Showing posts with label early 20th c. Show all posts
Showing posts with label early 20th c. Show all posts

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Tin Pan Alley Sheet Music: Men, Women, and Courtship

My collection of sheet music includes many early 20th c songs that were sung on Vaudeville stages.  Many were written in Tin Pan Alley.

One can learn so much about society in those days from these songs. Let's start what they reveal about men's attitudes toward women. These date from 1909 to 1919.

My Wife's Gone to the Country Hurrah! Hurrah! was written by George Whiting, Ted Snyder and Irving Berlin, published in 1909.

According to an interview with Irving Berlin, the song came to him in a barbershop. George Whiting, a vaudeville actor, was a few chairs down from Berlin who asked him when he needed to be home. Whiting replied, "I don't have to go home, my wife is in the country." Berlin walked out of the shop with those words in his head and soon found them a melody and the chorus worked out. In a few hours the song was completed and two days later it was heard all over the land.

When Missus Brown told hubby, "I just can't stand the heat
Please send me to the country, dear, I know 'twould be a treat"
Next day his wife and fam'ly were seated on a train
And when the train had started, Brownie shouted this refrain:

My wife's gone to the country, hurrah, hurrah!
She thought it best, I need a rest, that's why she went away
She took the children with her, hurrah, hurrah!
I don't care what becomes of me, my wife's gone away

He kept the 'phone a-going, told ev'ryone he knew
"It's Mister Brown, come on downtown, I have some news for you"
He told a friend reporter just why he felt so gay
Next day an advertisement in the papers read this way:

[2nd refrain:]
My wife's gone to the country, hurrah, hurrah!
She thought it best, I need a rest, that's why she went away
She took the children with her, hurrah, hurrah!
I don't care what becomes of me, my wife's gone away

He sang his joyful story into a phonograph
He made a dozen records and I say it was to laugh
For when his friends had vanished and Brown was all alone
His neighbors heard the same old tune on Brownie's graphophone

My wife's gone to the country, hurrah, hurrah!
She thought it best, I need the rest, that's why she went away
She took the children with her, hurrah, hurrah!
Like Eva Tanguay, I don't care, my wife's gone away

He went into the parlor and tore down from the wall
A sign that read "God Bless Our Home" and threw it in the hall
Another sign he painted and hung it up instead
Next day the servant nearly fainted when these words she read:

My wife's gone to the country, hurrah, hurrah!
She thought it best, I need the rest, that's why she went away
She took the children with her, hurrah, hurrah!
Now I'm with you if you're with me, my wife's gone away

He called on pretty Molly, a girl he used to know
The servant said "She left the house about an hour ago
But if you leave your name, sir, or write a little note
I'll give it to her when she comes" and this is what he wrote:

My wife's gone to the country, hurrah, hurrah!
She thought it best, I need the rest, that's why she went away
She took the children with her, hurrah, hurrah!
I love my wife, but oh! you kid, my wife's gone away

He went and bought a parrot, a very clever bird
The kind that always would repeat most anything she heard
So when his voice grew husky and Brownie couldn't talk
While he'd be taking cough-drops, he would have the parrot squawk:

My wife's gone to the country, hurrah, hurrah!
She thought it best, I need the rest, that's why she went away
She took the children with her, hurrah, hurrah!
I knew my book, she left the cook, my wife's gone away

The song was sung by Stuart Barnes, a successful English Music Hall performer whose songs and monologues were usually about marriage and women. He often sang Irving Berlin songs after his monologues. He earned $400 a week in 1909. (Source found here.) He was openly gay.
***
Some men wanted freedom from their women, while others were worried about being thrown over.

 Keep Your Eye on the Girlie You Love by Howard Johnson and Alex Gerber, music by Ira Schuster, was performed by Tin Pan Alley and Vaudeville star Moe Thompson. The March 2, 1917 issue of The Saturday Evening Post has an advertisement for the sheet music and the Pathe recording.

Take a tip from one who knows, all you single men, 
If you've a girl to call your own, Don't ever leave her all alone. 
If temptation comes her way, will she pass it by? 
That's a question, so my suggestion is, Watch her on the sly. 

