Sylvia Dee

Sylvia Dee (born Josephine Moore Proffitt, October 22, 1914 – June 12, 1967) was an American lyricist and novelist best known for writing the lyrics to "Too Young", a hit for Nat King Cole, "The End of the World", a hit for Skeeter Davis and "Bring Me Sunshine". She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and educated at the University of Michigan. She was a copywriter for a newspaper in Rochester, New York, and wrote a number of short stories as well as the Broadway stage scores for "Barefoot Boy With Cheek". Joining ASCAP in 1943, her musical collaborators included Sidney Lippman, Arthur Kent, Elizabeth Evelyn Moore, George Goehring, Al Frisch and Guy Wood.

Dee wrote the words to a nonsense song that went to number 1 in 1945 called "Chickery Chick". The music was written by Sidney Lippman and it was played by Sammy Kaye's orchestra. Its nonsense lyrics included "Chickery chick, cha-la, cha-la". She co-wrote "I Taught Him Everything He Knows" with Arthur Kent, recorded by Ella Fitzgerald on her 1968 Capitol release Misty Blue. She co-wrote "Look for Me (I'll Be Around)" with Guy Wood, which was recorded by Sarah Vaughan on "The Benny Carter Sessions" and Neko Case on "Blacklisted". She also wrote songs for Elvis Presley in the films Blue Hawaii and Speedway. Popular-song compositions also include "It Couldn't Be True", "Stardreams", "I'm Thrilled", "Have You Changed", "After Graduation Day", "Laroo Laroo Lili Bolero", "Angel Lips, Angel Eyes", "Pushcart Serenade", "A House With Love In It", "Moonlight Swim", "That's the Chance You Take", "Somebody Nobody Wants", and "Please Don't Talk to the Lifeguard".

At the time of her death in New York City, she was the wife of Dr. Jere Faison, a New York gynecologist.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 22, 1914 (Little Rock), Died June 12, 1967

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1957

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PBS-061377 10-in. 7/23/1941 Have you Changed? Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-062712 10-in. 2/26/1941 Talking to the wind Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-062759 10-in. 3/14/1941 Talking to the wind Barry Wood Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-064943 10-in. 9/29/1941 I'm thrilled Joe Reichman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-066978 10-in. 7/24/1941 Slowpoke Dawn Patrol Boys ; Dolly Dawn Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-067626 10-in. 8/11/1941 I'm thrilled Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor MBS-093055 10-in. before 7/17/1951 Demasiado joven Fernando Fernández ; Orquesta Luis Arcaraz Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor MBS-093064 10-in. before 5/29/1951 Too young Orquesta Luis Arcaraz Instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor H2TB-7677 10-in. 10/30/1957 Consolation Leni Barteri ; Marty Gold Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0231 10-in. 4/3/1947 Stardreams (theme song) Charlie Spivak Orchestra ; Charlie Spivak Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0656 10-in. 3/17/1947 After graduation day Sammy Kaye ; Sammy Kaye Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D7VB-2046 10-in. 11/11/1947 Laroo Laroo Lilli bolero Perry Como ; Russ Case Orchestra Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dee, Sylvia," accessed March 31, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110016.

Dee, Sylvia. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110016.

"Dee, Sylvia." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 31 March 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110016

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.