Turn of the Century Song - "A Bird in a Gilded Cage" - With Vintage Footage of New York - A Classic!

A classic among popular standards and turn of the century songs.
"A Bird in a Gilded Cage" is a famous "Broadway song" of the gilded age. This music video also features rare vintage film of New York at the time this popular standard song was written. The music was composed by Harry Von Tilzer. The words to "A Bird in a Gilded cage" were penned by English lyricist Arthur J. Lamb. Marc Berman sings in this video.
This old Broadway song has also been recorded by artists like Bing Crosby. It is sentimental, old music that captures the feel of a bygone era. As does the vintage film footage.
Popular standards and old songs like this hearken back to the beautiful melodies of a simpler time: the "gay nineties" and the turn of the century. Harry Von Tilzer was a contemporary of a young Irving Berlin, and an old Mark Twain. Von Tilzer's brother, Albert, was also a famous composer. Albert even wrote the hit song, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," in 1908.
As a gilded age song, "A Bird in a Gilded Cage" features both a lilting melody and a compelling story. The story's "plot" involves of a "fallen" young woman, who "married for wealth, not for love." Some of the lyrics have been updated in this recording to more modern terminology (e.g., "it's instead of "tis"), and for dramatic clarity.
As Von Tilzer recounted, Lamb first approached him with proposed lyrics in 1899. While Von Tilzer liked them, he asked Lamb to change some words. Apparently, the original version made it seem that the woman of the song was a lover, not a wife--a scandalous assertion in those days.
Von Tilzer would compose the melody in a pub. While composing, he noticed that some of the girls present were weeping. That seemingly convinced Von Tilzer that the song would be a hit. Indeed, he would later state that "A Bird in a Gilded Cage" was "the key that opened the door of wealth and fame" to him.
The sheet music to the song was published in 1900. It quickly became a king among gilded age songs.
Great old songs like " A Bird in a Gilded Cage" surely are worth listening to, even 100+ years later. Popular vintage songs and worthy vintage music of all genres never really go out of style. So too, this vintage New York song will likely still be sung a hundred years from today.