E. Ray Goetz

Edward Ray Goetz (June 12, 1886 – June 12, 1954) was an American composer, lyricist, playwright, theatre director, and theatrical producer. A Tin Pan Alley songwriter, he published more than 500 songs during his career, many of them originally written for the New York stage. His songs were recorded by several artists, including Judy Garland, Al Jolson, and Blossom Seeley. He was active as both a lyricist and composer for Broadway musicals from 1906 through to 1930, collaborating with artists like George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Sigmund Romberg, and A. Baldwin Sloane to create material for the theatre.

Beginning with the musical Hitchy-Koo of 1917, he produced several of the musicals and plays he was creatively involved in up until the 1930-1931 Broadway season, when he produced his final stage work, Porter's The New Yorkers, for which he created the story and served as director. He authored the play The Lady of the Orchids which he produced on Broadway in 1928. He produced and served as production supervisor of Herbert Fields and Porter's 1929 musical Fifty Million Frenchmen which was adapted by Warner Brothers into a 1930 film of the same name.

His work as a songwriter was featured in the films For Me and My Gal (1942), Somebody Loves Me (1952), and The Greatest Show On Earth (1952), the latter of which resulted from his work as the lyricist for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus during the final three years of his life. Having never stopped working, he died in 1954.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 12, 1886 (Buffalo), Died June 12, 1954

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1906 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, composer, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 100 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-056434 10-in. 10/3/1940 Don't go in the lion's cage tonight Four King Sisters ; Alvino Rey Female vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-075209 10-in. 5/19/1942 For me and my gal Californians ; Abe Lyman ; Billy Sherman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1917-11-26-01] Not documented 11/26/1917 Chinese letter song William Rock ; Frances White Female-male vocal duet, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 3414 10-in. ca. Jan.-June 1906 When the right little girl comes along George Alexander Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 3671 10-in. ca. Jan.-July 1907 He goes to church on Sunday Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 4002 10-in. ca. Jan.-Mar. 1909 Oh! that Yankiana rag Billy Murray Male vocal solo and female vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 4901 10-in. ca. 1910 I love it Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19281 10-in. 4/4/1911 June Columbia Quartette Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19624 10-in. 10/27/1911 There's a girl in Havana Henry Burr ; Caroline Vaughan Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 19750 10-in. 2/7/1912 Take me back to the garden of love Columbia Quartette ; Charles Harrison Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19873 10-in. 4/29/1912 Lead me to that beautiful band Maurice Burkhart ; Walter Van Brunt Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19901 10-in. 5/23/1912 Fiddle-dee-dee Lew Dockstader Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 38120 10-in. 7/8/1912 Fiddle, dee, dee Lew Dockstader Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 38222 10-in. 8/26/1912 The million dollar ball Maurice Burkhart Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 38251 10-in. 9/11/1912 Where the edelweiss is blooming Henry Burr ; Peerless Quartet ; Beulah Gaylord Young Female-male vocal duet, with male vocal quartet and orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 38483 10-in. 12/5/1912 In the shadows James Reed Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 39489 10-in. 7/8/1914 My croony melody Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 39526 10-in. 8/8/1914 When honey boy and honey girl go on their honeymoon Henry Burr ; Ada Jones Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 39694 10-in. 12/15/1914 My daddy long legs Peerless Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 46096 10-in. 10/12/1915 I'm simply crazy over you Samuel Ash ; Louise MacMahon Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 46337 10-in. 1/12/1916 Yaaka, hoola, hickey, doola Al Jolson Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 46732 10-in. 4/21/1916 I've got the blues for home sweet home Oscar Shaw Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 46846 10-in. 6/16/1916 By the sad Luana shore Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Columbia 47277 10-in. 1/6/1917 For me and my gal M. J. O'Connell Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 81268 10-in. 10/8/1923 So this is love Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
(Results 51-75 of 100 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Goetz, E. Ray," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106567.

Goetz, E. Ray. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106567.

"Goetz, E. Ray." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106567

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