WORLD’S WORST SONGS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17218, 8 December 1923, Page 10 (Supplement)

WORLD’S WORST SONGS.

VIEWS OF EXPERTS. Air Ernest Newman, the music critic, recently stated at a lecture that “ The Rosary ” is the worst song in the world. A London pressman inquiring as to the correctness of this view, was amazed to discover that tho world’s worst song was a jealously guarded secret in the heart of artistes. “ 1 think it is a pretty large order to call any song the worst in the world.” said Air Charles Flinn, of the Gresham Singers. “ T could give you a round dozen of popular ballads which to me, would turn ‘ The Rosary ’ into the world’s best. For instance, ‘Down the Vale* and ‘ Queen of the Earth.’ ” “ There are a good many bad songs about.” said Air Robert Radford, “ but I don't think ‘ The Rosary ' is the worst. I think 4 Daddy ’ is. “ The musical taste of concert-goers has improved to such a wonderful extent that tbev will not have the cheap ballads now.” “The are too many bad songs for me to choose from them.” said Air Ivor Foster. “ And certainly there are worse songs than ‘ The Rosary.’ ” “ I have sung so many bad songs.” said Miss Carmen Hill. "1 should not like to give you the worst. You see, it would annoy the worst composer!” The only word of praise for “The Rosary ’ came from a street singer who was entertaining a theatre queue. ”1 dunno oo the bloke is wot said

that,’’ he burst out, “but T’ll tell yer this. These ’ere modern songs they ’avent got the toone, or the apfjeal like wot the oil ones ’ad. ‘ I’v mide more on 4 The Rosary,’ ‘ Mother’s Boy,’ and 4 Sweet Genevieve ’ than on all the new-fangled stuff.”