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 151-175 of 242 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D9AB-0774 10-in. 10/26/1949 So this is love (The Cinderella waltz) Harold Mooney Orchestra ; Ilene Woods Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor D9AB-0775 10-in. 10/26/1949 A dream is a wish your heart makes Harold Mooney Orchestra ; Ilene Woods Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor D9AB-0776 10-in. 10/26/1949 Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo (The magic song) Harold Mooney Orchestra ; Ilene Woods Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor D9AB-0777 10-in. 10/26/1949 The Cinderella work song Harold Mooney Orchestra ; Ilene Woods Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor BRC-Test-1118 10-in. 7/1/1931 I'm thru with love Frances Langford Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 141595 10-in. 2/2/1926 I love the night Ernie Golden ; Hotel McAlpin Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W143403 10-in. 2/15/1927 When all the world is fast asleep Doug Richardson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio songwriter  
Columbia W147782 10-in. 1/14/1929 (That's what I call) Sweet music Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio composer  
Columbia W148720 10-in. 6/20/1929 In the hush of the night Ernie Golden ; Hotel McAlpin Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal solo composer  
Columbia W148785 10-in. 7/3/1929 In the hush of the night Blue Grass Boys ; Lee Morse Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia W149170 10-in. 10/22/1929 I sing all my love songs to you Oscar Grogan Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia W149629 10-in. 12/30/1929 On a blue and moonless night Will Osborne and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia [W]150632 10-in. 7/8/1930 I don't want mind walkin' in the rain (When I'm walkin' in the rain with you) The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Columbia [W]150637 10-in. 7/10/1930 I don't mind walkin' in the rain (When I'm walkin' in the rain with you) Lloyd Keating and his Music Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W150661 10-in. 7/24/1930 Good evenin' Art Gillham Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Columbia W150664 10-in. 7/22/1930 Good evenin' Carmen Lombardo ; Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W150697 10-in. 8/9/1930 Roses are forget-me-nots (Reminding me of you) Will Osborne and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W150700 10-in. 8/12/1930 I don't mind walkin' in the rain Ipana Troubadours Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W150790 10-in. 9/10/1930 In my heart—it's you Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble songwriter  
Columbia W150921 10-in. 10/31/1930 Drifting on to Avalon Joe Green's Marimba Band Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W151250 10-in. 1/28/1931 Heartaches Carmen Lombardo ; Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W151273 10-in. 2/4/1931 If you haven't got a girl Art Gillham Male vocal solo composer  
Columbia [W]151356 10-in. 2/26/1931 Ya got love! Milt Coleman Male vocal solo, with ukulele and piano songwriter  
Columbia W151383 10-in. 3/2/1931 Ya got love! Lanin’s Famous Players ; Paul Small Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W151592 10-in. 6/9/1931 Makin' faces at the man in the moon Smith Ballew Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 151-175 of 242 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hoffman, Al," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

Hoffman, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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