Variety (June 1912)

VARIETY PUBLISHERS "MAKING" SONQS FOR NEX T SEASO N'S DEMAND New York's Music Houses Name Their Leaders. Qood Season Looked Forward To With Presidential Campaign Qpoming Popular Melodies. Some of the Songs You Will Hear At this time of the year the music publishers have about determined upon the songs with which they oc- cupy themselves in booming for the summer and fall season. Each house has Its own especial reason for "plug- ging" certain songs. "Mose" Gumble, professional man- ager of Remick & Co. said: "We have organized a campaign on 'Moonlight Bay,' a serenade ballad; 'When You're Married,' a comedy song; 'You're My Baby,' a rag; 'I Want a Little Lovin' Sometimes,' a coon song. These are sufficiently di- versified to suit the popular taste. "I think we shall enjoy a highly piosperous season because there are so many good songs and so many production hits that it will bring mu- sic buyers into our stores, thereby creating a general demand for sheet music." Charles K. Harris says: "We are putting out eight num- bers, 'Take Me in Your Arms Again,' Climb a Tree With Me/ The Boogie Man Rag,' 'Bye and Bye,' 'Cuddle Up and Cling to Me/ 'Fairy Moon,' 'W-Hz Me Around in the Old Ball Room/ 'Will You Bring Back My Bonnie to Me.' We spend a year in nu Mng a song and then it takes twenty years to kill it. I think it will be a good season for us because we have bet- ter ballads than ever, and the'rough coon song is dying out. We have al- ways been recognized as a ballad house. Ballads are in demand and there are very few production hits on the market. Such being the case the public is bound to fall back on home ballads." Harry Von Tilzer professed to be very optimistic, feeling that he really had the greatest catalog in the history of his house, but was disinclined to mention the songs on which he would organize his booming campaign until a little later on. Henry Stern, of J. W. Stern & Co., specified as his firm's especiai selec- tion in the popular line, "The Time for a Time is Summertime," u sum- mer song; "Raggedy Rag," a novelty rag; "Subway Glide," ragtime; "Haar Those Chimes/' a story coon song, "In the Gloaming," a ballad. Mr. Stern added: "Wa take about twenty eongis anl start them off evenly. Those that are favored by perform?™ and purchaser are the ones selected for unusual 'plugging/ Our personal opinions are not taken into consideration." Phil Kornheiser, professional man- ager for Leo Feist, declared that a full selection for the coming season had not yet been settled upon, but that "Your Daddy Did the Same Thin,; Fifty Years Ago" and "That's How I Nc 1 \\v:" would be among those favi. !. lor the reason that "Daddy' was a novelty number and "That's How I Need You" has a wonderful lyric with a catchy melody that should appeal to popular taste. The York Music Company (Al and Jack Von Tilzer) are working on "Please Don't Take My Lovin' Man Away/' "Parisienne," "Rap, Rap, Rap on Your Minstrel Bones," "Bump, Bump, Bump in Your Automobile." Jack Von Tilzer said: "Each of these four songs is per- fect as to lyric and melody and is dif- ferent from the usual run of popular songs. Their novelty should catch the public. As to the outlook for business next season, it can't be worse than last year." Ted Snyder, for his firm, says that they are bending their energies at present on "Lead Me to That Beauti- ful Band" and "Fiddle Dee Dee,' both novelty songs, of which his house makes a specialty. Jerome & Schwartz are working on "Haunting Melody," "Rum Turn Tld- dle," "Coontown Quartet," "I Love to Hear an Irish Band." Jean Schwartz said: "The first two are being plugged because they have already 'shown,' the third is a new idea and the fourth because Jerome & Schwartz have been unusually successful with Irish songs." F. A. Mills is working on "Ragging the Baby to Sleep," "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," "Ragtime Cowboy Joe," Max Silver giving as their reason for these selections, that they are away from everything else on the market. He added: "I predict a big season, not only because everybody thinks that the things, but because it will help the music trade. The campaign brings together huge crowds at which bands play popular music, thus creating a demand. The five and ten-cent stores are also a big factor in creating pop- ular demand for sheet music." Louis Bernstein, for the ^aapiro Company, says his house is working on "Qood Bye Rose," the last of Her- bert Ingraham's ballads; "My Sum- urun Girl," because it is already a hit in New York City, and "The Gaby Glide" for the same reason. These are merely the numbers to be worked on for the summer. Next