1938: Too much swing already

[robcat2075]

From an article on the continuing debate regarding the government's proper role in ensuring freedom of speech on the airwaves and yet also preventing abuse of those airwaves.

The FCC addresses some citizen complaints...

BachSwinging.jpg

[BGuttman]

There was a lot of "appropriating" of classical music into jazz tunes in the Swing Era, Glenn Miller had his "Song of the Volga Boatmen". Tommy Dorsey had "Song of India". The Broadway show "Kismet" used tunes from the Polovetsian Dances. These are just a few that come to mind.

And there are always Fuddy-Duddies who treat any change from the original as a travesty. "Blue Moon" as a Rock tune? Horrors!

[SimmonsTrombone]

A lot of this was caused by ASCAP raising fees through the 30s by nearly 500%. When the organization tried to double broadcast license fees in 1940, broadcasters stopped playing ASCAP licensed songs and formed BMI. The songs Bruce mentioned were played a lot. BMI also licensed country and R&B, which were disdained by ASCAP.

[robcat2075]

A lot of this was caused by ASCAP raising fees through the 30s by nearly 500%. When the organization tried to double broadcast license fees in 1940, broadcasters stopped playing ASCAP licensed songs and formed BMI. The songs Bruce mentioned were played a lot. BMI also licensed country and R&B, which were disdained by ASCAP.

When I was in college one of the teachers used this to explain the proliferation of awful classical and public domain-tune based jazz pieces in that era.

It makes sense until it doesn't.