Theatre Songs

The Musicals -

1878 Gilbert & Sullivan

1904 'Yankee Doodle'

1911 'His Honour the Barber'

George Cohan

There were 'Revues', 'Follies', 'Scandals', 'Gaieties', 'Hitchy-koos' and 'Passing Shows' ... 
The black Afro-American influence if not performance was total in Minstrelsy and black performers were important in Vaudeville but the Broadway Theatres were a resisting bastion. 

By 1900 Broadway was a glittering prize for all musical aspirants and a few blacks dared.
Prior to 1920 Bert Williams was the only 'crossover' star, co-opted by Ziegfeld in 1910. And only three black composers were know to the general public, James Reece Europe, Will Marion Cook and W C Handy. There were no black equivalents to Jolson and Cantor but there were delights.

Will Marion Cook (1869-1944) a violinist who turned from classical music to theatre. He had early associations with Sissieretta Jones (the Black Patti) who was an established concert soprano and Bob Cole who was trying to break into black theatre. 

1898 'Chlorindy, the origin of the cakewalk' was a hit at the Casino Theatre Roof Gardens, 'Hottest Coon in Dixie', 'Who dat say Chicken in dis Crowd', 'Darktown is Out Tonight', 'I'm Coming Virginia'. Big orchestra plays syncopated music with Ernest Hogan in the lead. Williams and Walker included the song in 'Senegambian Carnival'.

1903 'In Dahomey' success with William and Walker a full length Broadway show. 'Swing Along'.

Hits - 'Bon Bon Buddy', 'Rain Song', 'Exhortation', 'Lovie Joe'

1912 Carnegie Hall with James Reese Europe. 

1918 Cook hired Sidney Bechet but his big band the 'Southern Syncopated Orchestra' lost out to the ODJB. 'Characteristic Blues'.

He taught the young Duke Ellington!

Bob Cole (1868-1911) and J Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954) providers of great songs for Broadway for 10 years. Cole produced 120 songs working with Broadway producers and Tin Pan Alley publishers.

1897 'A Trip to Coontown' with Billy Johnson was the first all black review-like musical, an evening of coonery.

1901 with the brothers James Weldon Johnson and J Rosamond Johnson 'The Maiden with Dreamy Eyes', 'Nobody's Lookin' but de Owl and de Moon'. 

Then 1902 'Under the Bamboo Tree' (from 'Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen') which inspired a spate of jungle songs ... and 'Oh Didn't He Ramble' (from 'The Darby Ram')
Interpolation assignments and attempts at a Vaudeville act and a try at a black show, 'Shoo-Fly Regiment' then 'The Red Moon' which was better - 'Bleeding Moon', 'Big Red Shawl'.
A charming graceful era.

Eubie Blake (1883-1983) with Noble Sissle (1889-1975) - ‘The Dixie Duo’ a dynamite Vaudeville act. They went on to create one of the most profitable shows of the 1920s 'Shuffle Along' and it changed the face of Broadway. 1917 Eubie published 'The Charleston Rag'. The formidable Lucky Roberts (1887-1968) helped get two more published at Sterns 'Chevy Chase' and 'Fizz Water'. Sissle was a singer (with Jim Europe) and lyricist. Their first joint effort, 'It's all Your Fault' and Sophie Tucker wanted it. Eubie also joined Europe as pianist and conductor.

1921 'Shuffle Along' with Josephine Baker in the chorus - 'I'm Just Wild about Harry'

1924 'Chocolate Dandies' - 'Dixie Moon'

1927 Sissle goes to Europe, Blake does Blackbirds of 1930 with Andy Razaf - 'Roll Jordan', 'My Handy Man ain't Handy Nomore', 'Memories of You'.
Blake was rejuvenated when 'They All Played Ragtime' was published in 1950.

Henry Creamer (1879-1930) and Turner Layton (1894-1953) - Creamer helped Ernest Hogan in 1907 with the lyrics for 'The Oyster Man' and 'Yankee Doodle Coon' and Bert Williams with 'That's a Plenty' and James Reese Europe and The Clef Club. He met Layton, a talented pianist with Jim Europe's 'Society Orchestra' in 1915 and suggested song writing. 1917 'After You've Gone, and songs poured out of the duo. 'Sweet Emmalina My Gal', 'I'll Sing You a Song about Dear Old Dixieland', 'Oh Lawdy', 1921 'Dear Old Southland'. The show 'Strut Miss Lizzie' with 'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans' put Creamer in debt and broke up the duo.

