Variety (May 1949)

MUSICIANS' HANDBOOK STANDARD DANCE MUSIC GUIDE BOURNE. INC. 799 7th Ave. New York SANTLY-JOY INC Eddie Joy-Gen Prof Mgr 1619 Broadwoy. New York Wednesday, May 11, I 949 ORCHESTRAS-IHI7SIC Santly-Joy reveals it is prepar- ing an infringement action to be tossed at King Record.s’ newly- formed pop recording division over the release of “Lover’s Gold." re- corded by A1 Grant. S-J asseits that King has broken through a Julv relea.se date restriction placed on the melody, a move that will throw the publisher’s entire pro- motion schedule out of whack. King’s answer to the action is that it recorded the song before Santly-Joy ever heard it and took it for publication. Bob Merrill and Marty Nevins (one of the Three Suns, who record for RCA- Victori showed it to King’s pop artists repertoire head, Dewey Bergman, before taking the tune to S J. Bergman cut it immediately for immediate release and the re- strictions S-J placed on the song after they accepted it don’t con- nique in us recoraing appear to have begun a trend. Numerous disks by all companies due out within the next month or two are treated in Similar style. There’s nothing new about it of course, major companies using echo chambers for years and, on occasion, right up to the Monroe disk.* But since that time there seems to be a decided increase in the practice. Peculiarly enough while the echo angle adds greatly to Monroe’s “Riders,” its absence Survey of retail disk best sellers, based on reports ob- tained from leading stores in 12 cities and showing com- parative sales rating for this and last week. National Rating Artist. Label, Title VAUGHN MONROE (Victor) 1 1 “Riders in the Sky” RUSS MORGAN (Decca) Forever and Ever' PERRY COMO (Victor) cern Kin Some Enchanted Evening RUSS MORGAN (Decca) ^ A clattified and aipkabatical Hit of Hi« bott and motf popular tfandard Foifroti Vtaltiot, Showtunai, Rumbai, ate., wHIi Original Koyi I Starting Notot • Ovat f.OOO TItlat. IPO Claiiiflcatloni, iOP ShawL *4 fagoi. ^ it A lUt of ovor )00 Top Showi with fholr Hit Tunot. Yoart, Compoton, Ktyt and Starting Notoi, Including » “Tho Song Hiitorioi of Favorito Compotori". it “Song Hifi through tho Yoon" . . . Tho •utftanding song* of oach yoar, from tho Oay-Ninotioi to tho proiont day. SiNO FOR YOUR COPY TODAY SOc iditlon AIm Aoallablo Cruising Down River' GORDON JENKINS (Decca) Again' PERRY COMO (Victor) A’—You’re Adorable' GORDON JENKINS (Decca) MEL TORME (Capitol) Again PERRY COMO (Victor) Forever and Ever BING CROSBY (Decca) Some Enchanted Evening' VIC DAMONE (Mercury) Again GUY LOMBARDO (Decca) Red Roses for a Blue Lady VAUGHN MONROE (Victor) Appoaring AMBASSADOR COCOANUT GROVE Red Roses for a Blue Lady JO STAFFORD-G. MacRAE (Cap) A’—You’re Adorable MEL fORME (Capitol) Careless Hands' RUSS MORGAN (Decca) So Tired PERRY COMO (Victor) RAY BOLGER (Dccca) Once in Love With .\my DORIS DAY (Columbia) My Dream Is Yours BING CROSBY (Decca) Careless Hands' SAMMY KAYE (Victor) 15D 12 “Careless Hands SAVE!! SUMMER TUXEDOES BLVE BARRON IM-G-MI St. Nicholas Masle Fab. Co. HHlIng Ag^nt: Key* MurIo. Inc. lie tv. Pith Street, >ewr York Cruising Down River' FRANKIE CARLE (Columbia) Cruising Down River' FRANKIE YANKOVIC (Columbia) 16C 15 “Blue Skirt Walts” Direct from Monwfacturor FIVE TOP ALBUMS MANHATTAN TOWERS Gordon Jenkint CONNEaiCUT YANKEE Ring Crosby WORDS AND MUSIC Voriod Artittn RICHARD WILLIAMS. INC 43 Wott 23i:l Stroot Now York 10. N. Y. iroodwoy Cost Columbia Victor Decca Decca Disk Best Sellers by Companies {Based on Points Earned) No. of Records Points ...7 218 ...9 187 No. of Records Label Victor Decca Capitol I.abel C'oluinbia Mercury M-G -M . Points 28 16 substantiated in the mad rush by ' many publishers for any tune that begins to sell on disks and is found to be unattached. Pubs in such a situation do not care what kind I of a song is involved. They’ll grab > it so long as it shows sales strength, i This, say the top writers, has placed them at a great di.sadvj^n-' tage. They do not write the kind of melodies and lyrics that, lately, have often captured public fancy. i and publishers consequently are not at the moment paying tliem much attention. Hence, they must ^ take,songs direct to recording com- j panics. j To refute this, major publishers assert that the topflight writer of ' today, who is unattached in Holly ' wood. Is at fault. One pub claims ' that established writers are not showing imagination in their work. Let a ballad hit“and publisliers are flooded soon after with writers demon.strating similar lyrical and melodic ideas. They also point out that if a .songwriter is to be a good erafisman he should be flexible Writers, Pubs Scrap IT’S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY Music by.., JIMMY MeHVGH f'ontinucd from page 37 Bob O’Brien. Capitol Records’ eastern purchasing agent and of- fice manager, quit last week to go into the sales end of the busi- ness. He bought Haynes-Griftin, one of tlie largest class record, ra- dio and television, etc., sales marts in New York. O’Brien quit Cap Friday (6' and look over tlie store Monday (8i. in N. Y. do it. but also those who come east from the Coast with tlie idea of placing songs. They make i a beeline for diskers and take a crack at getting tunes set for re- cording. Then they take them to publi.’shers. Often deals are made. This often puts a publisher on a spot. If one has a tune by a writer who has given another melody di- rect to a recording company, ob- viously the disk outfit figures to give more preference to Hie unat- ! tactied tune. f Blame Publishers I On the other hand, established ‘ writers blame publishers for the current situation. They claim that, due to the seemingly confused re- action from the public, which con- stantJ>’ switches its preferences from waltzes (Hie current vogue I to novelties, race, hillbilly and western tunes, they haven’t a chance. Many top, unattached ('i)migh to bend with pulilic taste writers in N. Y. say that the iiia- In short, the confusion in tin 'joiltj of puhlisheis ate so public mind about'what it want? busy tcranibling to keep up w-ith i.— i i j . the confused public taste that they I*** *1)* music industry • don’t give the established wrlterii flRhtlng itself. tSee separate I the right time. This is held to be story.) ' Always Requested CARMEN LOMBARDO'S I