“The Billboard Music Popularity Charts, Part XII: Honor Roll of Popular Songwriters, No. 10—John Philip Sousa.” By Jack Burton. In The Billboard of February 26, 1949, pages 44–45.
In the field of martial music, John Philip Sousa seems to have been a child of destiny, since his birthplace, his parentage and his boyhood environment all combined to shape a career in which he gained great and lasting fame.
Sousa was born in Washington, D. C., November 6, 1854. His father, a Portuguese immigrant, was a trombonist with the U. S. Marine Band, and in the 1860’s the boy saw history in the making as Union troops and blaring bands marched daily thru the streets of the capital. Washington at this time was constantly threatened with invasion by Confederate armies.
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Leaves No Heir.
In 1918, Sousa and his old band had headline billing at the New York Hippodrome during the run of Everything, a musical spectacle for which the march king composed the score. This was his last public appearance on the stage or podium save for a few scattered concerts. When he died on March 6, 1932, at the age of 78, there was no heir to his royal tunic, on which was pinned the Victorian Cross of Great Britain, the Golden Palms and Rosette of the French Academy, and other prized decorations.
Perhaps that was just as well, for the jazz band had succeeded the brass band in the affections of the American people. Sousa’s marches, however, have an enduring quality that quickens pulses and throws back shoulders whenever they are played. They are as American as baseball, and will last as long.
John Philip Sousa’s Greatest Songs and Recordings Available.
Marches. [...]
Sousa March Albums. [...]
Musical Comedies.
1884—Desiree
Book by Edward Tabor. This was DeWolf Hopper’s first starring vehicle, and in the cast were Ida Mosher, his second wife, and Rose Leighton.1893—The Glass Blowers
Book by Leonard Liebling. In his autobiography, “Marching Along,” Sousa makes no mention of this comic opera, altho he used most of the songs from its score in “The American Maid” 20 years later.
The John Church Company.
It Would Be Very Hard To Get Cleopatra’s a Strawberry Blonde In the Dimness of Twilight The Matrimonial Mart This is My Busy Day Nevermore We Chant a Song of Labor My Love is a Blower Cheer Up The Dinner Pail The Crystal Lute The American Girl The Bivouac I Can’t Get ’Em Up When You Change Your Name to Mine Marconigrams The Red Cross Nurse1896—El Capitan
Book by Charles Klein. Lyrics by Tom Frost and Sousa. This production, which starred DeWolf Hopper in the role of Don Errico Medigua, had his wife, Edna Wallace Hopper, playing the feminine lead.
The John Church Company.
Nobles of Castilian Birth Oh Beautiful Land of Spain From Peru’s Majestic Mountains If You Examine Humankind Bah! Bah! Ditty of the Drill Oh, Warrior Grim! Here Comes El Capitan Sweetheart, I’m Waiting When Some Serious Affliction A Typical Tune of Zanzibar1897—The Bride-Elect
Book and lyrics by John Philip Sousa, and starring Christie MacDonald.
The John Church Company.
If Ninety-Nine Percent the Papers Print Come Cavalier Kind Friends, This Deference Should You Marry Me Oh, Stars! Let Poets Sing Here’s a Pack He’s Here Love Light of My Heart We Cannot See the Reason Why The Ice Baby Unchain the Dogs of War These Are Our Sentiments The Iceman Works Cuckoo The God of Love Presides To Marry or Not to Marry1898—The Charlatan
Book by Charles Klein. Co-starring DeWolf Hopper and Nella Bergen.
The John Church Company.
Mountebanks Come Waken From Your Dreaming Good Morning She Was a Maid of Sweet Simplicit-ee The Philosopher’s Tale Is Told As the Agent Ammonia Pluto’s Partner I Social Laws Venus, Goddess of Love When the Wintry Morn is Bright Love’s the Pleasure I’m the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Before the Twilight Shadows Change The Matrimonial Guards Day of Joy The Lilies of Your Love May Die Friends, Dear Friends It’s a Well Established Fact After Due Consideration Oh, Sunlit Sea! The Legend of the Frogs The College Man1900—Chris and the Wonderful Lamp
Book and lyrics by Glen MacDonough. Co-starring Edna Wallace Hopper and Jerome Sykes. The John Church Co.
The Fourth of July The Patter of the Shingle I’m a High-Toned Genii We Seniors Are The Bob-o-Link The College of Hoop-Dee-Doo In Posterland Above the Slim Minaret Mamma, Papa Sweetheart of All the Words of Love The Lamp The Patient Egg Young Torah Tep Was the Boy for Me Where is Love? He Couldn’t Do a Single Thing Without Me The Man Behind the Gun1906—The Free Lance
Book and lyrics by Harry B. Smith, and with a cast headed by Joseph Cawthorn, Albert Hart and Nella Bergen. The John Church Company.
Ah Lovely Art, We Worship at Thy Shrine Three Love Stories Let Us Greet with Joy Pretended We Do It All By Proxy The Goose Girl I Am a Potentate Friendship’s Sacred Touch It Depends Upon the Hair Little Bas Bleu Come, My Dear On to Victory The Emperor’s War Song The Mystery of History The Carrier Pigeon The Legend of the Sons of Samson I Am a Salaried Warrior Conundrums Youth Must Have Its Fling Drums Are Beating1913—The American Maid
Book and lyrics by Leonard Liebling. This production, which starred Louise Gunning and featured “The Battle of Santiago” as a spectacular finale, revived most of the songs from “The Glass Blowers.” Sousa, however, wrote the following new numbers for this comic opera:
Most Omniscient Maid Cheer Up, Annabel With Pleasure Sweetheart From Maine to Oregon1918—Everything
A musical spectacle staged at the New York Hippodrome with a book by R. H. Burnside, lyrics by John Golden and an all-star cast that included Belle Story, Charles T. Aldrich, Houdini, Tom Brown’s Saxophone Band, Bert Levy and DeWolf Hopper. While Sousa is credited with the score of this production, he wrote only the incidental music, all the song numbers being interpolations by the following authors and composers: The Circus is Coming to Town By Irving Berlin. Come Along to Toyland By Irving Berlin. A Rainbow from the U. S. A. By William Jerome, Jack Mahoney and Percy Wenrich. On Atlantic Beach By Joseph McCarthy and Harry Tierney. Honky Tonk Town By Joseph McCarthy and Harry Tierney. Sunshine Alley By John Golden and William Daly. Come to the Land of Romance By John Golden and William Daly. Roll Along By John Golden and William Daly. You’re the Very Girl I’ve Looked For By John Golden and William Daly. I Like New York By John Golden and William Daly. Follow the Flag By R. T. Burnside and Raymond Hubbell.Oratorio. [...]
Song Poem. [...]