[78-L] Composers who steal

[Taylor Bowie]

There are plenty of them,  and almost all of them have done so at one time 
or another,  intentionally or not.

While some of you were torturing yourself tonight with the Tony Awards,  I 
was playing some olde rekkids and having a fine time!  Here are two 
interesting ones I played this evening:

Pathe 036005 Max Terr Orch. "Chansonette"  Composer credit is Rudolf Friml, 
and low and behold it turns out to be the same melody as the main part of 
The Donkey Serenade,  which I think was written for the film version of The 
Firefly in 1935 or so.  No show credit is given on the label,  so I guess it 
was just something Friml had kicking around when they needed an additional 
song for the movie.

Bluebird 5088  Bert Lown Orch. "We'll Have A Honeymoon Some Day".  This was 
the last Bert Lown Bluebird I was missing and I was excitied to be able to 
buy it recently.  A very loose performance,  with a great piano solo by 
Chauncey Grey and a full-chorus solo from Spencer Clark on bass sax...I 
don't recall Rollini ever getting a full chorus when he was with the band.

The song itself is a dreadful redo of Side By Side,  and I wasn't surprised 
to see that the composer credit was Harry Woods...talented but seemingly 
undisciplined and lazy as a writer.

I guess the lesson is if you want to steal from a composer why not steal 
from yourself...you won't get sued that way.


Taylor