Irving Kahal

Irving Kahal (March 5, 1903, Houtzdale, Pennsylvania – February 7, 1942, New York City) was a popular American song lyricist active in the 1920s and 1930s. He is best remembered for his collaborations with composer Sammy Fain which started in 1926 when Kahal was working in vaudeville sketches written by Gus Edwards. Their collaboration lasted 16 years, until Kahal's death in 1942.

Among many fine songs, the stand-out was "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" on which Pierre Norman lent a hand, which was sung by Maurice Chevalier in the film The Big Pond (1930) effectively becoming his signature tune, and featured by Frank Sinatra on his magisterial album Songs For Swingin' Lovers.

The Fain/Kahal catalogue also includes "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella" (1928) with Francis Wheeler, "Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine" (1929) with Willie Raskin, "By a Waterfall" (1930), "When I Take My Sugar to Tea" (1931) with Pierre Norman, "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (1938) and "I'll Be Seeing You", which was written in 1938, but became a hit in 1943 especially among the families of servicemen sent overseas.

In 1970, Irving Kahal was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 5, 1903 (Houtzdale), Died February 7, 1942 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, composer, vocalist, translator

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

Recordings (Results 251-272 of 272 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick [Br (U.K.) cat 126-a] 10-in. approximately Aug. 1927 I ain’t that kind of a baby Leslie Hutchinson ; Alice Morley Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick [Br (U.K.) cat 173-b] 10-in. approximately Apr. 1928 I love my old-fashioned man Alice Morley Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick 516 10-in. Mar. 1928 Baltimore Fred Elizalde Piano solo composer  
Brunswick B17769 10-in. 7/02/1935 A sunbonnet blue (and a yellow straw hat) Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Edison 11355 10-in. 12/7/1926 Rags Ernest Hare Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 11850 10-in. 8/23/1927 Roam on, my little gypsy sweetheart Theo Alban ; Duke Yellman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Edison 11924 10-in. 9/30/1927 Nothin' does-does like it used to do-do-do Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers] Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 11960 10-in. 10/17/1927 It was only a sun shower The Rollickers [Edison] Male vocal quartet, with piano lyricist  
Edison 18085 10-in. 12/6/1927 For my baby Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Edison 18150 10-in. 1/3/1928 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day Dick Robertson ; The Strollers Male vocal solo, with violin and banjo-guitar lyricist  
Edison 18269 10-in. 3/1/1928 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day Happy Jack ; Louis Lilienfeld Hotel Biltmore Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Edison 18554 10-in. 5/31/1928 Come on along with the blue bird Radio Franks Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 19024 10-in. 1/22/1929 Wedding bells (Are breaking up that old gang of mine) Billy Murray ; Walter Scanlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 19126 10-in. 3/26/1929 If I give up the saxophone (Will you come back to me?) 7 Blue Babies ; Jack Dalton Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Edison 19232 10-in. 6/3/1929 A high silk hat and a walking cane Frankie Marvin Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist  
Edison 19284 10-in. 7/9/1929 Don't hang your dreams on a rainbow Waldo Mayo Violin solo, with instrumental ensemble and mixed vocal ensemble lyricist  
Edison 19328 10-in. 7/29/1929 Sweetheart's holiday The New Yorkers Male vocal quintet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison N-715 10-in. 1/22/1929 Wedding bells (are breaking up that old gang of mine) Billy Murray ; Walter Scanlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison N-817 10-in. 3/26/1929 If I give up the saxophone (Will you come back to me?) 7 Blue Babies ; Jack Dalton Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Edison N-936 10-in. 6/3/1929 A high silk hat and a walking cane Frankie Marvin Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist  
Edison N-1009 10-in. 7/9/1929 Don't hang your dreams on a rainbow Waldo Mayo Violin solo, with instrumental ensemble and mixed vocal ensemble lyricist  
Edison N-1052 12-in. 7/29/1929 Sweetheart's holiday The New Yorkers [Edison vocal group] Male vocal quintet, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 251-272 of 272 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kahal, Irving," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

Kahal, Irving. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675

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