Word: shapiros
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These sad-eyed lyrics, set to a mournful, slew-footed tune, were written by Negro Jesse Stone, onetime Chicago band leader, now an arranger in a theatre in New York's Harlem. Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. published WPA in sheet music. Last spring Decca made a record of it in its "race" (euphemism for Negro) catalogue. WPA was not the first topical song on Government work relief. Decca had released Working for the PWA; Working on the Project; Lost My Job on the Project; Don't Take Away My PWA ["Mr. President, listen to what I have...
...John Hammond, pinko, Negrophile, jazz-purist and talent scout for Columbia, WPA seemed insulting to workers, degrading to Negroes. "It's inciting everything that's lousy," proclaimed Mr. Hammond, and took steps. He asked Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. to alter the offensive lyrics. They refused. Thereupon Mr. Hammond squashed a projected Columbia recording of the song, and called the cops-the New York local of the American Federation of Musicians...
...musicians' union condemned WPA. Decca, under threat that no union man would record for it, withdrew its WPA discs from sale. Victor suppressed a recording made by Glenn Miller, not yet released. The three major radio networks banned the song, NBC explaining that it was in "bad taste." Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. alone stood its ground, although threatened with a union boycott of all its songs...
When wind of this success reached Manhattan Publishers Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., they decided to get the U. S. publication rights, issued the Beer Barrel Polka as a song with words specially written by Lyric-writer Lew Brown...
...When Shapiro propelled a pushcart on the Lower East Side, "Gurrah" (get out) was what Shapiro snarled at East Side pushcarters to whom he first sold "protection." Those who did not "Gurrah" got their carts pushed over...