Play a Simple Melody facts for kids
"Play a Simple Melody" is a famous song from 1914. It was written by Irving Berlin for his first musical, Watch Your Step. The show played in New York City for 175 performances. This song is special because it uses something called counterpoint. This means two different melodies are played at the same time, each with its own lyrics. It's like two songs happening together!
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What is Counterpoint?
In music, counterpoint is when two or more melodies play at the same time. Each melody is independent, but they sound good together. For "Play a Simple Melody," one singer sings a "simple melody." Then another singer sings a different, "contrasting melody." Finally, both melodies are sung together. This makes the song unique in American popular music.
The Song's Story
The lyrics of "Play a Simple Melody" tell a story through its two parts. One singer wishes for old-fashioned music, like what their mother sang. The other singer thinks that old music is boring and needs more rhythm. This was a fun way to show the musical styles of the time. When the song came out, ragtime music was very popular. Ragtime is a lively style of music with a bouncy rhythm. Famous ragtime composers like Scott Joplin were well-known.
Early Recordings
In a famous recording from 1916, Elsie Baker (singing as "Edna Brown") sings the "simple" part. Meanwhile, Billy Murray asks for "rag" music. This recording really shows the different ideas in the song. Another version was recorded in 1915 by Walter Van Brunt and Mary Carson.
Popular Versions
Bing and Gary Crosby's Hit
In 1950, a new version of "Play a Simple Melody" became a big hit. It was sung by Bing Crosby and his son, Gary Crosby. They recorded it with Matty Matlock's All Stars. The song reached number 2 on the Billboard music charts that year. It was released by Decca Records.
Featured in Movies
The song was also featured in the 1954 movie There's No Business Like Show Business. This movie starred many famous actors like Ethel Merman and Marilyn Monroe. It showcased many songs by Irving Berlin. In the movie, Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey sang "Play a Simple Melody" in a fun vaudeville act.
Later Appearances
- In 1966, Horst Jankowski brought the song back to the music charts. It was popular on the "Easy Listening" chart.
- The song was used in a funny sketch on the British TV show Morecambe & Wise in the 1960s. They even performed it again in 1976 with Elton John.
- On October 5, 1978, Jean Stapleton sang the song with the puppet character Fozzie Bear. This happened on episode 306 of The Muppet Show.
Listen to the Original
You can listen to a 1916 recording of Billy Murray and Elsie Baker singing "Play a Simple Melody." It is available for free online at the Internet Archive.
