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 126-150 of 242 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor E0FB-5765 10-in. 10/11/1950 Cenicienta Alfredo Antonini ; Rosita Serrano Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor D4AB-0028 10-in. 2/1/1944 Mairzy doats (Mares eat oats and does eat oats) Four King Sisters Female vocal quartet, with male vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor D5VB-0775 10-in. 6/6/1945 Promises Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye ; Billy Williams [1913-2001] Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D5VB-1314 10-in. 12/22/1945 I'm a big girl now Betty Barclay ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-1343 10-in. 3/11/1946 Little man you've had a busy day Perry Como ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Male vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D6VB-1495 10-in. 4/24/1946 That wonderful worrisome feeling Ruth Christian ; Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2068 10-in. 5/9/1946 Dingbat the singing cat Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Glenn Hughes ; Martin Men ; Stuart Wade Male vocal duet, with male vocal group and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-3018 10-in. 10/16/1946 It's a lie Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band, with vocal solos and vocal chorus songwriter  
Victor D6VB-3096 10-in. 10/19/1946 A gay little melody Larry Green Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0409 10-in. 1/7/1947 I had too much to dream last night Jane Harvey ; Page Cavanaugh Trio Female vocal solo, with piano trio and string quintet songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0851 10-in. 5/16/1947 Chi-baba chi-baba Alys Robi ; Russ Case Orchestra Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1304 10-in. 7/15/1947 Our hour (the puppy love song) City Slickers ; Spike Jones Vocal ensemble, with instrumental ensemble, sound effects, and vocal solos songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1340 10-in. 9/12/1947 The story of a starry night Stuart Foster ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1341 10-in. 9/13/1947 None but the lonely heart Stuart Foster ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band adapter, lyricist  
Victor D7VB-1598 10-in. 8/31/1947 Don't you love me anymore Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Martin Men ; Freddy Martin ; Clyde Rogers Male vocal solo, with male vocal group and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1656 10-in. 9/28/1947 Mahalani papa do (hoy hoy) Vaughn Monroe ; Moon Maids ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal quintet and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-2038 10-in. 11/11/1947 California is wonderful (if you're a grapefruit) Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-2343 10-in. 12/5/1947 Far into the night Nancy Evans ; Wayne King Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2344 10-in. 12/5/1947 When the nightingale sings Nancy Evans ; Wayne King Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2345 10-in. 12/5/1947 Let your heart lead the way Nancy Evans ; Wayne King Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2346 10-in. 12/5/1947 There was moonlight in her hair Wayne King ; Wayne King Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2348 10-in. 12/5/1947 Cling to me Nancy Evans ; Wayne King Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2349 10-in. 12/5/1947 Anna Rosa Billy Leach ; Wayne King Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2350 10-in. 12/5/1947 Do we have to say goodnight? Billy Leach ; Wayne King Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist, adapter  
Victor D7VB-2526 10-in. 11/26/1947 Remind me to tell you Artie Dunn ; Sun Maids ; Three Suns Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and instrumental trio songwriter  
(Results 126-150 of 242 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hoffman, Al," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

Hoffman, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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