“Some of These Days” and the Study of the Great American Songbook

MICHAEL GARBER

doi:10.1017/S1752196310000027

“Some of These Days” and the Study of the Great American Songbook

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 April 2010

MICHAEL GARBER

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Abstract

Supporting a new methodology for the study of classic American popular songs, this article offers a history of both the print editions and recorded versions of “Some of These Days” (1910) by Shelton Brooks. This saga commences with a hitherto unanalyzed precursor to Brooks's famous song that shares nearly the same opening words and melody, the 1905 “Some o' Dese Days” by Frank Williams. It continues through nine major print editions and numerous recorded performances, of which this study examines forty-six, including ten as the theme song for Sophie Tucker. Performers are clearly influenced by both performed and printed variations; more surprisingly, print editions are also influenced by performers. Thus, Tin Pan Alley songs are best viewed as products of collaboration within a community of songwriters, publishers, and performers. Brooks fills “Some of These Days” with compositional details that are conducive to effective performance variations. This elusive intrinsic adaptability represents, for 1910, a modern, innovative quality and is central to any understanding of this song genre. Oft-neglected, such early popular standards—poised at the juncture of musical cultures, oral and print, amateur and professional, live and mediatized—help the critical historian pinpoint aspects that make this repertoire valuable.

Type: Research Article
Information: Journal of the Society for American Music , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , May 2010 , pp. 175 - 214

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1752196310000027 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Society for American Music 2010

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Sheetography

The main portion of this sheetography lists editions of Shelton Brooks's “Some of These Days,” in chronological sequence, with “a,” “b,” and so forth indicating a close relationship—most often new packaging for an old arrangement, usually seemingly using the same plates. Brief information is given to distinguish each of these subeditions. For visual clarity and ease of scanning, I place the date first, the publisher's name second, and the place of publication third. Sources for the copies that I examined are given at the end of each entry. A supplementary sheetography gives information on the sheet music for other songs mentioned in this article.

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IU: Indiana University Sheet Music. http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/inharmony/welcome.do.Google Scholar

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LOCPAE: The Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia. Catalog entries only. http://loc.gov/performingarts/.Google Scholar

LSL: Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection, John Hopkins University. http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/.Google Scholar

NLA: National Library of Australia Digital Collections. Catalog entry only. http://www.nla.gov.au/digicoll/music.html.Google Scholar

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