season's material will not be announced until about July 10, when the shows begin rehearsals. ^■Kendls & Paley are bending their energies toward "Oh You Dear Sweet Wonderful Boy," a gingery number; "I Miss Him All the Time" and "There's a Reason for That" (two songs with unexpected comedy nnishes In the chorouses, like "Billy") and "Keep It Up," a fast rag that seems to appeal to popular taste. The firm feels that these four numbers are en- tirely different from anything else on the market. J. Fred Helf has a trio of songs for special booming—"The Funny Bunny Hug," his excuse for pushing it being that everybody likes it; "Lin- coln's College Flag," which Is an en- tirely new idea In a song—something not before treated on; "You're Just as Sweet at Sixty as You Were at Sweet Sixteen," a ballad Mr. Helf says is equal to "Silver Threads." George W. Meyer is boosting "That Mellow Melody," which already lookB like a hit. That's the only song re- ceiving his special attention as he feels that one hit at a time is all that can be handled with proper attention. Al. Cook, for the Theodore Morse Company mentioned as his Arm's par- ticular pets just now: "When Uncle Joe Played a Ragtime on the Old Banjo," a novelty rag song; "That Lovin' Ragtime Man," a coon love song and "Another Rag." He says they are sticking to that class of ma- terial because the demand for the presidential campaign will injure raggy, lively type of song is so insis- NEW REGENT HOTEL, ST. LOUIS. Is now open. Exclusively a Theatrical Hotel. 7TL $900,000 tent it has almost driven other typed of songs out of the market. There will be noticed a marked di- versity of opinion on the situation and the class of song that should prove popular the coming season, but on one thing the publishers seemed to have fallen into line, viz.: the adop- tion of lengthy titles for popular songs. A few years ago this was con- sidered all wrong, just as legitimate managers of today still adhere to tho theory that plays with names of more than three words reduce their chances of success. ENGLISH PUBLISHER H£RE. B. Feldman, the London music publisher, is in New York, and con- fesses he is over here to corral the popular hits. Mr. Feldman states that he is go- ing to embark extensively in the pub- lication of operatic scores, having been very successful with "The Choco- late Soldier" music in England. He has taken on the entire RemlcK cata- log and already represents abroad the Charles K. Harris, Ted Snyder, Sha- piro, Mills, Jerome & Schwartz and other New York publishers. DON'T WANT DEMONSTRATORS. The Ten-Cent Stores" which sell music throughout the country have taken a stand against the "song plug- ging" "demonstrator." One chain has issued an order that no demon- strator be permitted to sing in any of its stores, although the "ten-cent- ers" continue to handle sheet music. The reason is ascribed to a num- ber of complaints received against the publishing house employees, such as Impeding business by talking to sales- ladles and other things thought trivial by the "plugger," but annoy- ing to the store manager. 101 NORTH 14TH ST. Hot and cold rutiuinK water and telephone in every room. Electric elevators, Hhower bath rooms, K'oml restaurant and drug storo In connection with hotel. We advance meal tickets, drugs, laundry and cash to all artlata. . Please Mention This Hotel to your Friends. ELMER E. CAMPBELL, Proprietor and Manager VAUDEVILLE BY SHUBERTS. (Continued from page 3.) Manhattan shortly after the season starts. The 43d street Music Hall (Weber & Fields) has a capacity of over 2,100 on two floors. The orchestra seats 1,008, and the house is of a size that any attraction may be placed in it, or a dollar scale charged. The Ice Palace will be the first institution of its kind in the Metropolis. Cer- tain hours of the day will be devoted to public skating, with fancy skaters always present. Late in the evening, probably from eleven until one, a ballet on skates will be shown. The Winter Garden, in view of the consistently large business that place ih attracting, will bo held open for a summer run. with the prepent show. It is understood that all vaudeville manipulations in which the Shuberts are concerned have been directed by Jules Delmar. who lately Joined the staff as the vaudeville expert. Mr. Delmar has been in the city all week. From stories about the United Book- ing OfTlcrs Is watching its late mem- ber quite closely. One act which walked out of the Delmar ofllce with a Shubert contract for vaudeville ("to read it over") left the I'nited ;i««ri( > shortly after with an agreement to play for it during the in-xt two years at an advance in -t'urv