Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 20th century. With George, he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me". He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the Gershwin brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. His mastery of songwriting continued after George's early death in 1937. Ira wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill, Harry Warren and Harold Arlen. His critically acclaimed 1959 book Lyrics on Several Occasions, an amalgam of autobiography and annotated anthology, is an important source for studying the art of the lyricist in the golden age of American popular song. |
Birth and Death Data: Born December 6, 1896 (Manhattan), Died August 17, 1983 (Beverly Hills)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1951
Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 251-271 of 271 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brunswick | [Br (U.K.) cat 203-a] | 10-in. | November 1928 | 'S wonderful | Melville Gideon | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | [Br (U.K.) cat 203-b] | 10-in. | November 1928 | My one and only | Melville Gideon | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | 576 | 10-in. | May 1928 | The man I love | Fred Elizalde | Piano solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | DAL574 | 10-in. | 5/17/1938 | Oh, lady be good | Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys | String band | lyricist | |
Brunswick | B21982 | 10-in. | 11/01/1937 | Nice work if you can get it | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | B21983 | 10-in. | 11/01/1937 | Things are looking up | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Edison | 10933 | 10-in. | 4/20/1926 | That certain feeling | Arthur Fields ; Tennessee Happy Boys | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Edison | 18121 | 10-in. | 12/21/1927 | He loves and she loves | Al Friedman ; The Rollickers [Edison] ; Yoeng's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | lyricist | |
Edison | 18241 | 10-in. | 2/16/1928 | The man I love | Eleanore Blake | Female vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Edison | 18340 | 10-in. | 3/27/1928 | 'S wonderful | Vaughn De Leath ; Ernie Golden and his Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Edison | 18553 | 10-in. | 5/31/1928 | The man I love | Ken Christie ; Janet Hall | Female vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Edison | 19298 | 10-in. | 7/16/1929 | Do what you do! | Lucky Strike Orchestra ; B. A. Rolfe | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio | lyricist | |
Edison | N-1022 | 10-in. | 7/16/1929 | Do what you do! | Lucky Strike Orchestra ; B. A. Rolfe | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio | lyricist | |
Gramophone | 0EA5991 | 10-in. | 1/21/1938 | It ain't necessarily so | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Gramophone | 0EA5992 | 10-in. | 1/21/1938 | A woman is a sometime thing | Paul Robeson | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Vocalion | 19537 | 10-in. | 7/10/1936 | Summertime | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Vocalion | 20919 | 10-in. | 4/01/1937 | Let's call the whole thing off | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Vocalion | 20920 | 10-in. | 4/01/1937 | They can't take that away from me | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Vocalion | 23468 | 10-in. | 9/15/1938 | I can't get started | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Columbia (U.K.) | WL948 | 10-in. | 3/8/1928 | The man I love | Layton and Johnstone | Vocal duet with pianos | lyricist | |
Columbia (U.K.) | WL1256 | 10-in. | 10/5/1928 | 'S wonderful | Pierre Chagnon ; Maurice Chevalier | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gershwin, Ira," accessed April 27, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102148.
Gershwin, Ira. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102148.
"Gershwin, Ira." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 27 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Ira Gershwin
Discogs: Ira Gershwin
Allmusic: Ira Gershwin
Grove: Ira Gershwin
IMSLP: Ira Gershwin
IMDb: Ira Gershwin
Britannica: Ira Gershwin
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Gershwin, Ira, 1896-1983 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50076010
Wikidata: Ira Gershwin - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q61059
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/39519496
MusicBrainz: Ira Gershwin - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/509086c2-9cc8-4e77-89e9-322e34240ffc
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