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MMD > Archives > February 2003 > 2003.02.06 > 08Prev  Next


Piano Roll Performances of "Just A Memory"
By Matthew Caulfield

As Lewis Carroll said in "The Hunting of the Snark," "What I tell you
three times is true."  So all we need is a third person to come forward
and claim that "Just A Memory" is a waltz, and it will be!

One of the problems researchers have to guard against is repeating
inaccurate information in print to the point where the inaccuracy
become the accepted truth.  I am sorry that I seem to have been guilty
of that with regard to "Just A Memory."  I quoted (as think Ed Sprankle
must have too) from the Billings Rollography.  Billings did have the
composer wrong, as a check of the sheet music cover found online
showed; they must also have had the song attribute wrong too.

If the song had been written before 1923, the Levy Sheet Music site
would have answered the question whether it was originally written as a
waltz or a fox trot, but alas it dates from 1927.  Because of copyright
law the site doesn't show the music.  Google returns lots of hits for
the song, but none -- not even the Victor 78's sites -- bother to say
anything about that aspect [waltz or fox-trot] of the tune.

I think Randolph Herr is undoubtedly correct that "Just A Memory" is
a fox trot and not a waltz.  Anybody who wants to go to this site:
http://www.hiddentreasuresttt.com/sheet_musicJ.htm, and invest $5 can
find out for sure.

Matthew Caulfield (Irondequoit, N.Y.)


(Message sent Thu 6 Feb 2003, 16:05:12 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Just, Memory, Performances, Piano, Roll

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