ASCAP Against Smut

Cross between a union, an agent and a burial society is the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP), which collects fees and royalties for the men who write and market most of the nation's songs. Always sensitive about its public relations, ASCAP was worried last week by a wave of smut which seemed to be breaking over the U. S. song trade. Its directors formally condemned writers and publishers of "salacious and suggestive songs," threatened them with spankings or worse. On the carpet this week were three ASCAP members (names kept secret). Possible penalties: a warning, a fine, reduction in rating, suspension, outright expulsion from the society.

Tin Pan Alley's current trend has been called "the double-entendre era" by Eli Oberstein, president of U. S. Record Corp. Mr. Oberstein's biggest hit (150,000 copies) is She Had to Go and Lose It at the Astor, ostensibly written by John Doe and Joe Doaques (actually Hugh Prince and Don Raye). A sister piece, She Really Meant to Keep It Till She Married, has sold 75,000 records for Mr. Oberstein. Not yet recorded is I'm a Virgin but I'm On the Verge, by ASCAP Member Paul Denniker.

Such "blue" songs are naturally not allowed on the radio networks. Last week NBC revealed that 147 songs are on its black list. Because their titles are suggestive 137 may not even be played instrumentally. Among them: Lavender Cowboy; Sweetest Little Lassie; Keep Your Skirts Down, Mary Ann; Dirty Lady; A Guy What Takes His Time; But in the Morning, No. Many another song has to be laundered before NBC will pass it. Not to be sung in Thank Your Father are the lines:

Though your father's name was Stanley,

Thank God that he was manly.

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