Manning Sherwin

Manning Sherwin (January 4, 1902 – July 26, 1974) was an American composer. Born in Philadelphia, Sherwin attended Columbia University before embarking upon a long career in musical theatre and films.

His most enduring composition is the music for "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square", lyrics by Eric Maschwitz, written for New Faces in 1940. Another wartime success, published in 1939, was "Who's Taking You Home Tonight?", with lyrics by Tommie Connor.

He settled in Britain in 1938, and contributed to George Posford's Magyar Melody. His musical Sitting Pretty, whose main hit was the duet "I'll Take a Little Time", was pulled early due to the outbreak of war, and he countered with Get A Load of This which achieved 698 West End performances (1941-3), Something in the Air (1943-4) (336 performances, plus 163 more in 1944-5), and Under the Counter (665 perfs in 1945-7). During the war he worked for British cinema, providing the music for hit wartime comedy features such as Miss London. His last successful musicals were The Kid From Stratford (1948-9: 235 performances) and Her Excellency (1949) (jointly composed with Posford, whose real name was Benjamin George Ashwell, perfs 252). A number of his songs also featured in British musical films of the period.

Sherwin died in Los Angeles. He was buried in Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 4, 1902, Died July 26, 1974

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= 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 BS-011068 10-in. 7/1/1937 Lovely one Carmen Lombardo ; Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-011075 10-in. 7/2/1937 Lovely one Shep Fields ; Bobby Goday ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-017791 10-in. 12/29/1937 I fall in love with you every day Abe Lyman Orchestra ; Frank Parrish Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-018360 10-in. 1/21/1938 I fall in love with you every day Larry Clinton Orchestra ; Bea Wain Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-056481 10-in. 10/11/1940 A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-057020 10-in. 10/23/1940 A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square Dick Todd Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-057315 10-in. 10/25/1940 A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square Tommy Ryan ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W142553 10-in. 8/20/1926 Would-ja? Buffalodians Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 74443 10-in. 12/10/1926 Would ja? Clarence Williams’ Blue Seven Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 80197 10-in. 10/29/1926 Would ja? Clarence Williams’ Blue Seven Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E3408-E3411 10-in. 7/14/1926 Would ja? Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E19873-E19875 10-in. 7/22/1926 Would ja? Colonial Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick LAE854 10-in. 7/31/1930 It must be you Zelma O'Neal Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 11174 10-in. 8/31/1926 Would-ja? Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers] Jazz/dance band composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sherwin, Manning," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108800.

Sherwin, Manning. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108800.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108800

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