Keep your eye on the girlie you love, 
There's a beau that you know nothing of, 
Who may be there to call, when you're out of sight, 
Of course, she may not fall, but may be she might. 
Never leave her for more than a day, 
‘Cause there's hundreds that lose ‘em that way, 
So keep your eye upon your girl, Bill, 
If you don't some other fellow will. 

It's a tough thing now-a-days, picking out a girl, 
So when you find your heart’s delight, 
Take my advice and treat her right, 
Girls are fickle as can be, change their minds each day; 
Do a rave to ‘em, be a slave to ‘em, That’s the wisest way. 

Keep your eye on the girlie you love, 
Just be sure that she’s your turtle dove, 
Don’t take a chance and introduce your best pal, 
For if she likes him best, goodbye to your gal. 
She may kiss you goodnight by mistake, 
Call you Clarence, when your name is Jake, 
So keep your eye upon your girl, Bill, 
If you don’t some other fellow will.
***
One way of 'keeping your girlie' was to make love to her at the movies. Couples sitting in a dark room raised the fear of parents who worried about the sexual freedom that might be perpetrated there. Hollywood movie stars had wild parties and scandalous sex lives--evil role models for the young. This was the new world of dating. Courtship no longer took place on front porch swings.

Take Your Girlie To the Movies (If You Can't Make Love At Home) by Edgar Leslie and Bert Kalmar with music by Pete Wendling would have been pretty scandalous in 1919.

The song begins when a boy asks love advice:

When I call to love my girl
Her folks are always there;
That's why I'm blue, 
What shall I do?

The answer is:

Take your girlie to the movies
if you can't make love at home;
There is no little brother there who always squeals
you can say an awful lot in seven reels.

Take your lessons at the movies
And have love scenes of your own;
When the picture's over and its time to leave,
Don't forget to brush the powder off your sleeve.

Pick a cozy corner where it's nice and dark,
Don't catch influenza kissing in the park,
Take your lessons at the movies,
and have love scenes of your own;
Though's she's just a simple little ribbon clerk,
Close your eyes and think you're kissing Billie Burke;
Take your girlie to the movies, if you can't make love at home.

***
Good girls, bad girls--they are all the same according to There's a Little Bit of Bad in Every Good Little Girl by Grant Clarke and Fred Fischer, performed by Brice and King, published in 1917. This sheet music shows Elizabeth Brice and Charles King, performers called some of the "cleverest" in the business. Miss Brice came from Toledo, Ohio and progressed from singing in Sunday School to the town casino.

 This is a truly horrifying song!
Nobody ever sings about the bad girls
Because the bad girls are sad
And everybody sings about the good girls
Because the good girls are glad
Till you've been around 'em once or twice

You can't tell the naughty from the nice

There's a little bit of bad in every good little girl
They're not to blame
Mother Eve was very good
But even she raised Cain
I know a preacher's daughter
Who never orders water
There's a little bit of bad in every good little girl
They're all the same

I had a dream I went to see the devil
There was the devil to pay
He said I'm awful busy on the level
I said the devil you say
Why are you so busy tell me why
He replied and winked his other eye

There's a little bit of bad in every good little girl
They're not to blame
Though they seem like angels in a dream
They're naughty just the same
They read the good book Sunday
And snappy stories Monday
There's a little bit of bad in every good little girl
They're all the same

***
They Go Wild Simply Wild Over Me by Joe McCarthy and Fred Fisher was published in 1917. The song appears in Bullets Over Broadway by Woody Allen.

There is a version for men:

I hate to talk about myself,
But here's one time I must!
Your confidence I'll trust,
I have to speak or bust!

It's funny how I get the girls,
I never try at all;
I seem to hypnotise them,
I'm bound to make them fall!

They go wild, simply wild, over me!
They go mad, just as mad as they can be!
No matter where I'm at,
All the ladies, thin or fat,
The tall ones,
The small ones,
I grab them off like that!

