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."

Major hits

Berlin was responsible for many Hollywood film scores including Top Hat (1935) and Holiday Inn (1942), which included "White Christmas," one of the most-recorded tunes in American history.

Related Topics:
1935 - Holiday Inn - 1942 - White Christmas

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The song was first sung by Bing Crosby in the 1942 musical, Holiday Inn, and, when released as a record, sold over 30 million copies. The song was re-used as the title theme of the 1954 musical film, White Christmas, which starred Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen .

Related Topics:
Bing Crosby - 1942 - Musical - Holiday Inn - 1954 - Danny Kaye - Rosemary Clooney - Vera-Ellen

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Crosby's single of "White Christmas" was recognized as the best-selling singles in any music category for more than 50 years until 1998 when Elton John's tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, "Candle In the Wind 1997", overtook it in a matter of months. However, Crosby's recording of "White Christmas" has sold additional millions of copies as part of numerous albums, including his best-selling album Merry Christmas, which was first released as an LP in 1949.

Related Topics:
Best-selling singles - 1998 - Elton John - Diana, Princess of Wales - Candle In the Wind 1997 - Merry Christmas - LP - 1949

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The most familiar version of "White Christmas" is not the one Crosby originally recorded for Holiday Inn in 1942. Crosby was called back to the Decca studios on March 19, 1947, to re-record "White Christmas" as a result of damage to the 1942 master due to its frequent use. Every effort was made to reproduce the original Decca recording session, once again including the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers. The resulting re-issue is the one that has become most familiar to the public.

Related Topics:
1942 - Decca - March 19 - 1947 - Master - John Scott Trotter Orchestra - Ken Darby Singers

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Berlin was equally prolific on Broadway, where he is perhaps best known for the stage musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946), produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Related Topics:
Stage musical - Annie Get Your Gun - 1946 - Rodgers and Hammerstein

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Loosely based on the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley, the music and lyrics were written by Berlin, with a book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields. Berlin had taken on the job after the original choice, Jerome Kern, collapsed and died suddenly. It is said that the showstopper song, "There's No Business Like Show Business", was almost left out of the show altogether because Berlin, wrongly, got the impression that his sponsors, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, did not like it.

Related Topics:
Annie Oakley - Herbert Fields - Dorothy Fields - Jerome Kern - There's No Business Like Show Business - Richard Rodgers - Oscar Hammerstein II

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Other well-known hits included "Always", "Change Partners", "Cheek to Cheek", "Easter Parade", "Heat Wave", "Hostess With the Mostest", "How Deep Is the Ocean?", "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", "Let Yourself Go", "Let's Face the Music and Dance", "Marie"; "Oh, How I Hate to Get up in the Morning", "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody", "Puttin' on the Ritz", "Say It Isn't So", "Steppin' Out With My Baby", "Top Hat", "White Tie and Tails", and "What'll I Do?".

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His friend and fellow songwriter Jule Styne said of him:

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:"It's easy to be clever. But the really clever thing is to be simple." http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20040610-091743-3433r.htm

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Berlin stopped writing after the failure of Mr President in 1962.

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