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February 19, 1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 17 PAUL DRESSER WROTE "BANKS OF THE WABASH" Novelist Drducr is Author of the Great Ballad—Scores of Other Claimants Heard From. There is something fascinating in the writing of a popular song hit. Just what it is few can tell, but the fact remains that scattered throughout the country are thousands of people whose sole ambition in life is to write one of the big hits. So strong ia this ambition that it frequently ' overcomes the sense of right and wrong, and after a few vain attempts to put over a popular song hit-the claim of haying • written one of the big successes for some well-known writer , is put forth. - Some poorly informed newspaper writer can usually he found to advertise the fact with the result that for every one of the big popular song hits published fully a score of writers, some of them entirely unknown to the world of music, have arisen to claim it. • "The Banks of the Wabash," the bis hit of the late Baul Dresser, is the latest song to come under, discussion. - Dresser has •.,'■ been dead for more than ten years, and now a novelist, Theodore Dreisscr, ia an- nounced as the writer of its. words. A dairy newspaper seems to have-interested itself in the matter and boldly states that "There is little doubt but that Dreisser wrote the words." Those familiar with the song and its history smile at the claim, but. the fact remains that an attempt to take 'credit from the great- song writer is being ■ made. ' ' r . ~ * ■■ • Charles K. Harris wrote "After 'the - Ball," and scarcely -a year -passes - that * -some "obscure person'does not arise and calmly announce himself as the author and composer of the famous popular success. When Irving Berlin was in the-army a .young man boldly called on a number Of the music publishers and stated that he .-: -was the composer' of all of the Berlin 'successes and that he had allowed Irving to put his name on the same in return for - ! a small sum of money. One of the big publishers, with a little '-"spare time to spend, took the young man into his office and, after listening to the tale' invited him to write a number, just a hurried little piece. And the writer igno- miniously flopped. He couldn't write a I line, and this would undoubtedly be the experience of most of the other claimants if put to the test. The Dresser case is particularly un- fortunate in view of the fact that the great writer, deadc these many years, left . nothing but his songs behind him. The advertising of any of the claimants to authorship of any of his works should be - discouraged. SONGWRITER DONATES ROYALTIES Seneca G. Lewis, general manager of the Pennsylvania Rubber Co., an amateur composer and songwriter, has since the war written and marketed a number of compositions, the proceeds from the sales of which he has contributed to the New York Sun Tobacco Fund. His total contribution from the sales of the numbers, together with a gift from his club, has amounted to $12,245. "HINDU ROSe?'_ A_NEW NOVELTY J" "'.'Hindu Rose".is a new novelty song ' number by Louis Weslyn and Neil Moret, published by the Daniels and Wilson Com- pany of San Francisco and New York. The song is a travesty on the present craze for. Oriental music, and is a splendid com- edy idea with an extremely catchy mel- ody.' The originality of ""Hindu Hose" marks it as a song that is in a class by itself. CARROLL WRITING SCENARIOS Earl Carroll, the song writer, is at work ' on a number of motion picture scenarios. ..■"-" ;i i .-. B356ii,'*a« .-. . 5pf$ ■' ■;•,-.: „:.-. ■'": -■-. •;-':■ . •..•• .»;•.• EUROPE BACK FROM FRANCE "Jimmie" Europe, the colored song- writer and composer who organized a band of colored musicians and went to France over a year ago, ia back with a Lieuten- ant's bars on his shoulders and the reputa- tion of having done'more to-popularise Yankee tunes in France than any Amer- ican. - - Europe and his band of musicians made a specialty of playing ragtime and Jaxi tunes, and within .a.few months after his arrival had all France whistling and sing- ing the Broadway-hits. • BALLADS AGAIN LEAD IN POPULAR FAVOR MILLS CHANGES HIS MIND Jack Hills, professional manager of the McCarthy & Fisher Co., has changed his mind about going into vaudeville. Mills, who