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Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; Yiddish: ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook.

Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five. He published his first song, "Marie from Sunny Italy", in 1907, receiving 33 cents for the publishing rights, and became known for international hits, such as 1911's "Alexander's Ragtime Band". He also was an owner of the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. For much of his career, Berlin could not read sheet music, and was such a limited piano player that he could only play in the key of F-sharp; he used his custom piano equipped with a transposing lever when he needed to play in keys other than F-sharp.

"Alexander's Ragtime Band" sparked an international dance craze in places as far away as Berlin's native Russia, which also "flung itself into the ragtime beat with an abandon bordering on mania". Over the years he was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular: uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his stated aim being to "reach the heart of the average American," whom he saw as the "real soul of the country". In doing so, said Walter Cronkite, at Berlin's 100th birthday tribute, he "helped write the story of this country, capturing the best of who we are and the dreams that shape our lives".

He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him famous before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films, with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "Easter Parade", "Puttin' on the Ritz", "Cheek to Cheek", "White Christmas", "Happy Holiday", "Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)", and "There's No Business Like Show Business". His Broadway musical and 1943 film This Is the Army, with Ronald Reagan, had Kate Smith singing Berlin's "God Bless America", first performed in 1938.

Berlin's songs have reached the top of the charts 25 times and have been extensively re-recorded by numerous singers, including The Andrews Sisters, Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, Al Jolson, Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, Judy Garland, Tiny Tim, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Rosemary Clooney, Cher, Diana Ross, Bing Crosby, Sarah Vaughan, Ruth Etting, Fanny Brice, Marilyn Miller, Rudy Vallée, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Doris Day, Harry Nilsson, Jerry Garcia, Taco, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera.

Berlin died in 1989 at the age of 101. Composer Douglas Moore sets Berlin apart from all other contemporary songwriters, and includes him instead with Stephen Foster, Walt Whitman, and Carl Sandburg, as a "great American minstrel"—someone who has "caught and immortalized in his songs what we say, what we think about, and what we believe." Composer George Gershwin called him "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived",: 117  and composer Jerome Kern concluded that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music."

Birth and Death Data: Born May 11, 1888 (Tyumen), Died September 22, 1989 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1909 - 1953

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist, songwriter, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1426-1450 of 1629 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick LAE478 10-in. May 1929 Coquette George Eckhardt Jr. Orchestra with vocal trio, or with vocal chorus by Grant. composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE505 10-in. 5/13/1929 When my dreams come true Nick Lucas Male vocal solo, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE672 10-in. 12/11/1929 Puttin’ on the Ritz Earl Burtnett ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra ; Harry Richman Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE674 10-in. 12/11/1929 With you Earl Burtnett ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra ; Harry Richman Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, composer  
Brunswick LAE675 10-in. approximately Dec. 1929 With you Earl Burtnett ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio; without vocal (take G) composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE676 10-in. Aug.-Sept. 1929 Puttin’ on the Ritz Earl Burtnett ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE685 10-in. 1/10/1930 Let me sing—and I'm happy Al Jolson Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Brunswick LAE686 10-in. 1/10/1930 To my mammy Al Jolson Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Brunswick LAE687 10-in. 1/10/1930 (Across the breakfast table) Looking at you Al Jolson Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE694 10-in. 1/31/1930 Puttin’on the Ritz Earl Burtnett ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) composer, lyricist  
Brunswick LAE903 10-in. 11/14/1930 The little things in life Earl Burtnett ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) lyricist, composer  
Brunswick MP8 10-in. approximately Mar. 1929 Marie Eddie Dunstedter Organ solo composer  
Brunswick MP29 10-in. approximately Mar. 1929 Marie Eddie Dunstedter Organ solo composer  
Brunswick PB30210 10-in. July 1929 Marie Louis Chartier Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick PB30211 10-in. July 1929 N’est-il pour moi de chant d’amour? Louis Chartier Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick PB448-PB449 10-in. Apr. 1928 I can’t do without you Jack Denny Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Brunswick 1231W-1233W 10-in. 8/26/1925 Remember Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Brunswick BB142 10-in. Nov. 1928 Roses of yesterday Melville Gideon Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Brunswick [Br (U.K.) cat 188-a] 10-in. July 1928 Coquette Fred Elizalde Music Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick B20568 10-in. 1/25/1937 He ain't got rhythm Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Brunswick B20569 10-in. 1/25/1937 This year's kisses Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Edison 1054 10-in. 6/1/1912 That mesmerizing Mendelssohn tune Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Edison 2423 10-in. 8/22/1913 We have much to be thankful for Walter Van Brunt Male vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Edison 2572 10-in. between 11/18/1913 and 11/19/1913 When I lost you [Player piano] Player piano composer  
Edison 2600 10-in. 12/2/1913 The international rag Miss Corinne Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
(Results 1426-1450 of 1629 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Berlin, Irving," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101971.

Berlin, Irving. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101971.

"Berlin, Irving." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101971

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