THE RAGTIME RAGE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 317, 31 May 1913, Page 9

THE RAGTIME RAGE

THE GREATEST MUSICAL CRAZE OF MODERN TIMES. For the first time in tlie history of England tile King, oil March 10, was played to the opening of His Majesty's i'arliament not with stirring martial music, but with the weird, fascinating, and mysterious ragtime melodies which millions are humming to-day. It was but another tribute to the amazing popularity of the songs emanating from America—as a matter of fact, they might be termed elaborations of the old plantation ditties which the negroes l were wont to sing on the cotton estates—which have sent the world crazy. Go where you will, you cannot get away from the ragtime songs—"Hitehy Koo," "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," Oh, You Beautiful Doll," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "The Gaby Glide," '•Everybody's Doin' It," "That Mysterious Rag," and dozens of others equally haunting refrains. "HITCHY KOO." It was the first-named that the Dragoons began to play as they proceeded ' down the Mall, and in a moment spectators were involuntarily humming:— If you've got an ear for music, then just gather near. Tell me can't you hear it buzzih' in vour ear? Is it music? Sure it's music, it's the best you'll ever hear. It's my ever-lovin' honey calln' baby dear Say, ain't that music weird? Strangest you ever heard. Say, don't you be a-skeered—listen! Oh, ev'ry ev'ning hear him sing, It's the cutest little thing, got the cutest little swing. Hitchy Koo, Hitchy Koo, Hitehy Koo. Oh! simjfly meant for kings and queen's, don't, you ask me what it means, I just love that Hitchy Koo, Hitchy Koo, Hitchy Koo. Say, he does it just like no one could,' When he does it, gay, he does it'good. Oh! ev'ry ev'ning hear him sing. It's tlie cutest little thing, got the cutest little swing, Hitchy Koo, Hitchy Koo. And an appropriate note was, perha.ps unconsciously,, struck when the band followed with '"Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," tlie crowd joining the chorus with: Watch them shufflin' along, See them shufflin' along; Go take your best gal, real pal, Go down to the levee, I said to the levee, And join that shufflin' throng, Hear that music and song. Its simply great, mate, Waitin' oh the levee, Waitin' for the Robert E. Lee. "COME AND HEAR."

Perhaps the most enthusiastic reception of all, however, was that reserved for "Alexander's Ragtime Band," the third of tlit; ragtimes played by the Dragoons as the' King proceeded down Whitehall, which sent every head wagging to the time of— And if you care to liear the Swanee River played in ragtime, Come 011 and hear, Come on and hear, Alexander's ragtime band. ' Even those unacquainted with the tunes will be able to gather from the words of these three ragtime songs that, although the metre may be "ragged," there is a fascinating swing to the verses and it is this which to a great extent, explain? the extraordinary vogue of these melodies. The term "ragtime" really applies to the. ragged time of the melodies. They are sung and played in what might be termed a seviep of jerks. The proper description is syncopated music—i.e., music which jumps from one bar to another in a disjointed .and disconnected manner. There seems to be the '"pang, pang" of the Ifflnjp running'through it, and a, peculiar tilt which is the true secret of the success of the ragtime. Said a well-known music publisher to the writer recently: "No matter in what country ragtime is played it fascinates because of its. simplicity and melody. Orders flow in from all parts of the world —lndia, China, Japan, Persia, Turkey, and every European country. Indeed, the whole world is ragtime mad." "RAGTIMES ON RAGTIMES." One pf the most remarkable features of this modern musical craze, perhaps, is the fact that ragtime songs have been written to explain the popularity of the "rag," and have themselves proved equally popular. "That Mysterious Rag" is a case in point:— Did you hear it? Were you near it? If you weren't, then you've yet to fear it'; Once you've met it, you'll regret it. Just because you never will forget it. If you ever wake up from your dreaming, _ A-scheming, eyes gleaming, Then, if suddenly you take a screaming fit, That's it! That mysterious rag, While awake or while you're slumbering. You're saying, keep playing That mysterious drag, ' Are you listenin'? Are you listenin'? Loob! Look! You're whistlin' That mysterious rag, Sneaky, freaky, ever melodious, myster-

ious rag. In France, as well as in England, and America, they are rather fond of "The Gabv Glide," the chorus of which runs as follows: Oh! Oh! that Gabv, Gaby glide, It's just a real Parisian slide. Prance along as though you were upon the boulevard. Dance it here and dance it there ,and keep on dancing hard. Start into the sire, do the Paris ride; Swing up near, then wide, Oh! Oh! That Gaiby, Gabv glide! Don't lag or let your feelings hide: Do the side step, trip, and then go back the other way; Do the forward dip, and see how tou begin to sway, Oh! Oh! That Gabv, Gaby glide! To a certain degree the last verse of "That Gaby Glide" betrays the secret of the world's ragtime madness: — We are going crazy 'bout this new dance bewitching; We can't stop our feet at all .they feel such an itching. You are in the air, floating here and there, Not a single care comes a-stealing.