had a route at an attractive salary offered him took a look at the acts of one or two of the music men now appearing in vaudeville and phoned his agent and called the tour off. ■»> "Vaudeville has stood for too" much al- ready,'' said Mills, as he returned to his work in the professional department. JAMES CASEY CLOSES OFFICES James Casey, the songwriter and music publisher,, has closed his offices in the Forty-fifth Street Exchange Building and has.returned to his home in Seattle. Casey is the head of the Echo Music Co., a publishing concern with headquar- ters'.in Seattle, and Casey will;in future operate the business from the western office. CHAPPELL GETS SOUSA MARCH Chappell & Co. have secured the publi- cation rights to the new Li. John Philip Sousa march, "The Golden Star," a num- ber which the composer writes he consid- ers his masterpiece. The Lieutenant's dedi- cation of the new march is "In memory of the brave who gave their lives that liberty shall not perish." CADDIGAN HAS ANOTHER HIT In "Salvation Lassie of Mine," Jack Caddigan, writer of the big success, "Rose of No Man's-Land," has another hit. The new song, although but a few weeks old, is one of the best sellers in the big Leo Feist, Inc., catalogue. FEIST NOVELTY SCORES HIT "Johnny's In Town," a new novelty song recently issued by the Leo Feist house, has scored one of the quickest hits on record. Eddie Cantor, singing it in the Ziegfeld show, said recently, "It is the biggest hit I ever sang." "KISSES" FEATURED BY QUARTETTE "Kisses," the big McCarthy ft. Fisher song hit, is being successfully featured by "The Four of Us," one of vaudeville's best singing quartets. The act is now in the middle west playing the big time. CLEVER NOVELTY RELEASED The Gilbert ft Friedland Co. has re- leased a clever novelty number entitled "Bring Back Those Wonderful Days," a new song by Nat Vincent and Darl Mac- Boyle. BENNY BLOOM OUT OF THE NAVY Benny Bloom, who was a member of the Jerome H. Remick ft Co. professional staff before he enlisted in the navy, has re- ceived his discharge. He is now connected with the Harry A Shea Vaudeville Agency. AL. LEYTON HAS NEW JOB AL Ley ton, formerly with the William Jerome Music Co., is now with the Gil- bert ft Friedland Co. .COLEMAN GOETZ IS ILL Coleman Goetx, the songwriter, is ill at his home in Buffalo, suffering from a nerv- ous breakdown- Big Change ia Public Taste Daring Part Few Months Novelties Popular Bat Ballads Lead ia Sales A big change in the public taste fori songs has been noted within the past few months. While it was expected that with' the ending of the war, the soldier and camp songs would be replaced by another type of composition, it was hardly thought' possible that the public would swing back to. the old-fashioned ballad. That, however, ia just what has hap- pened, and 'the publishers who have In their catalogues meritorious songs of this nature are doing a great business-with them. Novelty and comedy gongs, while scoring big successes in the theatres, are . taking second place on the counters of . the music and five- and ten-cent stores. '. While it is too early to predict the end. of ragtime songs, it is an assured fact that the ballad is fast replacing them in the public taste, even in the big cities where' novelties and up-to-date minute songs have the call. Singers, who a' few months ago could not-be prevailed upon to learn a ballad, much less to put it in their act, are look- ing for just this type of song, and a good number can easily be placed with the best singing acts.. IRVING BERLIN AT PALM BEACH Irving Berlin, back in citizen's clothes, is at Palm Beach, Fla., on a month's va- cation. ' The'war ia but a memory to-Ber- lin, who is grinding out a big collection of songs which publishers will doubtless have the chance of bidding for in the^/near .future. J NOT THE SAME MORSE '.. The Ted Morse, who has been appointed.. St. Louis manager for the United" Pic- . tures Company at a big salary last week, is not Ted Morse, the, composer and song- writer, 'The composer is still with the Feist house. NELSON SIGNS WITH WTTMARKS John L. Nelson, the composer, who has recently returned* from France where be has been entertaining. «4he soldiers, has signed a contract to write "exclusively for M. Witmark A.'Sttna. '■, HARMS CO. TO OPEN OFFICES The T. B. Harms Co. W'planning