Alfred Bryan

Alfred Bryan (September 15, 1871 – April 1, 1958) was a Canadian lyricist.

Bryan was born in Brantford, Ontario. He worked as an arranger in New York and wrote lyrics for many Broadway shows in the late 1910s and early 1920s. In the 1920s he moved to Hollywood to write lyrics for screen musicals.

Bryan worked with several composers during his career. Among his collaborators were Henriette Blanke-Belcher, Fred Fischer, Al Sherman, Larry Stock and Joe McCarthy. Perhaps his most successful song was "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" (1915), with music by Al Piantadosi. The song sold 650,000 copies during the first three months and became one of 1915's top-selling songs in the United States. Although Bryan himself was not a committed pacifist, he described the American public's anti-war sentiments in his lyrics.

He died in Gladstone, New Jersey, aged 86.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 15, 1871 (Brantford), Died April 1, 1958 (Gladstone)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1902 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, composer

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

Recordings (Results 426-450 of 513 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E6429-E6431 10-in. 9/9/1927 Blue river Jay’s Chelsea Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E16308-E16310 10-in. 9/2/1925 Brown eyes, why are you blue? Carl Fenton’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E18103-E18105 10-in. 2/25/1926 Don’t be afraid to come home Frank Bessinger Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio lyricist  
Brunswick E18424-E18426 10-in. 3/12/1926 There’s a Blue Ridge in my heart, Virginia Abe Lyman’s California Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E20386-E20388 10-in. 10/13/1926 Whisper—Sh! Esther Walker Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E21862-E21864 10-in. 3/12/1927 You went away too far and stayed away too long Castilians Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E22598-E22600 10-in. 4/22/1927 Love is just a little bit of heaven Prince Piotti Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick E23252-E23254 10-in. 5/19/1927 Red lips—kiss my blues away Clevelanders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E23278-E23280 10-in. 5/21/1927 Room for two Colonial Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E25186-E25189 10-in. 11/11/1927 Blue river Al Jolson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Brunswick E25232-E25234 10-in. 11/17/1927 Fair co-ed Six Jumping Jacks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio; without vocal (take E25234) lyricist  
Brunswick E26091-E26092 10-in. 1/19/1928 You taught me how to love you, now teach me how to forget Buell Kazee Male vocal solo, with violin, guitar, and whistling lyricist  
Brunswick E26868-E26870 10-in. 3/8/1928 Japansy Frank Munn ; Regent Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E26870) lyricist  
Brunswick E26970-E26972 10-in. 3/14/1928 In the sweet bye and bye Anthony Galla-Rini Accordion solo, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E26972) lyricist  
Brunswick E30609-E30610 10-in. Aug. 1929 My song of the Nile Colonial Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick E31170-E31171 10-in. Oct. 1929 Somebody mighty like you Orquesta de Tom Clines Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal lyricist  
Brunswick E31172-E31173 10-in. Oct. 1929 Miss Wonderful Tom Clines and his Music Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal lyricist  
Brunswick E31203-E31204 10-in. Oct. 1929 (Things we want the most are) Hard to get Herbert Gordon ; Hotel Ten Eyck Whispering Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) songwriter  
Brunswick E31205-E31206 10-in. Oct. 1929 You can’t believe my eyes Herbert Gordon ; Hotel Ten Eyck Whispering Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C3974 10-in. 7/30/1929 My song of the Nile Jay Richards Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal duet lyricist  
Brunswick C3988 10-in. 8/6/1929 My song of the Nile Kalaluhi Honolulu Quartet Instrumental quartet, with vocal lyricist  
Brunswick C3990 10-in. 8/5/1929 My song of the Nile Frank Sylvano Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C3991 10-in. 8/5/1929 My song of the Nile Frank Sylvano Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C7116 10-in. Dec. 1930 Lonesome lover Isham Jones Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C329-C331 10-in. 5/28/1926 Her beaus are only rainbows Charley Straight Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 426-450 of 513 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bryan, Alfred," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105828.

Bryan, Alfred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105828.

"Bryan, Alfred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105828

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