Writing for Vaudeville eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 543 pages of information about Writing for Vaudeville.

Writing for Vaudeville eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 543 pages of information about Writing for Vaudeville.

It was in the same old bonnet,
With the same blue ribbon on it,
  In the old shay by his side,
That he drove her up to Dover,
Thro’ the same old fields of clover,
  To become his happy bride. 
The birds were sweetly singing
And the same old bells were ringing,
  As they passed the quaint old church where they were wed. 
And that night when stars were gleaming,
The old couple lay a-dreaming,
  Dreaming of the words he said: 

THERE’S A LITTLE SPARK OF LOVE
STILL BURNING

Words by                  Music by
JOE MCCARTHY              FRED FISCHER

There was a fire burning in my heart,
  Burning for years and for years,
Your love and kisses gave that flame a start,
  I put it out with my tears;
You don’t remember, I can’t forget,
That old affection lives with me yet,
I keep on longing, to my regret,
I know I can’t forget.

CHORUS

There’s a little spark of love still burning,
  And yearning down in my heart for you,
There’s a longing there for your returning,
  I want you, I do! 
So come, come, to my heart again,
Come, come, set that love aflame,
For there’s a little spark of love still burning,
And yearning for you.

I left you laughing when I said good-bye,
  Laughing, but nobody knew
How much relief I found when I could cry,
  I cried my heart out for you;
I’ve loved you more than you ever know,
Though years have passed I’ve wanted you so,
Bring back the old love, let new love grow,
Come back and whisper low: 

WHEN I LOST YOU
By IRVING BERLIN

The roses each one, met with the sun,
  Sweetheart, when I met you. 
The sunshine had fled, the roses were dead,
  Sweetheart, when I lost you.

CHORUS

I lost the sunshine and roses,
I lost the heavens of blue,

  I lost the beautiful rainbow,
I lost the morning dew;
  I lost the angel who gave me
Summer the whole winter through,
  I lost the gladness that turned into sadness,
When I lost you.

The birds ceased their song, right turned to wrong,
  Sweetheart, when I lost you. 
A day turned to years, the world seem’d in tears,
  Sweetheart, when I lost you.

II.  QUALITIES OF THE POPULAR SONG LYRIC

Having read these eleven lyrics of varying emotions, note the rather obvious fact that

1.  Most Popular Songs Have Two Verses and One Chorus

I am not now speaking of the “production song,” which may have a dozen verses, and as many different catch-lines in the chorus to stamp the one chorus as many different choruses, but only of the popular song.  And furthermore, while two different choruses are sometimes used in popular songs, the common practice is to use but one chorus.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Writing for Vaudeville from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.