Every night, how they fight over me!
I don't know what it is that they can see!
The ladies look at me and sigh,
In my arms they wanna die!
They go wild, simply wild, over me!

I get so many pretty girls,
I give a few away!
They bother me each day,
They're leading me astray!

There's lots of fellows go with girls
And never get their drift;
I always get the women,
It's just a natural gift!

They go wild, simply wild, over me!
They go mad, just as mad as they can be!
No matter where I'm at,
All the ladies, thin or fat,
The tall ones,
The small ones,
Why, I grab them off like that!

Every night, how they fight over me!
I don't know what it is that they can see!
I can never be alone,
I have to choke the telephone!
They go wild, simply wild, over me!

And for the girls:

I hate to talk about myself but here's one time I must
Your confidence I'll trust, I have to speak or bust
It's funny how I get the boys, I never try at all
I seem to hypnotize them, I'm bound to make them fall

They go wild, simply wild, over me
They go mad, just as mad as they can be
No matter where I'm at, all the fellows thin or fat
The tall ones, the small ones, I grab them off like that

Every night how they fight over me
I don't know what it is that they can see
The fellows look at me and sigh, in my arms they want to die
They go wild, simply wild, over me

I meet so many funny men, no matter where I go
They're waiting in a row, they seem to love me so
There's lots of girlies go with boys but never get their drift
I seem to understand them, why, it's just a natural gift

They go wild, simply wild, over me
They go mad, just as mad as they can be
No matter where I'm at, all the fellows thin or fat
The tall ones, the small ones, why, I grab them off like that

Every night how they fight over me
I don't know what it is that they can see
Why I can never be alone, I have to choke the telephone
They go wild, simply wild, over me

They go wild, simply wild, over me
They go mad, just as mad as they can be
I meet so many kind, I leave a few behind
They love me, they kiss me, why, I guess they must be blind

Every night how they fight over me
I don't know what it is that they can see
I'm very skinny I'll admit but when I when I smile just a smidge
They go wild, simply wild, over me
***
Whatever that guy had in the last song, the man in the next song clearly lacked. To Any Girl by the hugely successful and prolific lyricist Lew Brown with music by the equally successful and prolific Albert Von Tilzer (whose most famous song was Take Me Out To The Ballgame). This song is a lament, for the young lover has no girl to write to. Any girl will do...as long as she cooks and sews and is true.
 I found a picture postal card while on the street today.
A lovesick fellow wrote it, and here's what he had to say,
"O haven't any sweetheart, so I don't know what to do,
I wish I had a girl to send this to.
I won't put on an address, I won't put on a name,
But still I'm going to send it just the same.

To any girl who's feeling lonesome,
To any girl who's feeling blue,
I write these lines today
here's what I have to say
I've got a lot of loving that I'd like to give away,
To any girl who'll love me only
To any girl who will be true,
But if you have a beau,
Is there any girl you know
who's not as lucky as you.

He says he wanta a girl who sews and one who also cooks,
But then he doesn't mention anything about her looks
The boy is not particular,
I think that he's in wrong,
For he'll take any girl who comes along,
He can't expect an answer, 
He doesn't make it plain,
I'll have to read the postal card again. (Chorus) 

***
Harry Von Tilzer, Albert's brother, often worked with Andrew B. Sterling including on this 1915 song, Those Musical Eyes, about Ragtime sex appeal.

Stirling and Von Tilzer are my favorite pair to collect. Learn more about Von Tilzer at The Parlor Songs Academy.

Two big eyes that shine, won this heart of mine,
"Want you near me," they say and sweet is the music they play,
O those great big eyes how they harmonize, 
Even when we're apart, 
They play on the strings of my heart
Ragtime love tunes till I'm almost crazy,
Those "G sharp" eyes they seem to play for me.

Oh, those eyes, those great big musical eyes,
Such "harmony" lies, 
In those sweet "Come and kiss me" eyes
"Say you'll miss me," eyes, 
Roll them, roll them, roll them up to the skies,
Each glance at me, a "Rhapsody,"
Oh, those eyes they say "come on...and spoon!"
Oh, those eyes they play a wedding tune,
Oh, the love that lies and lies, In those musical eyes!