to open professional offices somewhere in the the- atrical district early next month, and will commence a campaign in connection with a number of new compositions. MORRAY MOVES OFFICES' Edward Morray, who purchased the catalogue of the late P. J. Howley,- has moved into offices in the Forty-fifth Street Exchange Building. BLANCHE MERRILL WITH HARMS Blanche Merrill has signed a contract with the T. B. Harms Co., by the terms of which tins firm win publish all'her writ- ings for a term'of years. '• MAX JOSEPHSON IS DEAD Max Josephson, the theatrical attorney, who also represented a number of the prominent .music publishers, died on Fri- day of rjueumjonia. *iM* '*\\: S- HARBS OPENS IN CHICAGO The T. 5. Harm* Co. has opened offices in the Woods' Theatre building, Chicago. Walter Hirseh has been appointed western manager, for the firm. '.« ROCKWELL BACK WITH STASNY Will Rockwell, who received his dis- charge from the army last week, U back with the Stasay Co. BALL HAS NEW SONGS After a toor that was even more suc- cessful than its predecessors, Ernest R. Bnll has returned to New York. Aa ia usual on such occasions, he has brought with him and delivered to his publishers, M. Witmark & Sons, a batch of brand new songs that are all m Bali's inimitable 'style, and "therefore potential popular hits of A No. 1 quality. Two of these novelties are now iu the press and avail- able for immediate use. As it seems quite a.long time since a new Ball ballad was available, this ia good news to his army of admirers on both aides of the footlights, His new ballad ia attractively entitled, "Today, Tomorrow and Forever," with lyric this rime by Mort Nathan. It ia a typical Ball ballad, than which it ia quits superfluous to say more. It's really one of the best and most singable and alto- gether most enjoyable 12/3 ballads he ever penned, with the smooth flow and fine rfim " he knows so well how to haedia -The other new Ball song now ready U a comedy, or rather a novelty number of distinctly Irish flavor, and here again Ball ia right in Ids element. This is "That's Why God Loves the Irish," with a capital lyric by John W. Bratton. If* a power- ful song in its way, too, and will undoubt- edly find a very wide circle of friends. There is no doubt that Ball ™«it.f.tn« his reputation /or knowing just how to hand the public what it wants and appreciates in both these songs, and thereby enable M. Witmark A Sons once more to romp past the post with flying colors. TED CARTON REOPENS OFFICES ! Ted Garfon, the'Boston songwriter, and head of the Ted Garton Music Co., of thai city, has been discharged from the United States service and has returned to the music field.". -Garton has reopened offices at No. 18J," Tremont street, and has en- gaged'a staff consisting of Charles Daly, . formerly "of the Shapiro house; Jack Lev- inson, far two years with Leo Feist, Inc.; ' Jack Kenney, Fred Swan and Sam Al- bert. Garton was particularly successful in the music business prior to going into the Government service, and published such well-known songs as "Belgium Rose" and "If I'm Not at the Roll Call," both of which were sold to Leo Feist, Inc.; "My Little Rambling Rose," disposed of to the Jos. W. Stern ft Co., and "My Little Gypsy Wanda," sold to the Shapiro Co. Garton re-enters the music publishing business with a catalog of new songs and instrumental publications. GEORGE HAS NEW PLAYS READY Charles George, writer of the music and lyrics of the musical comedy "My Soldier Girl," has two new musical plays ready for production next season. Both will he produced by prominent firms, and. will be presented by a cut which will -include some well-known musi- cal comedy favoritea.'^ SCHWARTZ IN VAUDEVILLE Jean Schwartz, the songwriter and com- poser, has accepted a few weeks* engage- ment in vaudeville- He will appear with Irene' Bordoni, playing her accompani- ments and also rendering a medley of his song hits. WOHLMAN OUT OF THE ARMY Dave "Workman has received ' his dis- charge from the army, and is hack in the pr o fessional department of the Gilbert ft Friedland Co. GTTZ-RICE TO JOIN Went. Gite-BJce, the soldier has filed his application for in the Lambs' Club. /HARRY BLOOM 01 FRISCO Harry Bloom is in San F rancisco, wl he has charge of the recently opened 1 Garthy ft Fisher office. ,.';.- --JV„_.. . ■•: ; :;.-