Al Hoffman

Al Hoffman (September 25, 1902 – July 21, 1960) was an American song composer. He was a hit songwriter active in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, usually co-writing with others and responsible for number-one hits through each decade, many of which are still sung and recorded today. He was posthumously made a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. The popularity of Hoffman's song, "Mairzy Doats", co-written with Jerry Livingston and Milton Drake, was such that newspapers and magazines wrote about the craze. Time magazine titled one article "Our Mairzy Dotage". The New York Times simply wrote the headline, "That Song".

Hoffman's songs were recorded by singers such as Frank Sinatra ("Close To You", "I'm Gonna Live Until I Die"), Billy Eckstine ("I Apologize") Perry Como ("Papa Loves Mambo", "Hot Diggity"), Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong ("Who Walks In When I Walk Out"), Nat "King" Cole, Tony Bennett, the Merry Macs, Sophie Tucker, Eartha Kitt, Patsy Cline, Patti Page ("Allegheny Moon") and Bette Midler. In October, 2007, Hoffman's "I'm Gonna Live Til I Die" was the lead single from Queen Latifah's album, Trav'lin' Light.

Though Hoffman had apparently little connection to Chicago, he wrote the Chicago Bears fight song "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" in 1941 under the pseudonym Jerry Downs.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 25, 1902 (Stoŭbcy District), Died July 21, 1960 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist, adapter

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

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 242 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-038220 10-in. 6/29/1939 I must have one more kiss, kiss, kiss (Before we say goodnight) Jeanne D'Arcy ; Johnny Messner ; Music Box Band ; Three Jacks Jazz/dance band, with female and male vocal solos and male vocal trio songwriter  
Victor BS-038409 10-in. 7/17/1939 Stuttering in the starlight Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye ; The Three Barons Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter  
Victor BS-038452 10-in. 7/20/1939 Stuttering in the starlight Harriet Hilliard ; Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-041720 10-in. 10/6/1939 She shall have music Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor PBS-042291 10-in. 12/11/1939 Apple blossoms and chapel bells Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-042366 10-in. 1/14/1940 I loved you before I met you (For I saw you in my dreams) Carl Ravazza Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-045924 10-in. 1/12/1940 Apple blossoms and chapel bells Clyde Burke ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-047070 10-in. 2/19/1940 Starlight and music Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-047744 10-in. 3/4/1940 You little heart-breaker you Bob Chester Orchestra ; Dolores O'Neill Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-049584 10-in. 3/28/1940 The sailor with the navy blue eyes Four King Sisters ; Alvino Rey Female vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor BS-058101 10-in. 11/27/1940 Moon over America Californians ; Eddie Holly ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-064994 10-in. 10/16/1941 I wish I had a dime (For ev'ry time I missed you) Rose Blane ; Californians ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-068461 10-in. 12/8/1941 The story of a starry night Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-068897 10-in. 1/20/1942 Hey! Zeke (Your country's callin') Four King Sisters ; Rhythm Reys Female vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor BS-071431 10-in. 9/30/1941 I struck a match in the dark Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-071662 10-in. 1/23/1942 Hey! Zeke (Your country's callin') Don Cornell ; McFarland Twins Orchestra ; Betty Norton Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet and vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-071777 10-in. 2/9/1942 A fireside chat Joe Reichman Orchestra ; Ziggy Lane Jazz/dance band, with vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-071961 10-in. 2/24/1942 A fireside chat Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-073434 10-in. 3/13/1942 The story of a starry night Carl Denny ; Hal McIntyre Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-073829 10-in. 4/10/1942 Put-put-put (Your arms around me) Wood-Nymphs ; Barry Wood Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-074305 10-in. 4/7/1942 Lalapaluza Lu Glee Club (Kaye) ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus songwriter  
Victor BS-074714 10-in. 6/30/1942 Isabella kissed a fella Bob Chester Orchestra ; Betty Bradley Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor E0FB-5762 10-in. 10/11/1950 Esto es amor Alfredo Antonini ; Rosita Serrano Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor E0FB-5763 10-in. 10/11/1950 Soñar es desear Rosita Serrano Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor E0FB-5764 10-in. 10/11/1950 Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo Rosita Serrano Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
(Results 101-125 of 242 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hoffman, Al," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

Hoffman, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

"Hoffman, Al." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280

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