Variety (Sep 1936)

VTedneiidftyf SeptembeT: 2, 1936 M y s I c VARIETY 41 TOPPED iED MUSIC BI2 'Too Old to Dream' Last Year's Topper in Plugs, Sales — Only One Non- ,; picture Tune in First 5, *Gypsy Tea Room'—Old- ies Get Play morIe: piano users . .' Slight ray oi sunshine for the music business is disclosed by a com- parison of the acciunulated plugs which the leading tunes received In Ij93S with their sheet sales. The average copy turnover for the six Iciaders'in the performance'ansdysis for 1935, as prepared by the Amer- ican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, was somewhat above thfr level that prevailed in li934. With few exceptions, notably Tsle dt' CaprP and 'Red Sails in the Sun- set,* the analysis reveals that plugs dnd sales ran a close parallel course. Tfade attributes the heavier sales ikmong the plug leaders of 1935 more, ta the general business improvement !wbich prevailed last year tbian to the -possibility that radio had reached Its apex as a voracious eater-upper of mtisic material, and that .the public is beginning to turn hade in appre- ciable numbers to the piano. Plug leader for 1935, 'When I Grow Too Old ta Dream,* performed 29,161 times, accounted for practi- cally the same number of sheet sales as did 1934's performance ace, Xove in Bloom.' Each sold In round figures 500,000 copies. Similar situa- tion obtains for the No. 2 plug tune on the 1935 and 1934 lists. -ASCAP's 1935 setup accords second place to 'I'm in the Mood for Love,' with 6 Top '35 Songs Numbei: of sheet copies sold by the six tunes which got the largest number of plugs in 1935 follows: 'Too Old to Dream,' 500,000. ■•Mood For Love,' 200,000. 'Gypsy Tea Room,' 311,000. •Lullaby of B'way,' 125,000. •Cheek to Cheek,' 250,000. ♦What's the Reason?,' 160,000. 26,537 plugs. In 1934 'All I Do Is Dream of You' held the deuce spot with ASCAP, and the sales in both cases was around 200,000 copies each. It is in the sheet turnover for the next few tunes on the society's per- formance accumulation that the up- beat makes itself evident. ASCAP'S 1935 No. 3 song is 'In a. Little Gypsy Tea Room,' v/ith 25,228 plugs and a sale of 311,000 copies. In 1934 ASCAP gave this same spot to 'Carioca,' which netted a turnover of 100,000 copies. Last year's No, 4 pop song was 'Lullaby of Broadway,' with 24,864 performances and a net sheet disposal of-125,000 copies. For 1934 the ASCAP No. 4 time was 'The Very Thought of You,' which had a counter demand of 60,000 copies. Irving Ber- lin's 'Cheek to Cheek' drew No. 5 rating on the society's plug break- down for 1935 and capitalized on 250,000 copies. In 1934 the like slot Went to 'For All We Know,' which sold under 100,000 copies. Other smash sellers in 1935 were 'Red Sails in the Sunset,' 600,000 copies, and 'Isle of Capri,' 550,000 copies. Of the first five songs on 1935's plug accumulation, only one orig- inated from the purlieus of Tin Pan Alley. It was Joe Morris' 'In a Little Gypsy Tea Room.' In 1934 the non- picture tune was represented among the first quintet by two songs, 'The Very Thought of You' and 'For All We Know.' The first 10 of the 1935 list has the picture tunes predomi- nating by seven to three. Particularly of interest in ASCAP's latest plug analysis is showing made oy such older tunes as 'Tea for Two' (11,436 performances), 'I Got Radio Pe^onnances in 1 TITLE, FROM CLASS. 1, '^V■hen I Grow Too Old- to ■ ' Dream' 'The Nig-ht la Toune*..i.