Before the days of records, and record sleeves, sheet music was a sure way to publicise performers and their songs. Cover designs were elaborate. If the singer’s face featured on the cover, it signified a certain fame.
Charlie Chaplin’s father figures on the cover of three songs for which he was famous.
Chaplin put his own face on the three songs he wrote and published in 1916.
Other music publishers used Charlie’s image to publicise and sell their own songs, sometimes about Chaplin himself.
In the 50s and 60s many famous artists, like Petula Clark and Dalida, performed Chaplin’s songs from Limelight - as is reflected by the number of songs for sale.
Charlie’s mother Hannah carefully wrote out the words to Every Day Life sung by the “great Charles Chaplin” for which no printed sheet music survives.
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