University of Maine - Prism Yearbook (Orono, ME)

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, i . f , THE STEIN SONG

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THE STEIN SONG It is difficult for me to write a sliort introduc- tion to the Stein Song. Beginning as a march called Opie written in 1904 by a German bass player with a portion of the music selected by Adelbert Sprague when he was a student, and the lyrics fashioned by Lincoln Colcord, another student, this song was buried deep in the files of a music publishing band instrument company which had not the remotest idea of the song ' s great lyric and melodic value. I suppose there will always be a few alumni who resented my spirited interpre- tation of the song in contrast to the slow and almost casual rendition of it on campus for years. The copies framed in my gallery, pub- lished in six different countries, each with its own title and lyrics, give me a thrill of pride when I realize that my nasal vocaliza- tion and a simple ink arrangement, hastily made, started this perfect wedding of melo- dy and lyric on its way around the world. Where the melody exults, the lyric does likewise, and the trio still brings the shivers to my spine when I do it in public as I will be asked to do until the day I die. The fact that, like many college airs, it has been adopted by other institutions of learning in no way detracts from the fact that it is still the song of a fine old university tucked away in the hills of dear old Maine. There is not a civilized spot in the world where its strains are not known. Where people may not too clearly under- stand its origin or association, even they must feel some of its magic, and perhaps in spite of themselves, they are wafted in spirit to the campus at Orono! RUDY VALLEE Jack B. Mitchell of Chidiwff Studios, New York, created the Stein Song photographs for The 1955 Prism. Mr. Mitchell is a native of Florida. He was taught the use of the camera hy his father when he was thirteen and received a professional pho- tographer ' s license in Florida. He served in the Army in Italy and after the war studied painting in Florence and Venice. Mr. Mitchell has created many striking photo- graphs for leading college annuals in the East and has had his professional dance photography published in several magazines.