Layton and Johnstone 'owned London in 1924, just as Josephine Baker owner Paris!
Creamer and James P Johnson 1926 'If I Could be with You One Hour Tonight'.
Tuner Layton ran a pub in Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk!

James P Johnson (1891- 1955) - James P learned all Scott Joplin. 1918 'Carolina Shout'.
The black shows had - zest, verve, snap, jazzy music and hot dance - 'speed shows'.

1922 'Plantation Days' James P musical director, then 'Raisin' Cain'.
1923 'Runnin' Wild' with Cecil Mack and 'Charleston'! The rest is history!
1927 'Snowy Morning Blues'.
1928 'Keep Shufflin'' with Fats and Andy Razaf.
1929 'Messin' Around'.

Fats Waller (1904-43) 

In 1920, Bert Williams in 1930, 10 leading black showmen, singers and dancers with zip in 'revues'!

Williams was followed by Florence Mills, Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall and Edith Wilson. Fats dominated the 'black' 'Indian Summer' on Broadway but his fame came from recordings and radio. 

1922 'Birmingham Blues', 'Muscle Shoals Blues', 1923 'Wild Cat Blues' with Clarence Williams, 1924 'In Harlem's Araby'. Organist at the Lafayette. With Spencer Williams 'Charleston Hound', 'Senorita Mine'. 1927 'Brown Sugar' revue. 1928 'Keep Shufflin'' with Andy Razaf, 'Sippi' piano duet with James P. 1929 'Connie's Hot Chocolates', 'Ain't Misbehavin'' with Louis.

+ Ziegfeld's Follies + George White's Scandals + Shubert's Gaieties + Berlin's Music Box + Earl Carroll's Vanities + Greenwich Village Follies

1929 'I've got a Feeling I'm falling'. 'Load of Coal' and 'Honeysuckle Rose'. 1930 'Blue Turning Grey over You'. 1931 Fats sings 'I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby'. 1932 'Keepin' Out of Mischief Now'. 'Jitterbug Waltz', 'Black & Blue', 'Squeeze Me'. The Fats Waller Rhythm Club and The Ink Spots! Recording with 'His Rhythm'. 1942 after European tours finally Carnegie Hall. And 1943 Hollywood 'Stormy Weather'. Radio and Hollywood had taken over ... 
Victor Herbert
Rudolf Friml (1879 - 1972)
1924 'Rose Mari', 'Indian Love Call'
1925 'The Vagabond King'
Sigmund Romberg (1887-1951)
1920 'Sinbad'. Jolson had to sing 'Swanee' not a Romberg song!
1924 'The Student Prince'
1926 'The Dessert Song'
1928 'The New Moon', 'Lover Come Back to Me'

Jimmy McHugh (& Dorothy Fields)

1928 'Blackbirds of 1928', 'I can't Give You Anything but Love'
'I can't Believe You're in Love with Me', 'On the Sunny Side of the Street', 'Don't Blame Me', 'I'm in the Mood for Love', 'Exactly Like You' 
1930 successive 4ths & wide range
The Golden Age started with 'Showboat' in 1927.

The 2nd generation musicals of the immigrant Jews

Jerome Kern (1885 - 1945) - the 1st & the best, thoroughly trained, an 'acedemic', comically inept at the piano. Lyrics by P.G.Wodehouse (1917 - 24, light, Gilberty), then Hammerstein (sentimental crap), Harbach, Dorothy Fields (for Astaire & Rodgers), lastly Johnny Mercer.
'They didn't Believe Me',
1914 from 'The Girl from Utah', 1st masterpiece
''till the Clouds Roll By', 'Look for the Silver Lining',
1920 from 'Sally', the rain songs
'Sunny', 'Who?'
1925 from 'Sunny'
'Ol' Man River', 'Can't Help Lovin' that Man', 'Make Believe',
1927 from 'Show Boat', the 1st great American musical
'Why was I Born'
1929 from 'Sweet Adeline'
'Smoke gets in Your Eyes', 'I won't Dance',
1933 from roberta
'A Fine Romance', 'The Way You Look Tonight', 
1936 from 'Swingtime' with Rodgers & Astaire
all the things you are,
1939 from very warm for May, 'one of the greatest'
'The Song is You',

Irving Berlin (1888 - 1989) - the common man, a natural, a busking bum, a singing waiter, with a lever to change key!

