Arthur W. French Explained

Arthur W. French
Birth Name:Arthur Wells French
Birth Date:19 January 1846 [1]
Birth Place:Monroe, Connecticut, U.S.
Death Place:Bridgeport, Connecticut
Occupation:Journalist, songwriter
Genre:parlor songs
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Arthur Wells French (1846–1916) was a journalist from Connecticut who was also a successful songwriter of sentimental songs in the 1870s and 1880s.[1] [2] Born in Monroe, Connecticut, he moved to Bridgeport as a young man.[1] He was inclined to write, especially songs and poetry, "and this natural bent early led him into a newspaper career."[1] His most successful work may have been "Little Sweetheart" sung by minstrel tenor Dave Wambold, which sold "several hundred thousand...copies" of sheet music.[2]

As a journalist in Bridgeport, French worked for The Leader weekly newspaper, The Morning News, The Morning Union, The Standard, The Post and Telegram, and in Monroe for The Telegram and The Farmer.[1]

His first song was printed in a newspaper.[2] After that he sold songs to a "prominent composer" who adapted music to them and published them.[2] In 1911, French estimated that he had written several hundred sheet music songs, and a similar number "for secular and sacred songbooks."[2] He had kept track by making a continuous list of titles as he wrote them.[2] He also wrote music to be performed in variety shows, minstrel shows, operettas and cantatas which were never published.[2]

Songs

LOC are scores preserved at the Library of Congress. LSMC are scores preserved at the Lester M. Levy Sheet Music Collection. BERK are scores at the California Sheet Music Project at the Berkeley Library. IMSLP are scores online at the IMSLP Petrucci Music Library.

French wrote lyrics for: Charlie Baker, Charles Dupree Blake (1847–1903), William H. Brockway, Robert Challoner, Devin Christie, Virginia Gabriel, William A. Huntley, Herbert Leslie, E. S. Paul, George W. Persely, C. M. Pyke, Charlie Rea, Henry Tucker, Horatio Williams

Recordings

Some of French's songs were recorded in the early 20th century:

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Writer of many familiar verses dead at 70 years . The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer . Bridgeport, Connecticut . 28 Jan 1916 . 11 .
  2. News: Songs of other days, their author Arthur Wells French is now the Bard of Monroe and still at it. The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer . Bridgeport, Connecticut . 2 Oct 1911 . 8. Arthur Wells French the well known songwriter, more or less for the past four decades....
  3. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Barney A'Leen . J. L. Peters . New York . 1871 .
  4. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Beautiful dreams linger near me . Oliver Ditson & Co. . Boston . 1872 .
  5. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Darling take me back again . S.Brainard's Sons. Cleveland . 1872 .
  6. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Down among the daisies . Oliver Ditson & Co. . Boston . 1872 .
  7. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Kiss me, love, before I go . Brainard & Sons . Cleveland . 1872 .
  8. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Lilian Lee . George W. Brown . Chicago . 1872 .
  9. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Under the silvery stars . Oliver Ditson & Co. . Boston . 1872 .
  10. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Beautiful dreams never leave me . John Church and Company . Cincinnati, Ohio . 1873 .
  11. Web site: French . Arthur W. . levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu. Little Sweetheart Come and Kiss Me. Box 133, Item 100 . White and Goullaud . Boston . 1873 .
  12. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Little sweetheart, come listen to me . J. L. Peters . New York . 1873 .
  13. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Whisper farewell, Mollie dearest . John Church and Company . Cincinnati, Ohio . 1873 .
  14. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Barney, take me home again . John Church and Company . Cincinnati . 1875 .
  15. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Clouds of intemperance . Henry Shepherd . Oneonta, New York . 1875 .
  16. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Kiss, and forget, love . William A. Pond and Company . New York . 1875 .
  17. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Take me back to home and mother . Cory Brothers . Providence, Rhode Island . 1875 .
  18. Web site: French . Arthur W. . levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu. Take Me Back To Home and Mother. Song and Chorus. Box 135, Item 057 . Cory Brothers . [Providence, Rhode Island]. 1875 .
  19. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Have you forgotten me darling . S. T. Gordon and Company . New York . 1876 .
  20. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Only speak kindly to me . Oliver Ditson & Co. . Boston . 1876 .
  21. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. They borrow, but never return! . E. H. Harding . New York . 1876 .
  22. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. The home of uncle Joe . John Church and Company . Cincinnati, Ohio . 1876 .
  23. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Why can't I have a beau? . 1876 .
  24. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Black eyed Binie's gone to rest . W. F. Shaw . 1878 .
  25. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Flowers from home . T. A. Crosbie . Trenton . 1878 .
  26. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. I am dreaming, sweetheart, dreaming . Dr. J. W. Graves . Creston, Iowa . 1878 .
  27. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Just a sweet little word, Kathleen . W. F. Shaw . 1878 .
  28. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Little Valley Rose . George D. Newhall and Company . Cincinnati . 1878 .
  29. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. When the birds have gone to sleep . F. W. Helmick . Cincinnati . 1878 .
  30. News: Songs of other days, their author Arthur Wells French is now the Bard of Monroe and still at it. The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer . Bridgeport, Connecticut . 2 Oct 1911 . 8.
  31. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. When the blossoms cover us darling . F. W. Helmick . Cincinnati . 1878 .
  32. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Won't you . G. D. Russell . Boston . 1878 .
  33. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Mid lilies by the stream . G. D. Russell . New York . 1879 .
  34. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. I'll meet you again little darling . G. D. Russell . Boston . 1879 .
  35. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. I'll meet you again little darling . T. A. Crosby . 1879 .
  36. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Just because you kissed me, darling . Oliver Ditson and Company . Boston . 1879 .
  37. Web site: French . Arthur W. . imslp.org. I'll Wander Back Again . F. A. North & Co . 1879 .
  38. Book: French, Arthur W. . digicoll.lib.berkeley.edu. Some Day I'll Wander Back Again . F. A. North & Co . 1879 .
  39. Book: French, Arthur W. . digicoll.lib.berkeley.edu. Bye and bye you will forget me . F. W. Shaw . 1880 .
  40. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Mora Marie . White, Smith and Company . Boston . 1880 .
  41. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Little one, whisper you love me . W. F. Shaw . 1883 .
  42. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Must we leave the old home, mother? . W. F. Shaw . 1883 .
  43. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Barney A'leen . Oliver Ditson and Company . Boston . 1885 .
  44. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Trabbling back to Georgia . . 1910 .
  45. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. By and by you will forget me . . 1913 .
  46. Web site: French . Arthur W. . loc.gov. Someday I'll wander back again . . 1914 .

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