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Published music had a catalog number issued by the publisher, which was used by both retailers and musicians. A single publication could include many individual instrument parts as well as the vocal parts heard by the audience. To coordinate all parts effectivly for a band or orchestra, and because many music pieces were played in sequence, all printed music was refferred to by its catalog "number". Radio anouncers and conductors used industry jargon when introducing a "song" which was the vocal part of the composition, as a "number". This was picked up as a slang term for a song.

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11y ago

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