The Alternative

Lyricist. Arthur Anderson

Publisher. M. Witmark & Sons

Date. 1904

Key/Range. C Major (c' -- g")

COMMENTARY

Lyricist Arthur Anderson wrote the libretti and/or lyrics for several Edwardian musical comedies (e.g. The White Chrysanthemum, The Girl Behind the Counter, Two Merry Monarchs) then worked on several Broadway shows in the same capacity (e.g. The Marriage Market, The Beauty Spot, Chu Chin Chow). The song’s theme of unrequited love becoming a basis for friendship is similar to Wilfred Sanderson’s “pal” song “Friend o’ Mine” from 1913. One of Tours’ most adventurous settings in terms of harmony, it modulates abruptly in the B section to A♭ (♭VI), a distant third-relation key, and then wends its way back to the tonic slowly through D Minor using many chromatic pedal chords.