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 51-75 of 272 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-77647 10-in. 9/11/1933 Sittin' on a backyard fence Paul Whiteman Orchestra ; Rhythm Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-77682 10-in. 9/15/1933 The road is open again Hotel Montclair Orchestra ; Larry, Tom & Larry ; Bill Scotti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-78274 10-in. 10/25/1933 Lonely Lane Eddy Duchin Orchestra ; Lew Sherwood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-78526 10-in. 11/9/1933 Lonely Lane Mike Doty Orchestra ; Ward Silloway Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PBS-79307 10-in. 8/9/1934 Beauty must be loved Raymond Paige Orchestra ; Marshall Sohl Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-80483 10-in. 5/1/1934 How do I know it's Sunday? Edgewater Beach Hotel Orchestra ; Bob Hannon ; Harry Sosnick Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-81080 10-in. 1/18/1934 When to-morrow comes Hotel Governor Clinton Orchestra ; Enoch Light Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-81332 10-in. 1/29/1934 When tomorrow comes Don Bestor Orchestra Jazz/dance band; with male vocal solo (takes 1 and 2) lyricist  
Victor BS-81879 10-in. 3/12/1934 Two little flies on a lump of sugar George Hall ; Hotel Taft Orchestra ; Barry Wells Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-82377 10-in. 5/4/1934 How do I know it's Sunday Eliot Everett Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-86412 10-in. 12/7/1934 Ev'ry day Angelo Ferdinando ; Hotel Great Northern Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-86416 10-in. 12/7/1934 The good green acres of home Connecticut Yankees ; Norsemen ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal octet lyricist  
Victor BS-86419 10-in. 12/7/1934 Ev'ry day Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-86420 10-in. 12/7/1934 There's a different "you" in your heart Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-89541 10-in. 4/10/1935 Now I'm a lady Joe Haymes Orchestra ; Skeeter Palmer Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-89576 10-in. 4/22/1935 Now I'm a lady Paul Whiteman Orchestra ; Ramona Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-92773 10-in. 7/26/1935 A sunbonnet blue (And a yellow straw hat) Enric Madriguera Orchestra ; Tony Sacco Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-01912 10-in. 12/22/1936 The night is young and you're so beautiful Wayne King Orchestra Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-03504 10-in. 12/1/1936 The night is young and you're so beautiful George Hall ; Hotel Taft Orchestra ; Johnny McKeever Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-04532 10-in. 1/29/1937 You're here, you're there Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-07773 10-in. 4/12/1937 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day The Riversiders Male vocal quartet, with steel guitar and piano lyricist  
Victor BS-07827 10-in. 4/18/1937 You're here, you're there (You're everywhere) Shep Fields ; Bobby Goday ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-010648 10-in. 6/11/1937 Don't you know or don't you care Fats Waller and his Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-011116 10-in. 6/24/1937 (Pin a bluebonnet on your new bonnet) Bluebonnet Jolly Coburn Orchestra ; Cabby Kolb Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-011118 10-in. 6/24/1937 Don't you know or don't you care? Bill Hawley ; Jolly Coburn Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 51-75 of 272 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kahal, Irving," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

Kahal, Irving. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

"Kahal, Irving." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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