Sadie salome, what'll I do, heat wave, easter parade, blue skies, God bless America, play a simple melody, everybody's doing it, marie, always, how deep is the ocean,
cheek to cheek , top hat white tie & tails,
1935 from top hat
let's face the music & dance,
1936 from follow the fleet
I've got my love to keep me warm,
1937 from on the avenue
'White Christmas,'
1942 from 'Holiday Inn',
'There's No Business Like Show Business',
1946 from 'Annie get Your Gun'
1950 from 'Call me Madam'

George Gershwin (1898 - 1937) - closest to jazz, played 'stride' piano, brought the American song to full flower, could have become a classical pianist but was inspired by kern & 'Alexander's Ragtime Band'. Ira wrote the lyrics.
'Swanee'
1918 - Al Jolson from 'Sinbad'
'Lady be Good', 'Fascinating Rhythm', 'The Man I Love',
1924 from lady be good
someone to watch over me
1927 from oh Kay
S'wonderful
1927 from funny face
Lisa
1928 from 'An American in Paris'
'Summertime'
1935 from 'Porgy & Bess' 1927 'Oh, Kay!'
'I got Rhythm', 'Embraceable You',
1930 from girl crazy, the jazz standard,
'A Foggy Day', 'They can't Take that Away from Me', 'Shall we Dance',
1937 from shall we dance & a damsel in distress
love is here to stay, love walked in
1938 from the Goldwyn follies

Vincent Youmans (1898 - 1946)

bambalina
1923 from 'Wildflower'
'Tea for Two', 'I Want to be Happy',
1924 from 'No No Nanette'
'Sometimes I'm Happy'
1927 from 'Hit the Deck'

Cole Porter (1891 - 1964) - the greatest who wasn't a Jew. 'Old money' rich parties, a millionaire, homosexual tastes. Lyrics by himself (as did Berlin & Noel Coward) enabled instantaneous composition of words & music.
kiss me kate, every time we say goodbye, don't fence me in, what is this thing called love
in the still of the night, let's do it
1928 from Paris
'Love for Sale'
1930 from the new yorkers
night & day
1932 from the gay divorce
I get a kick out of you, all through the night, you're the top,
1934 from anything goes
just one of those things, begin the beguine (Artie Shaw),
1935 from jubilee
I get a kick out of you, in the still of the night,
1936 from born to dance
get out of town, my heart belongs to daddy,
1938 from leave it to me
I concentrate on you,
1940 from broadway melody
you'd be so nice to come home to,
1943 from something to shout about
1948 from 'Kiss Me Kate'
1956 from 'High Society'

Richard Rodgers (1902 - 79) - reaped massive commercial benefit, Lorenz Hart (1918 - 43 was music) & Oscar Hammerstein (1943 - 60 was theatre) wrote the lyrics.
fly with me, blue moon, with a song in my heart (spring is here), I wish I were in love again, the song is you,
'Mountain Greenery', 'Manhattan',
1925 from the garrick gaities
'There's a Small Hotel',
1936 from on your toes
my funny valentine, the lady is a tramp, I wish I were in love again,
1937 from babe in arms
bewitched bothered & bewildered,
1940 from pal joey
oh what a beautiful morning
1943 'Oklahoma'
'You'll Never Walk Alone'
1945 carousel
1949 south pacific
1951 the king & I
1958 flower drum song

Hoagy Carmichael (1899 - )
'The Nearness of You'. 'Lazy River', 'Riverboat Shuffle'
1927 originally 'freewheeling'
'Rockin' Chair'
1929, Mildred Bailey's theme
'Stardust', 'Georgia on my Mind', 'Two Sleepy People'
1929 1930 1938 with Fran Leosser

Harold Arlen

'Whispering' a strong professional piece
1939 'Over the Rainbow' from the 'Wizard of Oz' with an octave jump,
'It's only a Paper Moon'
1932 a marvellous little snapper, 'That Old Black Magic'
'Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea', 'Let's Fall in Love', 'Blues in the Night'

Arthur Schwartz (1900 - 84) - educated as a lawyer. Lyrics by Howard Dietz.
'Dancing in the Dark', 'I guess I'll have to Change my Plan'
Vernon Duke (1903 - )
'April in Paris', 'Taking a Chance on Love'
Fritz Loewe - Alan Jay Lerner wrote the lyrics.
Brigadoon, paint your wagon, my fair lady, gigi, camelot

Frank Loesser (1910 - 69)
'Two Sleepy People', 'Slow Boat to China', 'Baby it's Cold Outside'.
1950 'Guys & Dolls'
Lloyd Webber