Life, 1925-06-25 · page 14 of 37
Life — June 25, 1925 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This illustration depicts a sentimental Victorian-era scene where a waiter performs a popular song in what appears to be a restaurant or café. The sketch satirizes the commercial nostalgia and sentimentality of 1890s popular culture—specifically the "mammy song" craze, which romanticized antebellum Southern life through emotionally manipulative ballads. The lyrics shown deal with lost love and mourning, presented as tearjerking entertainment. The cartoon mocks how such performances became fashionable spectacles for urban audiences seeking manufactured emotional experiences. The "specifications" section below appears to contain period advertisements, suggesting the page documents both entertainment trends and consumer culture of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE GAY NINETIES THE SINGING WAITER STARTING THE MAMMY SONG CRAZE “She lingered through the summer, “I often go to see her grave Cnorus: But when the frost and snow— To keep the verdure green; “ ‘Stick to your Mother, John, The bitter winds of winter And plant a spotless lily When I am gone, Very quickly laid her low. Upon the peaceful scene; She died in my embraces And feel the satisfaction With-spirits calm and brave Of knowing—though she’s dead— Don't let her worry, lad. Don't let her mourn. Remember that she nursed you When I was far away. And now a weeping willow I tried to do my duty—to— Don't leave your Mother— Hangs silently o'er her grave. The words my Father said: When her hair turns gray.” Specifications TENOGRAPHER (in real-estate office) : My ideal of a husband is a man substantially built, modern appearance but Colonial characteristics, sound top story, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, of construction that will with- stand storms, heart as warm as a fireplace; straight as a beam; tio hot air heat and nothing to shade or screen. Sti PuER Cuum (in auto sales office): I prefer one that will give miles of uninterrupted service, unpunctured integrity, superb style, quality and stateliness without clumsi- ness and excessive weight; one that I can steer easily and can drive and put to every conceivable test with plenty of spare jack for emergencies. HLL. W. comicbooks.com