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 Houtzdale, Died February 7, 1942 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1955

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 276-284 of 284 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
Roost 1388 10-in. approximately 1951 I'll be seeing you (Little) Jimmy Scott lyricist  
ARC 21264 10-in. 6/17/1937 Don't you know or don't you care Tempo King ; Kings of Tempo ; Queenie Ada Rubin Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 276-284 of 284 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kahal, Irving," accessed December 11, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

Kahal, Irving. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 11, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

"Kahal, Irving." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 11 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.