Jack Brooks

Jack Brooks (February 14, 1912 – November 8, 1971) was an English-American lyricist of popular songs who was nominated for the Academy Award in 1947, 1953 and 1954.

Brooks was born in Liverpool. His family was Jewish and originally from Russia, having changed their surname to Brooks from Bruch. They immigrated to the United States in 1916, during the middle of World War I, when Jack was four. He wrote lyrics of many popular songs, including "Ole Buttermilk Sky" (with Hoagy Carmichael) "That's Amore" (with Harry Warren) and "(Roll Along) Wagon Train" (with Sammy Fain) the second theme music used on the television Western, Wagon Train. He joined the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1946.

"Ole Buttermilk Sky" was written for the 1946 film Canyon Passage, and was sung by Carmichael in the movie. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and became a big hit for Kay Kyser that year.

"That's Amore" first appeared in the 1953 film The Caddy where it was sung by Dean Martin. The song was an Academy Award for Best Original Song nominee in 1954. It was a signature song for Martin for decades. Music critic Joe Queenan has described the song as "A charming, if goofy, parody of popular Neapolitan organ-grinder music".

Brooks also wrote the lyrics for many other film songs, such as "Let Me Be a People" and "Turn It On" in Jerry Lewis' 1960 film, Cinderfella.

He died at the age of 59 in Los Angeles.

Birth and Death Data: Born Liverpool (city in Merseyside, England, United Kingdom), Died November 8, 1971 (Los Angeles (seat of Los Angeles County, and largest city in California, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1946 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, 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 MBS-095723 10-in. before 6/18/1956 Enamorada Fernando Fernández ; Orquesta Chucho Zarzosa Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor E0VB-4767 10-in. 6/7/1950 You wonderful you Don Cornell ; Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor E0VB-5540 10-in. 8/31/1950 Just for a while Mindy Carson Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D6VB-2354 10-in. 6/14/1946 Ole buttermilk sky Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-3016 10-in. 10/15/1946 It's dreamtime Moon Maids ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal ensemble, and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0738 10-in. 5/18/1947 Old buttermilk sky Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers Male vocal duet, with string band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-2752 10-in. 12/27/1947 Saturday date Tex Beneke ; Tex Beneke Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia CO36677 10-in. 7/22/1946 Song of India Charles Kullman Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia CO36678 10-in. 7/22/1946 Hymn to the sun Charles Kullman Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia CO36679 10-in. 7/22/1946 Gypsy song Charles Kullman Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia CO36680 10-in. 7/22/1946 Fandango Charles Kullman Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brooks, Jack," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/358965.

Brooks, Jack. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/358965.

"Brooks, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/358965

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