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The plays were in reality
musicals. There were three songs in the early authorized plays. Here is
that early sheet music. The lyrics were written by the author of the
play, Charles Felton Pidgin and the music was by Chas. D. Blake. This
item contains the "Peck's Bad Boy" song. This song has eight verses. As
you can see, this music cost 35 cents and was copyrighted in 1884.
A second piece of sheet music is for the five verse "Only a Boy" which
was written by George W. Heath with music by Lillie May White. This
song was copyrighted in 1901 and sung in Peck's Bad Boy plays
thereafter.
Here is the sheet music for an 1883 copyrighted Peck's Bad Boy Song.
The words are by George Cooper and the music by J. P. Skelly. The first
authorized plays had music that was written by Charles Felton Pidgin.
Thus, this song which was written before the first authorized play must
have been written for an unauthorized production.
Several other Peck's Bad Boy sheet music scores have been seen. I do
not personally own these items. They are from the Library of Congress.
This one was composed by Fred Lyons in 1883. Clearly unauthorized by
Peck.
This score was composed by Sigmund Kahn in 1884. Again it is likely that this music was for a pirated play.
Here is more sheet music. Again without mention of Atkinson's
Comedy Club, Charles Pidgin or George W. Peck, it would appear this
music was for an unauthorized Peck play.
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