"Sheik of Araby" / "Right or Wrong" (1921)

Music is often said to be a mathematical experience, in that there are 7 major chords and 8 notes which comprise all of the western music ever written. It’s different in India, where they have a seemingly infinite number of notes; or sounds; 64, I think. Imagine the possibilities!

I love music, and listen to a lot of older music. Sometimes I think I hear the nascent sounds of a later song in an older one. It’s usually just a phrase or so, a stumbling upon the same territory and sound, as another composer elsewhere. But every now and then I come across one as blatant as “My Sweet Lord” was to “She’s So Fine.” But this time it’s different.

These 2 songs were written by 2 teams of songwriters working at different ends of the country at a time when radio wasn’t available beyond the crystal head set phase. So that makes it very unlikely that either one of these songwriters even had the opportunity to plagiarize anything from one another. This is a true mathematical/musical coincidence. The odds are astounding that this could occur, even by chance.

“The Sheik of Araby” is a bit faster and in a higher key, but the melody is the same as the slower “Right or Wrong.” If you don’t believe me just sing the lyrics to “Right or Wrong” while listening to the “Sheik of Araby.” I have used instrumental versions of both songs to make it easier.

"The Sheik of Araby", like “Right or Wrong”, was written in 1921. The lyrics were by Harry B. Smith and Francis Wheeler, and the music was composed by Ted Snyder. It was written at the height of Rudolph Valentino’s popularity in the film “The Sheik.” It is considered to be one of the thousands of hits to come from Tin Pan Alley in New York City.

Now, moving on to “Right or Wrong”; remember that the coincidence here is two-fold. Not only did the music have to be of the same melody, the lyrics had to be of the same meter; as in rhyme scheme. This really is an amazing thing, even though the songs are in different keys.

“Right or Wrong" is considered to be a jazz ballad. The music was composed by Art Sizemore and Paul Biese, and the words were penned by Haven Gillespie. It was meant to be played as a foxtrot. Bob Wills immortalized this song with his two step version in 1936, which has become the standard.

So check it out and let me know what you think. Here’s the main chorus for “Right or Wrong”;

Right or wrong, I'll always love you.

Tho' you're gone, I can't forget.

Right or wrong, I'll keep on dreaming,

Tho' I wake with that same old regret.

All along I knew I'd lose you,

Still I pray'd that you'd be true.

In your heart, please just remember,

Right or wrong, I'm still in love with you.

And here are the lyrics to “The Sheik of Araby”;

Well I'm the sheik of Araby

Your love belongs to me

Well at night where you're asleep

Into your tent I'll creep

Aha

The stars that shine above

Will light our way to love

Ah you rule this world with me

I'm the sheik of Araby

Well I'm the sheik of Araby

Your love belongs to me

Wow oh at night where you're asleep

Into your tent I'll creep

Aha

The sun that shines above

Will light our way to love

You rule this world with me

I'm the sheik of Araby

Well I'm the sheik of Araby

Well I'm the sheik of Araby, yeah.

Robert Todd Lincoln - Too Close to History

This is President William McKinley. It was this week in 1901 when Robert Todd Lincoln, son of the slain President, rushed from the train station in Buffalo to greet President McKinley at the Temple of Music. He did so in his capacity as President of the Pullman Cars Association to lend a hand in the political opportunites afforded by the Pan American Exposition which was being held in Buffalo that year. Robert Todd Lincoln was always late.

Just as he arrived Leon Czolgosz approached the President, his hand in a sling which concealed a revolver. He used this weapon to shoot the President within yards of the ever tardy Mr. Lincoln. The President was shot on the 6th and died of his wounds on the 14th of September. After this event, Mr. Lincoln would make no more public political appearances for the rest of his life. Some say this was a self imposed idea. Others say he fell out of favor as a guest for a very understandable, but unusual, reason.

You see, Robert Todd had a history of being late at the very times when Presidents were shot. He was late in 1881 when he was serving under President James Garfield, pictured here, as the Secretary of War. On this occasion he arrived, as he later did with McKinley, at the precise moment the fatal shots were fired by Charles Guiteau. Just as later, with McKinley, Robert Todd was only yards away. It has been written that both Garfield, and later McKinley, were having dreams portending their own deaths at the hands of an assassin. So much had been written about President Lincoln's premonitions, that both subsequent Presidents were eager to discuss this with his son Robert.

This is Robert Todd Lincoln as he appeared in the 1880's. The history of his presence at the assassinations began, of course, with the murder of his father, Abraham Lincoln, which occured on the very night that Captain Lincoln arrived back in Washington after having served as an aide to General Grant. He was too tired to attend the theater that night, electing to stay in the White House instead. But he was summoned about 11 PM that night after news of his fathers assassination had spread throughout the city like wildfire. Rushing to the President's side he was present when President Lincoln passed away at about 7:30 AM the following morning.

I have often thought about the burden that Robert Todd Lincoln carried with him for the rest of his life. He did write briefly about it, posing such questions as "What if I had been there?" and "Might it have gone differently?" No one will ever know. But every year when the anniversary of President McKinley's assassination rolls around, I think about poor Robert Todd Lincoln and the burden that he carried for over 6 decades until he passed away in 1926.

Havens and Domingo - The Cosmos at Work

Each morning when I wake up I grab my morning paper and scan the headlines. Then I look inside the front page at “This Day In History”, to gain context I suppose. And then I look at "Today’s Birthdays", which always holds a surprise of one sort or another.

For instance, last year when Olivia De Havillandturned 94, I hadn’t even realized she was still alive! So,  I like to keep track. But every now and then I look and see two people born on the same day, same year and doing the same thing as one another all their lives. And it always strikes me as odd.

Was there something in the air that January day in Brooklyn when Richie Havens was born in 1941? And what was going on in Madrid, Spain that same day when Placido Domingo made his entrance into the world?

Richie Havens was one of 9 children. From an early age he began singing on street corners in “Doo Wop” groups and by 1957 was with The McCrea Gospel Singers.

His first influences were Nina Simone and then Dino Valenti. As he began to frequent Greenwich Village he started doing portraits and eventually began singing in the coffee houses that were the mainstay of the Village in the late 1950’s. By the time 1960 rolled around he was in demand on most college campuses as a singer from coast to coast.

Meantime, in Madrid, Placido Domingo was on a parallel path. By age 7 he was studying and performing with his parents, who were Zarzuela singers in Mexico City. He was a busy little man, also studying piano with Manuel Barajas and taking voice lessons at the National Conservatory.

Making his debut as Borsa in Rigoletto at about the same time that Richie Havens was appearing for the first time in New York- these two would continue on parallel courses that continue to this day.

By 1966 both were established in their respective careers, although they would not reach their respective peaks for a few more years.

In 1966 Havens was appearing at The Newport Folk Festival and Domingo was appearing in New York as Pinkerton in Madam Butterfly with the New York City Opera. When 1968 rolled around Havens was appearing at Monterey Pop while Domingo made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

The big year for both came in 1969, when Havens opened Woodstock and cemented his place in Rock and Roll History, just as Domingo was joining Milan’s La Scala and London’s Covent Garden Opera Company's. From this point on both would be recognized as leading talents in their respective genres. Both would go on to do Television and Movie appearances as well as pursue Cultural and Philanthropic goals.

I have no conclusions; and maybe it’s all just a meaningless coincidence. But 2 of the world’s most passionate singers share more than just great voices and a love for music. They share a birthday.