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Just a Girl That Men Forget

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"Just a Girl That Men Forget"
Single
Published1923
GenreBallad, Waltz
Songwriter(s)Al Dubin, Fred Rath and Joe Garren

Just a Girl That Men Forget is an American waltz ballad song, written by Al Dubin, Fred Rath and Joe Garren with sheet music published in 1923 by Jack Mills, Inc..[1] It was an in-demand Tin Pan Alley hit song in 1923 and 1924, popularized by singers Herbert Payne and Lewis James.[2][3][4] It was also a well purchased piece of sheet music,[5] and during the Tin Pan Alley era, the sheet music sales determined if a song was a "hit" rather than charts.

History

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"Just a Girl That Men Forget" (1923) by Lewis James advertisement by Okeh Records
1923 Lewis James advertisement by Okeh Records

The lyrics are about a modern and promiscuous flapper girl who would be passed over for marriage, because men like "old fashion" girls.[3][6][7][8] The song begins with the lyrics "Dear little girl, they call you a vamp, a flapper with up to date ways."[1] Flappers did not appreciate the song's lyrics, and hundreds of letters of "resentment" were written to Jack Mills, Inc..[9]

It has been recorded by several musicians including Herbert Payne (1923),[3] Lewis James (1923),[3][10] the Courtney Sisters (1923),[2] Henry Burr (1923),[11] The Troubadours (1923),[12] Vernon Dalhart (1923),[13] Jimmie Davis (1937),[14] Ozie Waters (1951),[15] Carmen Prentice (1923),[16] Irving Kaufman (1923),[10] Jim Doherty, Ben Selvin and His Orchestra (Vocalion Records), Charles Hart, and the DeMarco Sisters.

The Library of Congress archive has a 1923 recording of the song performed by Henry Burr with Celeste and orchestra.[17] In 1986, a Dear Abby advice column was published, with memories of this song as a subject.[18] Sheet music for the song are extant.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Dubin, Al; Rath, Fred; Garren, Joe (January 1, 1923). "Just A Girl That Men Forget". Sheet Music Collection, Mississippi State University Libraries.
  2. ^ a b "New Mills Sentimental Ballad Scores Hit". Music Trades. Vol. 65. Music Trades Corporation. 1923. p. 166.
  3. ^ a b c d Tyler, Don (2007-04-02). Hit Songs, 1900-1955: American Popular Music of the Pre-Rock Era. McFarland. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-7864-2946-2.
  4. ^ "Want 'Holy Night' As Christmas Nears". The Post-Crescent. 1923-12-10. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  5. ^ "City Sings About 'Girl Men Forget'". The Post-Crescent. 1923-12-10. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  6. ^ Conor, Liz (2004-07-16). The Spectacular Modern Woman: Feminine Visibility in the 1920s. Indiana University Press. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-253-21670-0.
  7. ^ Doggett, Peter (2015-08-27). Electric Shock: From the Gramophone to the iPhone – 125 Years of Pop Music. Random House. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-4481-3031-3.
  8. ^ Cosmopolitan. Vol. 179. Hearst Corporation. July 1975. p. 191.
  9. ^ "Flappers Resent Sentimental Song". The Morning Post. 1923-11-23. p. 9. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  10. ^ a b "Best Sellers, Music". Daily News. 1923-09-16. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  11. ^ "Just A Girl That Men Forget by Henry Burr (1923)" – via Internet Archive.
  12. ^ "The Troubadours / Green-Arden Orchestra - Just A Girl That Men Forget" – via music.metason.net.
  13. ^ Thomas, Billie W.; Sutton, Allan (2006). The Plaza-ARC Discography: U.S. issues, 1922-31 (Mxs. 5001-10082). Mainspring Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-9772735-3-9.
  14. ^ Ginell, Cary; Coffey, Kevin (2001). Discography of Western Swing and Hot String Bands, 1928-1942. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-313-31116-1.
  15. ^ "Music Popularity Chart, Country and Western". Billboard. June 9, 1951. p. 31. ISSN 0006-2510.
  16. ^ "Willow Sapling on Brink of Precipice Saves Lois Wilson". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 1923-11-28. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  17. ^ "Just a girl that men forget". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA.
  18. ^ "Dear Abby, The Song of An Old-Fashion Girl Rings of Praise For Good Ol' Days". The Courier-Journal. 1986-05-26. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
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