios, sheet music,
accessories or general merchandise. We will see that you are supplied with catalogs,
general literature and other information for your guidance—and without obligation
JUST WRITE SERVICE DEPARTMENT
•
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
420 LEXINGTON AVE.
NEW YORK
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
October,
AL DUBIN MAKES EARNEST PLEA FOR
THE SONG WRITER IN RADIO ADDRESS
STRONG plea for the song writer
and the returns to which he is entitled
because of his efforts in producing
melodies to entertain and amuse the public
was made recently by Al Dubin, the noted
lyricist, in a speech broadcast over KFWB,
the Warner Bros, station in Hollywood.
Mr. Dubin pointed out that the song writer's
income was derived from sales of sheet
music and records and that he could not
live OR applause alone. In the course of his
talk Mr. Dubin said:
"There has been an inclination on the
part of some, particularly the press, to
ridicule and resent the boys from Tin Pan
Alky. Why this should be is really hard
to understand.
Song-writers do not pro-
fess to be profound composers or poets, they
are merely makers of music and words that
were meant to please your ear. They are
happy-go-lucky minstrels who sing songs
that they may bring you a smile when
you're weary or bring you a moment of con-
solation when you feel a bit miserable.
Song-writing surely is an honorable pro-
fession if it succeeds in doing that. And
the knowledge that thousands derive a few
minutes of pleasure occasionally playing and
singing your song is certainly gratifying
and a compensation in itself. The knowl-
edge that millions stop nightly to listen
to your song on the radio and enjoy doing
so is a reward that can be gained in very
few professions. This leads us to a very
A
35
1931
interesting point. Do you who are listen-
ing in realize that the average song-writer's
earnings in dollars and cents today are
scarcely enough for him to make ends
meet? Would you believe that the general
run of song-writers of the present day have
to struggle for a living?
Of course the
much-mentioned depression has something
to do with it, but that is not the principal
and underlying cause.
The fact is, you
people are no longer buying sheet music and
phonograph records. You still enjoy your
music through the very satisfactory and
wonderful medium of the radio, and that
music is still being composed for you as
fast and as well as ever, but the song-
writers are losing the income they used to
get through the sales of sheet music and
records. So let me make this plea to you
who can play and sing,—don't neglect your
piano, your ukulele of your phonograph,—
buy a copy or a record occasionally, sing
them, play them like you used to, you once
enjoyed doing it and so did your friends.
If you have children see that they get music
lessons and when they grow up you know
they will be grateful to you for it.
"Every time you hear a song on the
air or in the theatre remember this—the
writers of that song will not be paid for
their creation unless someone buys a copy.
I'm not asking you to shoulder the burden
of the song-writer, for after all he means
very little in your scheme of things, but
keep the thought in back of your mind that
if you have someone in your home who can
sing or play, a copy of some new song
brought home once in a while is bound to
bring its moments of enjoyment and will
spur the writers of our land to better efforts
for your edification."
SHEET MUSIC SECTION
BRINGS 25% OF SALES
{Continued from page 9)
customers that otherwise we would never con-
tact. My experience with the attitude of
other dealers is that a sheet music department
is generally regarded more as courtesy
measure than as a guide to instrument sales.
Perhaps it is because few dealers can see
anything relative between a 25 cent sale in
the sheet music department and a $150 sale
on the radio sales floor. We have found,
however, that the 25 cent sheet music cus-
tomer is one of the most likely of radio
prospects. A large sheet music department
brings more, and more frequent, customers to
the store than anv other sales activitv."
E. H. Morris on the Coast
E. H. Morris, vice-president of Music
Publishers Holding Corp., organization unit
of Warner Bros, music companies, left for
the West Coast on September 13, to be away
about a month. Mr. Morris will be oc-
cupied with music as applied to pictures and
will confer with the Warner music com-
panies' sales representatives on the Coast.
NEW LINES
NEW PEP
If you plan to add new lines, enlarge
your present stocks, or make changes
in lines now handled, let THE REVIEW
help you
We shall be glad to put you in quick touch with manufacturers and wholesalers of the
products you desire whether pianos, band orchestra instruments, radios, sheet music,
accessories or general merchandise. We will see that you are supplied with catalogs,
general literature and other information for your guidance—and without obligation
JUST WRITE SERVICE DEPARTMENT
•
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
420 LEXINGTON AVE.
NEW YORK
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