A typical song-poem solicitation mailing
Thomas J. Guygax, Sr., the greatest of all song-poets
The story of John Trubee's "Blind Man's Penis," the most famous of all song-poems
The Many Mysteries Of Nervous Norvus
William H. Arpaia, another of our favorite song-poets
Songwriter's Review, curious artifacts from the pages of a tipsheet for amateur songwriters
Rodd Keith, Ellery Eskelin's site about his father's life and work [offsite]
Ellery Eskelin's This American Life interview about Rodd Keith, available in both RealAudio and text formats
Ken's Corner: a cool old guy reviews song-poem records
Malaprops, Non Sequiturs, and Other Lines That Go Clunk in the Night
How to write and sell your songs in five easy lessons -- "a $9.99 value!"
Song-poem sheet music from 1901
Mysterious song-poem sheet music from 1906
Correspondence between a song-poet and a song-poem company from 1906/1907
Weird song-poem brochure from 1913
Sarcastic 1914 exposé of the possible founder of song-poem music
Possible song-poem solicitation letter sent to Outsider Artist Henry Darger in 1921
Cartoon from 1925 song-poem exposé
Song Requirements Of Talking Pictures, 1930 song-poem promotional booklet
Inside account of Depression-era song-poem company (recalled in 1950)
Chapter about song-poem music from 1935 songwriting book
Song-poem "how-to" booklet (in three complete lessons) from 1937
Two consecutive ads from May, 1943 Issue of Song Parade magazine
The rise and fall of a '40s powerhouse -- the Nordyke story
Song-Poem References in Popular Culture (1946 to 1998)
Song-poem classifieds from a 1955 issue of Popular Mechanics
Tommy Durden, Inc., 1958 ad for "Heartbreak Hotel" co-author's song-poem company
Great 1962 brochure for Ascot Records (photo above)
Capitol Records' 1962 "Songs Without Words" contest
I Was A Teenage Song-Poet (1969/1972/1988)
Customer Complaint #1 (1969)
Clever kid decides to start his own late-'70s song-poem company, Swell Music, Inc. (offsite)
Customer Complaint #2 (1984)
Come-on letters from Donn Hecht Organization, a high-end song shark outfit (1997)
Label articles:
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Allstar ||
Ascot ||
Bryte/Brite Star ||
Command Performance ||
Cowtown ||
Fable ||
Film City ||
George Liberace ||
Globe ||
Halmark ||
Jody ||
Lee Hudson ||
Magic Key ||
Mayhams ||
National Songwriters Guild ||
Nordyke ||
Tin Pan Alley ||
Tropical ||
Vandalia ||
Vic-Tim ||
All design and uncredited content of this website ©2004 Phil Milstein