„ l^llm 2..'rm. In the Mood for Love'..... "Every Night ftt Bight'..... Kihn 3. 'In a Little Gypsy Tea Room' 4. 'LuUahy of Broad-\vay'. 'Gold Diggers of 1035' 6.'Cheek to Cheek'... 'Top Hat' 6. '"WTiat's the Reanon I'm Not Pleasln' You' 'TlmeB Square Lady'..,„,j 7. 'I'll Never Say INever Again' 8. 'And Then Some'. - fi. 'I Won't Dance' '. 'Roberta' Film Film Film 'Roberta' 14. 42. 43, 44. 46. 46. 64. 65. e«. B7, 68. 69. 00. 61. .10. 'Lovely to Look At' H. 'I Coulfln't relieve My Eyes'. 12. 'Chasing Shallows' 13. 'I've Got a Feelln' Tc're FooUn' 'B'way Mtlody of 1035'..„ Film 'You're AU J Need' i 'Lie Lik(^. Gentlemen' Film (Escapade) 15. 'Red Sails In the Sunset' : 18. 'Let's Swing It' i...'Barl Carroll's Sketch Book' Prod. 17. 'Lady In Red" 'In CaJlente'. Film 18. 'Truckln' ' ;. Twenty-sixth BdUlon of Cotton Club Parade Prod. 10. Top Hat, "White. Tie and Tails' 'To!^ Hat' Film 20. 'Lulu's Back in Town' 'B'way Gondolier' Film 21. 'Isn't This a Lovely Day' 'Top Hat'. Film . 32. 'Isle of Capri' 28. 'Anything Goes' 'Anything Goes' Prod, 24. 'Love and a Dime' 'Stags at Bay' ' Prod. 23. 'Footloose and Fancy Free' 20. 'She's a Latin from Manhattan' 'Go Into Your Dance' Film 27. 'Prom the Top of Your .Head'.. 'Two for Tonight'...' Film 28. 'On 'i'reasurj Island' , 20. 'Without a Word of Wattling'.. 'Two for Tonight' Film 80. 'Abont a Quarter to Nine' 'Go Into Your Dance'...... Film 81. 'I'm on a See-Saw' 'Jaok and JIU' Prod. 82. 'You and the Night and the Mugic' 'Revenge with Music'....., Prod'. 83. 'I Wished on the Mbou' 'Big Broadcast, 198S' Film 84. 'You Are My Lucky Star';..... 'B'way Melody of 1986'.... Film 85. Ttti Llvin' In a Great Big Way' 'Hurrah- for Love' Film 86. 'It's Easy to Remember' 'Mississippi' Film . 37.'You're the Top' .'Anything Goes' ...u. Film ft Prod. 88. 'I BeUeve ^n Miracles' „ .30.'Rose In Her Hair'......... 'B'way Gondolier' Film 40; 'I Was Lucky' 'Folles Bergere' Film 41.'I Found a Dream' ^Redheads on Para^de'i...... Film 'Love Is JuBt Around the Comer* 'Here Is My Heart' Film •1 Got Rhythm* 'Girl Crazy' Prod. 'You're a Heavenly Thing' 'Rhythm and Romance'..... 'It's- an Old Southern Custom'. 'B'way Scandals of 1935'... Tllm 47. 'No strings, I'm Fancy Free'..'Top Hat' Film 48, 'No Other One'.... • 40. 'Accent .on Youth'.. 'Accent on Yonth'.......... Film 60. 'Here Comes Cookie' 'Love In Bloom'...... Film 61. 'I Get a Kick Out of You' 'Anything Goes'. Prod. 62. 'Tell Ma That You Love Me' 63. 'Star Gazing' ; • '. 'You're So Darn Charming' •Believe It Beloved' ' • 'Fare Thee Wei), Antiabelle'...'Sweet Muisic'......... Film 'Blue Moon' 'Double Trouble' 'Big Broadcast of 1983' Film 'My Heart Is an-Open BooV.. 'Love in Bloom' Flliii 'June In January' Here Is My Heart' Film 'When ' a Oypsy Makes Hie . Violin Cry' : „„„ J..., 62. 'Little Bit Independent'... , ,..„ 63. 'Every Single Little Tingle of My Heart'.. , 64. 'Words Are In My Heart' 'Gold Diggers of 1036' Film ' 66. 'I Wish I Were Aladdin' 'Two for Tonight' Film 66. 'Broadway Rhythm' 'B'way Melody of 1935" Film 67. 'Flowers for Madame'........'Folles Bergere' Film 08. 'Plccollno' 'Top Hat' „ Film 69. 'Soon' 'Mississippi' Film 70. 'Sweet and ^ow' 71. 'Speak to Me of Love' '. 72. 'Serenade for a Wealthy Widow' 73. 'Here's to Romance' ; ..... 74. '2lng Went the Strings of My Heart' 'Thumbd Up* Prod. 73. 'That's What You Think' 'King Solomon of B'way',,. Film 76. 