M. Gelle Abdullahi ’s Reviews > Let's Do It: The Birth of Pop Music: A History > Status Update

Reading this book for almost a year now. It feels like an academic book, a mix of fun and boring passages. Thirty chapters left. I’ll try to read one a day. I do want to know more.

“‘Everything was so much trouble, so much bother,' she said of the British musical. 'I suppose it's because as a race we don't like to learn. We don't like to admit that we don't know.. Unfortunately we were very stubborn. We wouldn't learn from the Americans. It's sad, as we might have been better technically.“
—Jessie Matthews, “Chapter 20, Industrial Light and Magic: The Movie Musical”

“In 1950 a newborn Anglo-Indian baby in Lahore was christened Gene by his mischievous, Autry-loving older brothers, who had been entrusted by their mum to take him to the registry office and have him named Anthony.”

—Trying hard to recreate what had yet to be created: Hillbilly

In 1909 Europe seemed to be sleepwalking towards disaster. A music-hall hit of that year claimed ‘There’ll Be No War as Long as There’s a King Like Old King Edward’ (because ‘he ’ates that kind of thing!’), but unfortunately for all concerned, King Edward died in 1911.

Before Hollywood, getting a part in the Follies was the most fail-safe way for an actress or singer to make her name. Ziegfeld’s basic but clever idea was to use the name Follies and simply add the year; this way he always made it feel like an event, something to look forward to in the calendar, which neatly hid the fact that he was basically putting on the same revue every year.

Among his cheeky innovations, Harris was probably the first publisher to include a photograph of the singer on his sheet music. This both appealed to consumers and massaged the egos of the performers, endearing Harris to them even more.