Theodore F. Morse
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Theodore F. Morse (April 13, 1873 – May 25, 1924) was an American composer of popular songs.


Biography

Born in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, Morse was educated at the Maryland Military & Naval Academy. He went on to study both violin and piano. He and his wife,
Theodora Morse Theodora Morse (July 11, 1883 — November 10, 1953) was an American songwriter and composer. She was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist who collaborated to produce a number of popular songs. Background Alfreda Theodora Strandberg was born in Brooklyn, New ...
, became a successful songwriting team for
Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...
. Listed as Terriss & Morse, they were one of the earliest Tin Pan Alley husband-wife songwriting teams. Morse died from pneumonia in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
on May 25, 1924. His song "Blue Bell, the Dawn is Waking..." became popular in Germany shortly after WW1 due to its marching rhythm. In 1920, Erich Tessmer wrote German lyrics, and the song was performed by the
Freikorps (, "Free Corps" or "Volunteer Corps") were irregular German and other European military volunteer units, or paramilitary, that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenary or private armies, rega ...
. Then the German Stormtroopers used it as their march with new lyrics "Kamerad, reich mir die Hände"; another version of the lyrics was used by their opponents, the Rotfront ("Hunger in allen Gassen"). When the Nazis came to power, they used the song as a Hitler Youth march with a newer version of lyrics "Deutschland, du Land der Treue".Heil Deutschland / Deutschland du Land der Treue / Blue Bell the dawn is waking
/ref>