When I'm feeling bad, when I'm feeling sad,
Everything has gone wrong
those eyes, play the cheerfullest song,
They just look at me, strike a chord in "C"
sorrow puts on his hat, 
Those eyes soon will sing in "A Flat"
Every glance starts my heart beating "Forte," (Chorus)

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Grampa's Memories: Child Play 100 Years Ago

My grandfather Lynne O. Ramer (1903-1971) wrote over 200 articles submitted to his hometown newspaper and shared in Ben Meyer's column We Notice That. This year I will be sharing some of these articles.

Today's article appeared August 2, 1968.
Lynne O. Ramer, left, age eight with his cousin 

Lynne O. Ramer on his mother's lap, age six

Participating, Simple Toys Liked Best by Youngsters
“All work and no play
Makes Jack a dull boy.”
(So said an ancient adage).

“All play and no work
Makes Jack a mere toy.”
(So says more up-to-date sage).
(wnt)
The Incredible Brocks

From the dawn of creation down to now children love to play with toys.  Says a German professor, living in the heart of the world’s toy manufacturing world:
“Children of all ages and all peoples are the same in the aptitudes and their desires, and thus the same in their play urge too. The baby’s rattle, the small child’s ball, the house of bricks (blocks) the toy animal and the doll have changed very little throughout the ages.”
Kids like toys best that enable them to enjoy participation, on their part doing something, instead of watching an intricate gadget that performs of itself.  They would rather play with an old box than with a fancy new toy.

Now and then, in a city large or a village small, a family can exert a powerful influence on all the kids in the neighborhood, helping them to get real pleasure in making their own playthings. One such family was that into which were born three boys---the Brocks. Their names were Robert, Albert and Luther. They lived in Milroy.

It was really fantastic, almost incredible, what a great variety of “do-it-yourself” amusements they devised. And how the neighbor kids loved them for it. They dazzled and delighted all the small fry in the village.
(wnt)
Making Their Own Fun

As he recalled the Brocks, a native Milroyan told us [added in ink: Lynne], it was during the decades 1900 to 1920 that the three boys were the talk of the town.

First they had a home-made merry-go-round with a grand organ that produced music. It was all hand operated, much to the delight of the teens and preteens who flocked, some invited and some not, to come and enjoy the fun.

The play room—we’d call it the recreation room nowadays—was the storage room off the kitchen.  There among the pies and cookies cooked for the family use, but shared with the youngsters who came calling between meals, were the home-made playthings.

There were hand-carved spreading fans inside of Mason jars, continuous chain links carved from one billet of wood. There were two spinning cylinder wire cages housing chipmunks who chattered gaily all day long.

Continuous wood chain by John O. O'Dell
Besides these and dozens of other games to play there were stacks of comic strips from the Williamsport Gazette and the Philadelphia North American. These consisted of the adventures of the Katzenjammer Kids, Jiggs and Maggie [Bringing Up Father], Enoch Periwinkle Pickleweight [The Peaceful Pickleweights], John Dubbalong and the like.*

On a rainy day there would be no less than 10 or 12 little boys deeply at their work-play, reading the old “continued funnies,” grinding the hurdy-gurdy carousel, and intently watching the chippies race around the insides of their wire cylinders.

There were stacks of paperbacks of adventure characters, such as the Liberty Boys of ’76, Jesse James**, Fred Fearnot+*** , and every known Horatio Alger tale--Andy Grant’s Pluck****, From Rags to Riches.

“And so it went for many happy hours or boyhood daze” says one of the guests. “So once more, it’s thanks to Robert, Albert and Luther Brock, not forgetting their doting mother and a kind father who realized how to keep kids happy and busy, making and using their playthings.”

The lessons learned well by the youngsters of that time. Long since grown to manhood and womanhood, is this: “It isn’t necessary to buy one’s children expensive and attractive mechanical toys, but something requiring participation. And never forget children are fondest of things they improvise themselves---cooking pans and saucers, empty thread spools, old tin cans, a handful of bright, shiny horse chestnuts.”