'Little White Gardenia' 'AH the King's Horses'.... Film 77. 'When Tour Heart's on Fire. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes'... 'Roberta' Film Prod. 78. TU Follow My Secret Heart'..'Conversation Piece'..,... Prod, 70. 'You Fit Into the Picture' 80. 'Life Is a Song' "No More Ladles' Film 81. 'Object of My AJIection' 'Times Square Lady* Film 82. 'Why Dream' 'Big Broadcast of 1035'.... Film 83. 'Everything's Been Done Be- fore' 'Reckless' Film 81. 'Singing a Happy Song' 'Folles Bergere" ' Film 85. 'I Feel a Song Comln' On'...'.. 'Every Nlpht at Eight' Film 86. 'Tea for Two' 'No, No, Nanette' Prod, 8T. Throwing Stones at the Sun' 88. 'Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle". „ ..... 80. 'Oh Suzanna, Dust Oft That Old Pianna' t 90. 'If the Moon Turns Green" 91. 'Get Rhythm In Your Feet'.... (Used In 'Frankie') Film 02. 'Love Me Forever' 'Love Me Forever' , Film 03. 'Eeoy, Mecny, Melny Moe' 'If You Were Mine' Film 04. 'With Every Breath I Take'..,. 'Here Is My Heart" ,.. Film 93. 'Would Tliere Be Love' 'Stolen Harmony" Film 00. 'St. Louis Blues 97.,'Hands Across the Table' 'Continental Varieties'...., Prod. 08. 'Thanks a Million' ., 'Thanks a Million' Film 00. 'Now You've Got Me Doing It' 100. 'Whose Honey Are You' ' " 101. 'I'm Sitting High On a Hilltop* "Thanks a Million'. Film 102. "East of the Sun' 'St^gs at Bay' Prod. 103. 'Seein' Is Bellevln" ' 104. 'When the Leaves Bid the Trees Good-bye" 10.1. 'Solitude" ; lUB. 'Ev'ry Day' '.Sweet Music' Film 107. 'According to the Moonlight".. G. White 'Scandals, 1930'., Film 108. 'We're Gonna Have Smooth Railing' 100. 'Woodlniid Echoes" 110. 'I'd Rather Listen to Your Eyes' 'Shipmates Forever* Film 111. 'All Through the Night' 'Anything Goes' Prod. 112. 'On the Good Ship Lollipop'.... Bright Eyes' ....Film AUTHORS. CREDITS. PUB. Film ft Prod. Film Romborg-Hammersteln w^., 20,101 McHugh-Flelds 26,.^87 Burke-LesUe 23,228 Watren-Dubln 24,864 Irving Berlin 24,134 . Tomlln-Hatch-Poe-Gfler ... 23,044 Harry Woods. 23,776 Lawnburst-Seymour 23,608 Hammersteln-Harbach-Kern Fields-McHugh-Eern Samuels-\Miltcup-Powe]l ... Sllver^Davls , Brown.^reed Kei>er-Jarmann-Kahn . 22,878 22,600 21,011 21,521 21,410 21,424 21,854 21,033 Wllllaras-Kennedy ...... Tobias-Newman-Mencher Wrubel-Dlxon 20,083 Bloom-Koehler 20,227 Irving Berlin 20,048 Warren-Dubln 10,771. Irving Berlin 10,538 Grosz-Kennedy 19,084 'Cole Porter 10,035 Brooks Bowman 18,760 Lombardo-Kahn 18,375 . Warren-Dubin 18,888 Gordon-Revel ............. 18,u08 Burke-LesUe 17,886 Gordon-Revel 17,612 Warrei.-0^6ln 17,572 Ellis-Carter ......c »• 17,209 Schwartz-Dletz „ 17,201. Ralnger-Parker 17.200 Brown-Freed 17,022 McHugli-Field i 16.075 Rodgers-Hart 16,761 Cole Porter 10,778 Wendllng-Meyer-Lewis 10,12.^ Warren-DubIn 10,648 Stem-Mesklll M1,416 Cormey-Hartman 16,300 Grnsler-Robin 15,886 Gershwin-Gershwin ..... 16,700 Young-Llttle 15,563 'JohnBon>-Whitlng-Scb,)vartz. 13,008 Meyer-Yellen 14,441 Irving Berlin 14,2£3 Lawnburst-Seymour - 14,240 Lawnhurst-Seymour 14,121 Mack Gordon. '. 14,037 - Cole Porter..? 13,871 BlxIo-Neri-SIIverman 13,747 Symes-Nolburg-Levlnson 18,886 Splvo-Burke 18,282 Johnson-Whitlng-Schwartz.. 1S,'217 Wrubel-Dlxon 18,112 Rodgers-Hart 18,124 Robln-Whitlng-Ralnger 18,062 Mack Gordon 12,006 Ralngqr-Robin ItS.OSS Deutsch - Smith - Wlnegar- Rozan -12,734 Burke-Leslie 12,052 Simon-Loman-Roberts ..... 12.615 Warren-DubIn 12,512 Gordon-Revel 12,410 Brown-Freed ;.., 12,380 Toblaa-Newman-Mencher ., 12,272 Irving Berlin.. 