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| Millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw’s murder of architect Stanford White in 1906 over chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit was the subject of Why Don’t They Set Him Free. The melody was composed by Harry C. Loll, and the words were by Thomas J. Blue, who went into detail about the affair and justified Thaw’s action. | The sinking of the steamer Titanic on April 14, 1912 was publicized not only in newspapers but in songs as well within a few days of the tragedy. One such song was Just as the Ship Went Down, with words by Edith Maida Lessing and music by Bernie Adler and Sidney Gibson. | American cartoonist Rube Goldberg’s strip I’m the Guy, inspired the song of the same title with “ravings” by Goldberg and “noise by Bert Grant.” The song made its appearance in 1912 at the height of the comic strip’s popularity. |
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| In 1910, gentleman burglar Jimmy Valentine (a.k.a. Francis P. Whyte) was the subject of Gus Edwards’ vaudeville song revue. Look Out for Jimmy Valentine featured a catchy melody by Edwards and lyrics by Edward Madden. | Song writers began to sense the extraordinary popularity of Teddy Bears in 1906. One of the earliest bear songs was Bessie and Her Little Brown Bear, the work of Albert von Tilzer and Jack Norworth, who would team up two years later with Take Me out to the Ball Game. | Atlantic City, New Jersey was approaching the zenith of its popularity as the most enjoyable seaside resort on the east coast when Keller Mack and Frank Orth wrote, in 1910, Meet Me on the Boardwalk, Dearie. |
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For almost thirty years after Mr. Woolworth opened his five and dime store, no song appeared to celebrate or poke fun at this new phenomenon in retail merchandising. Not until 1907 did popular lyricist Dave Reed team up with composer Herbert Spencer to create the catchy song She Couldn’t Keep Away from the Ten Cent Store.
| When the telephone began to acquire widespread popularity, song writers seized it as a theme. Several early compositions described the sentiments of children using the telephone to express love to their parents. But the most touching telephone song of the period was written by Charles K. Harris in 1901. Hello Central, Give Me Heaven tugged at the heartstrings of the country.
| At the beginning of the twentieth century, abbreviations were seldom used, other than “P.S.” at the bottom of a personal letter. The exception was a company headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, and known as N.C.R. Founded by John H. Patterson, National Cash Register Company was ahead of its time in employee welfare and even had its own company song. Written in 1906, The Song of the N.C.R. was composed by Frederic Chapin, with words by W. D. Nesbit. |
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