Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989), born Israel Isidore Baline, in Tyumen, Siberia (or Mahilyow (Mogilev), Belarus), was an American composer and lyricist, one of the most prodigious and famous American songwriters in history. Although he never learned how to play a piano or read music beyond a rudimentary level, he wrote over 1,000 songs that became popular on Broadway and in Hollywood, leaving an indelible mark on American music and culture with hits such as "God Bless America", and "White Christmas."

Early work

Irving Berlin's first credited song lyrics were for "Marie from Sunny Italy" in 1907. He was paid 37 cents. Due to a misprint on the record "Balin" became "Berlin."

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In 1911 the hit song "Alexander's Ragtime Band" launched a musical career that would include over a thousand songs. Richard Corliss, in a Time Magazine profile of Berlin in 2001, wrote:

Related Topics:
1911 - Time Magazine

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"Alexander's Ragtime Band," 1911. It was a march, not a rag, and its savviest musicality comprised quotes from a bugle call and "Swanee River." But the tune, which revived the ragtime fervor that Scott Joplin had stoked a decade earlier, made Berlin a songwriting star. On its first release, four versions of the tune charted at #1, #2, #3 and #4. Bessie Smith, in 1927, and Louis Armstrong, in 1937, made the top 20 with their interpretations. In 1938 the song was #1 again, in a duet by Bing Crosby and Connee Boswell; another Crosby duet, this time with Al Jolson, hit the top-20 in 1947. Johnny Mercer charted a swing version in 1945, and Nellie Lutcher put it on the R&B charts (#13) in 1948. Add Ray Charles' brilliant big-band take in 1959, and "Alexander" had a dozen hit versions in a bit under a half century.http://www.time.com/time/sampler/article/0,8599,189846,00.html

Related Topics:
Louis Armstrong - Bing Crosby - Connee Boswell - Al Jolson - Johnny Mercer - Ray Charles

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In 1917, during World War I, he was drafted into the United States Army and staged a musical revue Yip Yip Yaphank while at Camp Upton in Yaphank, New York. The revue was a patriotic tribute to the United States Army, and Berlin composed a song entitled "God Bless America," for the show — but decided against using it. When it was released years later, "God Bless America" proved so popular that during the 1930s it was even considered for the National Anthem, but was rejected by the press in part because it came from a Jewish composer. The Yaphank revue was later included in the 1943 movie This Is the Army featuring other Berlin songs, including the famous title piece, as well as a full-length rendition of "God Bless America" by Kate Smith. It remains to this day one of his most successful songs and one of the most widely-known in the United States. A particularly famous rendition occurred after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, when members of the United States Congress stood together on the steps of the Capitol building and sang Berlin's tune.

Related Topics:
1917 - World War I - Drafted - United States Army - Yip Yip Yaphank - Camp Upton - Yaphank, New York - God Bless America - 1930 - National Anthem - Jewish - 1943 - This Is the Army - Kate Smith - September 11th - 2001 - United States Congress - Capitol

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Berlin's 1926 hit song, "Blue Skies," became another American classic and was featured in the first "talkie" (motion picture with sound): Al Jolson?s "The Jazz Singer." In 1946, a Berlin musical with the same title revived the song's popularity, and it reached #8 with Count Basie and #9 with Benny Goodman. "Finally, Willie Nelson made the song a #1 country hit in 1978 ? 52 years after it was written."http://www.time.com/time/sampler/article/0,8599,189846,00.html

Related Topics:
1926 - Talkie - The Jazz Singer - Count Basie - Benny Goodman - Willie Nelson

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