12,211 Rodgers-Hart 12,208 Warren-DubIn 12,184 Lenolr-Slevler 12,106 Reginald Forsythe 12,161 Conrad-Magldson 12,099 J. F. Hanley..; 12,036 Tomlln-Jasper-Poe 12.004 Sara Coslow 11,950 Kem-Harbacta «. '11,197 T. B. Harms Noel Coward '11,Bill Chappell Greer-Green 11,860 E. B, Marks Ahlert-Young 11,857 RobblQS Tomlln-Poe-Grler 11,788 Berllrt, Inc. Ralnger-Robln-Waiting 11,091 Famous Adamson-knapf-KIng 11,8,18 Robblhs Stern-Mesklll «,... 11,611 Robbins ' MoHugh-Flelds 11,607 Robblns Youmans-Caesar 11,430 Harms, Inc. Simon-Mysells-Hueston .... 11,484 Shapiro Robbins Robblns Joe Morris M. Wltmarlt I. Berlin . T. BerUn D'son, D.&G. Famous T. B. Harm? T. B. Harms Shaplro-B'a . Crawford Robblns Robblns Shapiro Harms, Ino. Remlck Mills Muslo I. Berlin M. Wltmark I. Berlin T. B. Harms Harms, Inc. Santly Robblns M. Wltmark Crawford Joe Morris Crawford Wltmark Chappell Harni4< Ino. T''amous Robbins . I. BerUn Famous Harms, Ino. Feist . K: Wltmark Robbins Movietone Famous New World Shapiro B'way Mus, Sam Fox Berlin, Inc. Tamous Famous. - Crawforja Harms, Inc. T, B. Harms Leo Feist Santly B'way MuB. Remick Robbins . Famous Crawford F'amous D'Son,D.iS:G. D'son,D.&0. &haplro-B.'n M. Wltmark Crawford Robbins Harms, Inc. I. Berlin Famous M. Wltmark Harms, Inc. Robblns Movietone Harms, Inc. BerUn, Inc. Famous Samuelu-Whltcup-Powell 11,400 Sc'ster & M. Marks-Caesar-Lorner 11.227 Caesar, Ji\c. Coates-Hanlghen 11,211 I. Berlin Robinson-Livingston 1I,1U3 Harry Engel Schert/.inger-Kahn 11,105 I. Berlin Mercer-Malneck > 11,130 I. Berlin Ralngcr-Robin 11,007 Famous Gordon-Revel 11,021 Crawford W. C. Handy 11,004 W.C.Handy Lettre-Parlsh 11,005 Mlllfl Johnaton-Kahn 10,905 Bobbins Splna-Burke 10.86!) Smith Bros.J. CooU-GIIleaple 10,810 Feist Johnston-Kahn , 10,832 Robblns Brooks Bowman 10,700 Santly Ager-Adams 10,743 Ager.Y.&B. Lawnhurst-Seymour 10,002 Chappell Elllngton-De Lange-MIIln.. 10,024 Mllson's Fain-Kahal 10,.')15 Remick Meyer-Yellen-MAgldson' ... 10,434 Movietone Bherman-Lewls-Ager 10.248 Ager.Y.&B. Rudolf Frlml 10,240 Boston Wnrrcn-Dubln 10.217 ' Remick Cole Porter 10.170 Harms, Inc. Clare-WhIting 10,012 Movietone NAB Request For Refunds Puzzles WB Washington, Sept. 1. National Association of Broad- casters is waiting for Warner Bros.' answer to the association's demand that WB return the license money it collected from stations during the break from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Bequest for information 'concerning any steps that have been taken to refund moneys' was made by James W. Baldwin;, the NAB's managing director. Marking time and still hoping for response from Warner, Baldwin Monday (31) refused to pomment on the situation or to indicate whether the association is c ontemplating any move to force WB to make pro-rata rebate to stations which, while also licensed by ASCAP, paid Warner for the use of itis music. Matter prob- ably will rest until next NAB board session, when decision Will be made whether to resort to legal pro- ceedings. At Warner headQuarti^rs in New York it was siaid yestetday (Tues- day) that the Baldwin letter had been turned over to the' company's legal department. Sanle source pointed out thaiit was in a quandary as to,what Baldwin could be driving, at. During the period whi<:b Warner directly licensed the broadcasters it was ndt a member of ASCAP nor collecting any money irom that quarter. It was a bona fide proposi- tion, and the fact that WB Ifiter re- turned to the AJSCAP fold had noth« ing to 4o with this transaction. Per-, haps, it was added, the broadcasters feel that they have nothing to lose by asking. Rhythm' (15,700 performances), 'St. Louis Blues' . (11,004 performances), and 'Speak to Me of Love' (12,166 performances). 