Lynne O. Ramer ("it"), at 6, with his school classmates in Milroy, PA

*****
Genealogy findings:

I researched the Milroy Brock family on Ancestry.com.

The patriarch of the family, James Brown Brock (b. 7-29-1858; d. 3-29-1927) , married Minnie Melissa Maben (1867-1925) in 1889.

The 1900 Census for Armagh, Old District,  shows James was a carpenter. The 1910 Census for Armagh, Old District, shows James, age 52, worked in the stone quary. Minnie, age 43, was mother to Oscar, age 19 and working as a baker; Robert, age 17 and working as a presser in a woolen mill; Albert, age 15 and Luther J., born in 1902.

On the 1920 census James and Minnie lived on College Ave. in Milroy.

James' death record shows his father was Adam Brock and mother Mary was born in Germany.

Minnie Mabin Brock was the daughter of Joseph B. Mayben (1835-1900) and Amanda J. Weimer (1833-1880). Joseph was a private in Co. L, 13th Cav. during the Civil War. Amanda was the daughter of Zachariah Weimer (b. 1809), son of Johannes Weimer (b, 1767 and died in Juniata Co. PA) and Mary Brackbill.

The children in my grandfather's story:

Oscar Ream (1890-1973) has a WWI draft card showing he was a baker living in Ohio. His WWII Draft Registration shows he was married to Mary A. and was self employed.

Robert Earl (1892-1964) married Helen C. The 1920 Census shows they lived in Detroit, MI where Robert worked for a motor company as a tool maker. His WWII Draft Card showed he lived in Jersey Shore, PA and owned his own machine shop.

Son Albert Lowell (1894-1979) enlisted during WWI.

Luther Thomas (1892-1964)  has a draft card for WWII which shows he worked for the Armagh County School Board. Luther died in 1964 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in his hometown of Milroy, PA. along with his parents and siblings.

*****
Footnotes:

The Katzenjammer Kids and Bringing Up Father were read by my grandfather, mom, and I recall they were still running when I was a kid.

* From the July 14, 1915 New York Canisteo Times, found on Old Fulton Postcards:

Famous Family of Pacificists to Enlarge Its Sphere of Operations.

Who has not chuckled over the unending complications in the household of the Pickleweights — Enoch, the plaintive; Maria, the masterful; Ichabod, the Injun strategist; Dill, the rotund and voracious, and Helen Battleax, gallant defender of her brother's innocence and helplessness?
For years the tribulations of this interesting family have delighted reade rs of the Philadelphia North American, and the characters created by Cartoonist Bradford have become familiar to thousands. In fact, the Pickleweights have grown to be such an institution that more space and special treatment are required to chronicle their explosive history.

Next Sunday, July 11, therefore, they make their appearance in the Sunday North American, occupying a full page, in colors. Henceforth, it is understood, they are to be known to fame as "The Peaceful Pickleweights." Bradford announces that they have moved into the country, in the hope
that tranquil scenes, far removed from the turmoil of the city, will allay the hostilities that have divided them. The first page in the series shows them installed In their new home.

Unfortunately the occasion is marred by some deplorable accidents; but it is the universal
hope that the family has entered upon a career of peace. This is only one feature of The North American's new comic section, which, it is declared, will be the best in the country. With the Pickleweights will appear each Sunday the original Katzenjammer Kids, whose antics have convulsed uncounted readers; "Just Boys," a page of homely humor that will delight everyone who has known childhood, and a fourth page, on the most indulgent of young parents and "Their Only Child." This new comic section will add immensely to the fascination of the Sunday North American and should prove a source of never-ending deltght to all who enjoy rollicking fun.

Order from your newsdealer today.

*****
**You can read a Jesse James dime novel from 1901 at
 https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/prod/depts/dp/pennies/texts/lawson_toc.html
*** Read a 1914 Fred Fearnot dime novel at
https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/prod/depts/dp/pennies/texts/standish2_toc.html
**** Read Horatio Alger's novel Andy Grant's Pluck at
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14831