Partial list of songs

*1902 "
Two Little Boys "Two Little Boys" is a song written by American composer Theodore F. Morse and lyricist Edward Madden. It was written in 1902 and became a popular music hall song of the time, especially by Scottish singer Harry Lauder. It describes the story of ...
", lyrics by Edward Madden *1903 "Dear Old Girl", lyrics by Richard Henry Buck *1903 "Nautical Nonsense (Hurrah for Baffin's Bay!)" from '' The Wizard of Oz'', lyrics by Vincent Bryan *1903 " It Takes the Irish to Beat the Dutch", lyrics by Edward Madden *1904 "Blue Bell", lyrics by
Edward Madden Edward Madden (July 17, 1878 – March 11, 1952) was an American lyricist. Early life Madden was born in New York City and graduated from Fordham University. After graduation, he wrote material for many singers including Fanny Brice and ...
&
Theodora Morse Theodora Morse (July 11, 1883 — November 10, 1953) was an American songwriter and composer. She was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist who collaborated to produce a number of popular songs. Background Alfreda Theodora Strandberg was born in Brooklyn, New ...
*1905 "Daddy's Little Girl", lyrics by Edward Madden *1907 "I Want to be a Merry, Merry Widow", lyrics by
Edward Madden Edward Madden (July 17, 1878 – March 11, 1952) was an American lyricist. Early life Madden was born in New York City and graduated from Fordham University. After graduation, he wrote material for many singers including Fanny Brice and ...
*1908 "Down in Jungle Town", lyrics by Edward Madden *1908 "I've Taken Quite a Fancy to You", lyrics by Edward Madden *1908 "The Old Time Rag", lyrics by Edward Madden *1908 "Stupid Mister Cupid", lyrics by Edward Madden *1909 "
Blue Feather "Blue Feather" is a popular song written in 1909 with music by Theodore F. Morse and lyrics by Jack Mahoney. In the song the singer is expressing his love for sweet Blue Feather. The chorus is:Mahoney, "Blue Feather" (Sheet music). References ...
", lyrics by Jack Mahoney *1911 "Another Rag", lyrics by
Theodora Morse Theodora Morse (July 11, 1883 — November 10, 1953) was an American songwriter and composer. She was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist who collaborated to produce a number of popular songs. Background Alfreda Theodora Strandberg was born in Brooklyn, New ...
*1911 "Auntie Skinner's Chicken Dinner" words and music by
Earl Carroll Earl Carroll (September 16, 1893 – June 17, 1948) was an American theatrical producer, director, writer, songwriter and composer. Early life Carroll was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1893. He lived as an infant in the Nunnery Hill ( Fine ...
,
Arthur Fields Arthur Fields (August 6, 1884 – March 29, 1953) was an American singer (baritone) and songwriter. Biography He was born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up mainly in Utica, New York. He became a professional ...
& Theodore F. Morse *1913 "Down in Monkeyville", lyrics by
Grant Clarke Grant Clarke (May 14, 1891, Akron, Ohio – May 16, 1931, California) was an American songwriter. Clarke moved to New York City early in his career, where he worked as an actor and a staff writer for comedians. He began working on Tin Pan Alley, ...
&
Edgar Leslie Edgar Leslie (December 31, 1885 – January 22, 1976) was an American songwriter. Biography Edgar Leslie was born in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1885. He studied at the Cooper Union in New York. He published his first song in 1909, starting a lo ...
*1913 "Salvation Nell", lyrics by Grant Clarke & Edgar Leslie *1915 "If They'd Only Fight the War with Wooden Soldiers", lyrics by Bert Fitzgibbon *191
" M-O-T-H-E-R"
lyrics by Howard Johnson *1915 "
Soldier Boy Soldier Boy is the name of three superhero characters in the comic book series ''Herogasm'' and '' The Boys'', created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The first character introduced (the second successor to the mantle, made by Vought along w ...
, lyrics by D.A. Esrom *1916 "Good Old U.S.A.", lyrics by Jack Drislane *1917 "Hail! Hail! The Gang's All Here" with Arthur Sullivan (lyrics by D. A. Esrom) *1917 "My Red Cross Girlie (The Wound Is Somewhere in My Heart)", lyrics by Harry Bewley *1917 "Sing Me Love's Lullaby", lyrics by
Theodora Morse Theodora Morse (July 11, 1883 — November 10, 1953) was an American songwriter and composer. She was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist who collaborated to produce a number of popular songs. Background Alfreda Theodora Strandberg was born in Brooklyn, New ...
(as Dorothy Terriss) *1917 "Our Lanky Yankee Boys in Brown", lyrics by Edward Madden and Robt. F. Roden *1917 "Throw No Stones in the Well That Gives You Water", lyrics by
Arthur Fields Arthur Fields (August 6, 1884 – March 29, 1953) was an American singer (baritone) and songwriter. Biography He was born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up mainly in Utica, New York. He became a professional ...
*1917 " We'll Knock the Heligo - Into Heligo Out of Heligoland!", lyrics by John O'Brien *1918 " Mother Here's Your Boy" with Sidney D. Mitchell and Archie Gottler *1918 " When a Blue Service Star Turns to Gold", lyrics by Casper Nathan *1918 "When I get Back to My American Blighty", lyrics by
Arthur Fields Arthur Fields (August 6, 1884 – March 29, 1953) was an American singer (baritone) and songwriter. Biography He was born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up mainly in Utica, New York. He became a professional ...
*1923 "Cut Yourself a Piece of Cake", lyrics by Billy James *1924 "Don't Blame It All on Me", lyrics by
Theodora Morse Theodora Morse (July 11, 1883 — November 10, 1953) was an American songwriter and composer. She was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist who collaborated to produce a number of popular songs. Background Alfreda Theodora Strandberg was born in Brooklyn, New ...
&
Leo Wood Leo Wood ''(aka'' Jack Wood; ''né'' Leopold Wood Lantheaume; 2 September 1882 – 2 August 1929) was an American songwriter and lyricist. Career Leo Wood was born in San Francisco to Louis Ferdinand Lantheaume and Hannah Marcuse Wood ''(maiden) ...
*1924 "Monkey Doodle", lyrics by
Theodora Morse Theodora Morse (July 11, 1883 — November 10, 1953) was an American songwriter and composer. She was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist who collaborated to produce a number of popular songs. Background Alfreda Theodora Strandberg was born in Brooklyn, New ...
&
Leo Wood Leo Wood ''(aka'' Jack Wood; ''né'' Leopold Wood Lantheaume; 2 September 1882 – 2 August 1929) was an American songwriter and lyricist. Career Leo Wood was born in San Francisco to Louis Ferdinand Lantheaume and Hannah Marcuse Wood ''(maiden) ...
''(all music by him only unless when stated otherwise)''


See also

*
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck" (sometimes phrased with "could" rather than "would") is an American English-language tongue-twister.Thomas A. Green, ''Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Beliefs, Customs, Tales, Music'' (1997): "Sometimes, ton ...


References


External links

* *
Sheet Music for "M-O-T-H-E-R: A Word That Means the World to Me"
music by Theodore F. Morse; lyrics by Howard E. Johnson; Leo Feist, Inc., 1915 *Sheet music fo
"'Lizabeth Ann: A Southern Love Song"
New York: Theodore Morse Co., 1911. Fro
Wade Hall Sheet Music Collection

Theodore F. Morse recordings
at the Discography of American Historical Recordings. {{DEFAULTSORT:Morse, Theodore F. Songwriters from Washington, D.C. American male songwriters 1873 births 1924 deaths