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 201-225 of 271 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OKeh | W400050 | 10-in. | 1/25/1928 | Oh, gee! —Oh, joy! | OKeh Melodians | Jazz/dance quintet, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
OKeh | W400137 | 10-in. | 3/9/1928 | The man I love | Ted Shapiro Orchestra ; Sophie Tucker | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
OKeh | W404431 | 10-in. | 9/6/1930 | I am only human after all | New Yorkers [Joe Venuti and His New Yorkers] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
OKeh | W404555 | 10-in. | 11/19/1930 | Cheerful little earful | Fred Rich Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
OKeh | W404581 | 10-in. | 12/20/1930 | Cheerful little earful | Seger Ellis | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
OKeh | W405065 | 10-in. | 11/6/1931 | I got rhythm | Louis Armstrong Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with talk | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E30098 | 10-in. | June 1929 | Liza (All the clouds’ll roll away) | Al Jolson | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E30576 | 10-in. | 7/25/1929 | Liza (All the clouds’II roll away) | Al Jolson | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E30592 | 10-in. | 7/31/1929 | Do what you do! | Zelma O'Neal | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E33428 | 10-in. | 7/14/1930 | I am only human after all | Colonial Club Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E34958 | 10-in. | 10/23/1930 | Embraceable you | Red Nichols Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E34959 | 10-in. | 10/23/1930 | I got rhythm | Red Nichols Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E35025 | 10-in. | 10/24/1930 | I got rhythm | Luis Russell Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E35107 | 10-in. | Nov. 1930 | Cheerful little earful | All Star Californians | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E35253 | 10-in. | Nov. 1930 | Cheerful little earful | George Price | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E35433 | 10-in. | Nov. 1930 | Bidin’ my time | The Foursome | Vocal quartet | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E35658 | 10-in. | Dec. 1930 | Cheerful little earful | Ray Raymond | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E35902 | 10-in. | 1/8/1931 | Cheerful little earful | Chester Gaylord | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E36845 | 10-in. | 6/4/1931 | In the merry month of Maybe | Ralph Bennett and his Seven Aces (All Eleven of 'Em) [Fred Rich Orchestra] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E2027-E2029 | 10-in. | 12/31/1925 | That certain feeling | Chick Endor | Male vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E2030-E2031 | 10-in. | 12/31/1925 | Sweet and low-down | Chick Endor | Male vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E20116-E20117 | 10-in. | 9/14/1926 | Sunny disposish | The Merrymakers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E20753½-E20755 | 10-in. | 11/18/1926 | Do-do-do | Ray Perkins | Male vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E20764-E20765 | 10-in. | 11/19/1926 | Maybe | Victor Arden ; Franklyn Baur ; Phil Ohman ; Virginia Rea | Female-male vocal duet, with 2 pianos | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E20766-E20767½ | 10-in. | 11/19/1926 | Someone to watch over me | Victor Arden ; Franklyn Baur ; Phil Ohman ; Virginia Rea | Female-male vocal duet, with 2 pianos | lyricist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gershwin, Ira," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102148.
Gershwin, Ira. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102148.
"Gershwin, Ira." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 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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