Radio revue (Dec 1929-Mar 1930)

44 RADIO REVUE THE BIG TEN Best Selling Popular Songs of the Month RADIO floods the country's homes with music and brings the popular songs of the day before the public as does no other medium. In fact, most of these songs become popular in proportion to the extent to which they please radio listeners. Each month Radio Revue prints here the names of the ten best selling popular songs of the month. For the past month, as compared with the previous month, it is interesting to note that Sin gin' in the Rain, which had topped the list, has dropped to fifth place. The two song hits of the Gold Diggers of Broadway, Tiptoe Through the Tulips and Painting the Clouds with Sunshine, have moved from second and third places to first and second places respectively. Loie Me has advanced from tenth place to seventh. It is interesting to note that six of last month's Big Ten have dropped out of the group entirely. Such stand-bys as Am I Blue?, Pagan Love Song, Lovable and Siveet, Song of the Nile, Little by Little and Sleepy Valley have been replaced by // / Had a Talking Picture of Yon, Love, My Sweeter than Sweet, My Fate Is in Your Hands, I'm a Dreamer; Aren't We All? and A Little Kiss Each Morning. This demonstrates how quickly the American taste in popular music changes. 1 . Tiptoe Through the Tulips from Gold Diggers of Broadway. 2. Painting the Clouds with Sunshine from Gold Diggers of Broadway. 3. If I Had a Talking Picture of You from Sit ii n y Side Up. 4. Love from The Trespasser. 5. Singin' in the Rain from Hollywood Rente. 6. My Sweeter Than Sweet from Sweetie. 7. Love Me 8. My Fate is in Your Hands 9. I'm a Dreamer; Aren't We All? 10. A Little Kiss Each Morning from The Vagabond Lover. Another notable fact is that last month, of the ten best selling songs listed, nine were' theme songs from talking pictures, whereas this month's list contains only seven theme songs in the first ten. This may mean that the theme-song idea has about run its course and that we shall shortly see a reversion to the old order. Browne and His Banjo Moulded Career Together (Continued from page 20) shadow." Unable to do real work because of his condition, he turned to the lecture platform. He travelled throughout the East delivering his talk, "Six Months With Uncle Sam," in which he embodied all the elements of drama so that each listener would feel that his fifty cents was wisely spent. When it appeared to Browne that every one who so desired had heard his lecture, he decided to seek a career in politics. That was in 1900. He lost. No more political aspirations. But the odds had been decidedly against Browne. He spoke for William Jennings Bryan. Then he turned to the "boards" in an effort to elevate the American stage. He found it a difficult task, but for twenty-five years he continued in his efforts. Whatever he has done for the theatre, he believes that it has done much for him in return. During the last ten years he has played every conceivable kind of a part in comedy, drama and tragedy, and for four seasons has had prominent parts in musical comedies. He appeared as leading man with Lillian Russell, Mary Ryan, Rose Stahl, Frances Starr, Edith Taliaferro and Irene Bordoni. Only a short time ago he appeared in the leading role of Channing Pollock's "The Fool', succeeding James Kirkwood. His last engagement in the theatre was the portrayal of the Rev. Morrel in the Actor's Theatre production of "Candida", by Bernard Shaw. Acted With Early Movie Stars Browne also was with many of the stars in their earlier moving picture successes. He played opposite Mary Pickford when her now shorn curls were just coming into prominence. One of his last appearances was with Constance Talmadge in "Scandal". Between these two pictures he had feature roles with Mae Murray, Hazel Dawn and Corinne Griffith. All this while the banjo was hibernating. Finally the opportunity came. The Columbia Phonograph Co. offered him a contract to record his numbers with his own accompaniment. In January, 1926, George Harrison Phelps saw great radio possibilities in this versatile man and offered him the management of Station WGHP, in Detroit. Browne and his wife deliberated as to the possibilities of the "Air" and finally decided to leave the good ship Drama for the shores of Radioland. There he was an instantaneous success. In August, 1927, he joined the Columbia Broadcasting System, at the suggestion of Major Andrew White. Here his years of experience in the dramatic and musical lines stood him in good stead. He originated and produced the Cap'n Kid program, in which he was the "Old Rascal" himself. He later portrayed the Cap'n in the Buccaneers and his singing in the opening chorus was a feature. Browne takes a hand in everything from announcing — he was known to the radio public as the "Voice of Columbia"— to heavy "Mellerdrammer" in his "Hank Simmons's Showboat", one of radio's most popular programs, now in its fifteenth month over the Columbia chain.