'Smoke Gets, In Your Eyes' accounted for 11.197 plugs, while Limehouse Blues piled up 8,535 uses. 'Music Goes Round and Round,' which got started late in November of 1935, gathered within a short space of time 2,917 credits. The 112 tunes listed in the ad- joining box got 1,68G,C25 perfcfm- ances out of the 7,545,051 uses which the society compiled during 1935. Analyzed were 33,461 programs, in which 20,939 compositions got from one to many uses. The 112 leading tunes accounted for 20% of all the uses analyzed, while the list's No. 1 tune, 'When I Grow Too Old,' figured almost 2% of the total. Pubs, Writers Tops Eight publishers accounted for five or more times among the 112 radio plug leaders for 1935. These 112 top repeaters came from 26 publishing firms and represented the output of 131 writers. Firms which had five or more hits in the list of 112 most played were as follows: Robbins, 17, Berlin, Inc., and Famous Music, 12 each. Harms, 10. Crawford and Witmark, 7. T. B. Harms, Shapiro-Bernstein, 5 each. Publishing houses that had 4 tunes each: Santly Bros.-Joy, Remick and Sam Fox-Movietone. Chappell, Feist, Donaldson, Doug las Si Gumble and' Mills Music, 3 Writers' Tops ' For the writers camp the analysis of radio's most used music for 1035 gives the following recapitulation: Harry Warren-Al Dubin, 8, Irving Berlin, 5. Mack Gordon-Harry Revel, 5. Gus Kahn, 5. Leo Robin-Ralph Rainger, 5. Lee Lav;nhurst-Tot Seymour, 4. Dorothy Fields-Jimmy McHugh, 4, Cole Porter, 4, MusiciaB Defense Fond Tax Kept at LoE Angeles, Sept. 1. Theatre Defense Fund tax of the Ainerlcan Federation of Musicians will at no time be permitted to drop below $200,000, it was announced to its membership by Ijocal 47 of. Los Angeles, which points .nut that by- laws as recently amended provide for the International executive board or the president of the Federation shall increase the fund tax from 10% to 20% per member when such a drop shall occur. Effective Sept. 7, all musicians em« ployed in the making of soimd pic- tures must pay a two per cent tax pased on the minimum scale govern- ing such work, and if employed in a theatre, the rate, is one per cent. Bit Player Pokes Tune At Megger—He Buys It Hollywood, Sept. 1. Upon hearing James Home, direc- tor of Hal Roach's 'General Spanky,' lamenting fact that he couldn't find a tune for his next Laurel and Hardy, •Tonight's the Night,' Portia Lan- ning, bit player in the pic, pulled out a ditty, her first, and sold it on the spot. She'll get screen credit, too. Title is 'Will You Be My Lovey-Dovey?' Catalina Retie« Qarber Los Angeles, Sept 1, P. K. Wfigley has renewed Jan Garber and- otk for his Catalina Island pavilllon for new two-year summer period starting in 1937. Garbier, cuirently, is playing his third summer at the Island resort Leo Salkin OIL, Hoof Chicago, Sept. 1. Leo Salkin, head of local Consoli- dated Radio Artists, out of town sell* ing bands to hotels and nite clubs. Salkin is spieling his sales talk Richard Mills will rep. Exclu.sive j in Denver, Kansas City, Dalla.s, Fort Music in Chicago. . i Worth and St Louis.