[78-L] Edison's interference in the Edison catalogue, pt 2

[Stephen Davies]

(excerpted from Sam Coslow: "Cocktails for two" (1977), pp 29-35)

Chapter Three
MY BOSS – THE GREATEST MAN ALIVE (cont'd)
<<<
        Eventually, the New York recording division successfully buried 
the recordings, and Mr. Edison was told that the retailers were just not 
interested in oldtime songs.
            When Edison learned that the revivals were not instant hit 
records, he was more determined than ever to prove that "those <34> 
imbeciles in New York know nothing about picking song hits." He, Thomas A. 
Edison, had always had an infallible ear for a good tune, and by golly he 
would show them how to pick the hits! Out of his indignation came some new 
duties for me.
        Knowing that I was acquainted with New York song publishers, 
Edison decided that I was to spend several afternoons each week making the 
rounds in Tin Pan Alley. I would hear all of the new song releases, weed 
them out, and then go over the most likely hit prospects with Edison at a 
weekly session at which he - and he alone - would personally decide on the 
final selections to be recorded at the New York studio. Thus I found 
myself sudenly transformed from "composer-arranger" to Mr. Edison's 
personal song scout. 
.....
        The scouting scheme went well for awhile, but after a few months 
of the new routine something occurred that led directly to my downfall as 
a scout for Edison Records.
        On one of my semiweekly trips to New York, the [salesman] for 
Remick's .... was awaiting my visit with a new song he seemed really 
excited about. He summoned Remick's top team of songpluggers to his office 
to demonstrate the song for me. It was called "Carolina in the Morning," 
.... Moreover, Jolson was scheduled to introduce it in his new show at the 
Winter Garden, which, as I knew from actual experience, was a virtual 
guarantee of success for any new number.
.....
        At the next weekly session with Mr. Edison, I prefaced my 
demonstration of "Carolina in the Morning" with the nonchalant statement 
that I had found one of the big hits of the year. I began to sing and play 
it, but Edison stopped me cold after the first few bars. Occasionally, 
when he was not sure of what he was hearing, Edison would have me play the 
tune on the piano with one finger - just the single notes of the melody. 
He had a theory that people could easily be fooled when a tune was dressed 
up with an attractive arrangement. What he wanted was the bare bones of 
the naked, unadorned melody. He instantly recognized "Carolina in the 
Morning" as that kind of melodic fooler, and insisted that I play it with 
one finger, one note at a time, and slowly. He wanted the basic tune to 
sink in.
        Did you ever try to play "Carolina in the Morning" with one 
finger? For a number that has stood the test of time to become one of the 
great song standards of this century, the one-finger version is one of the 
most unbelievably monotonous melodies ever composed. The same two notes 
over and over again. ....
        I played the one-finger arrangement, sans all harmonies and 
without singing the lyrics, just as Edison wanted it. .... Throughout the 
demonstration, I could see Edison squinting at me in disbelief. He strode 
to the window, looking out in reflective silence. Finally he spoke.
        "You really think that will be the big hit of the year? I think 
it's just terrible!"
....
        At the end of the week I received a short note from the personnel 
manager, enclosing a check for two weeks' salary in lieu of notice. The 
note stated, very simply, "Your services are no longer required."
        Thus ended my brief association with the greatest man I would ever 
meet in a lifetime. I was tempted many times afterwards to call his 
attention to the fact that "Carolina" had indeed turned out to be one of 
the smash hits of all time - but by that time Edison Records had gone down 
the drain, and I was far more absorbed in resuming my songwriting career.
>>>>

        I can share the whole chapter with interested parties off-list.  I 
welcome comments, but please don't reply by including the whole lengthy 
post.

Stephen D
Calgary


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contact the sender
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and do not copy,
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