James Brockman

James Brockman (December 8, 1886 – May 22, 1967) was an American songwriter. Born in Russia, he emigrated to New York by himself at the age of 9 or 10. His given name was Jacob Brachman but he changed the spelling of the last name because it was mis-pronounced and the rest of the family followed with the change.

Brockman began his career as a comedian in vaudeville and musicals in the early 1900s. He was a partner, along with James Kendis, of the Kendis-Brockman Music Company.

He wrote the lyrics to Down among the Sheltering Palms with music by composer and Chicago music publisher Abe Olman. Oldman's marketing of the song led to Leo Feist acquiring it and encouraging Al Jolson to perform on stage.

In 1919, he was a co-writer of the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", which years later would become the anthem of the English football club West Ham United. Also in 1919, he co-wrote "I'm Like a Ship Without a Sail". He also co-wrote, with Abe Olman, the song "Down Among The Sheltering Palms", published in 1914 and popularized by the Boswell Sisters in the early 1930s.

He went on to work in Hollywood as a songwriter for films, and wrote the score for Happy Days. He died in Santa Monica, California in May 1967, aged 80, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 8, 1886 (Russian Empire), Died May 22, 1967 (Santa Monica)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1907 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist, tenor vocal

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

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 146 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh 73554 10-in. 8/19/1925 Silver head Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez Jazz/dance band songwriter  
OKeh W401553 10-in. 1/24/1929 I faw down an' go boom! Fred Hall ; Sugar Babies Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
OKeh W401629 10-in. 2/20/1929 I faw down an' go boom! Vaughn De Leath Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
OKeh W403548 10-in. 12/23/1929 Put a little salt on the bluebird's tail (Before it flies away) Ed Kirkeby Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter  
OKeh W403599 10-in. 1/9/1930 Dough-boy's lullaby Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
OKeh W403774 10-in. 2/25/1930 We'll build a little world of our own Smith Ballew Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
OKeh W490020 10-in. 12/23/1929 Put a little salt on the bluebird's tail (Before it flies away) Ed Loyd and his Orchestra [Ed Kirkeby Orchestra] Jazz/dance band songwriter  
OKeh [OK cat 1058-b] 10-in. approximately 1918 Peach jam makin' time in Dixie Ada Jones ; George L. Thompson Female-male vocal duet songwriter  
OKeh [OK cat 1133-b] 10-in. approximately 1918 The older they get, the harder they fall Kaufman Brothers Male vocal duet songwriter  
OKeh [OK cat 1271-b] 10-in. approximately 1919 Golden Gate (Open for me) Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet composer  
OKeh [Od cat 20070-b] 10-in. 1921 Apache love Joseph Samuels Jazz Band Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Brunswick [Br cat 5007-a] 10-in. approximately late 1916 Ephraim's Jazbo Band Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Brunswick 5222 10-in. approximately Mar. 1921 Pining Mario Perry Accordion solo songwriter  
Brunswick 5434 10-in. approximately Apr. 1921 Jabberwocky Rudy Wiedoeft's Californians Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 4651-4652 10-in. approximately Nov. 1920 Feather your nest Amphion Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra songwriter  
Brunswick 11925-11927 10-in. 11/20/1923 You darling you Gene Rodemich’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 13608-13609 10-in. 7/24/1924 Nightingale Fredric Fradkin ; Margaret McKee Violin solo, with orchestra and bird imitations composer  
Brunswick E29038 10-in. 1/10/1929 I faw down an’ go boom! Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Brunswick E29051 10-in. 1/11/1929 I faw down an’ go boom! Six Jumping Jacks ; Tom Stacks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) songwriter  
Brunswick E32290 10-in. 3/4/1930 We’ll build a little world of our own Colonial Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E36757 10-in. 5/11/1931 Faithfully yours Tom Gerun Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick C2887 10-in. 1/29/1929 I faw down an’ go boom! Wolverines Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 3996 10-in. 7/21/1915 Down among the sheltering palms Harvey Hindermyer Male vocal solo and mixed vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 4116 10-in. 9/15/1915 Down among the sheltering palms Harvey Hindermyer Male vocal solo and male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 4630 10-in. 4/4/1916 The kid is clever Byron G. Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
(Results 101-125 of 146 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brockman, James," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106540.

Brockman, James. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106540.

"Brockman, James." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106540

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