By: Walt Shureb, Founder (1989) and Chairman, The Harry Warren Memorial Club
A SUMMARY OF FIFTEEN YEARS OF RESEARCH
Did you know that, although virtually unknown to the general public, HARRY WARREN composed more songs which became "TOP HITS" than any of the "big name" popular song composers? Twenty one
of his songs rose to Number 1 on the charts and another fourteen topped out at No. 2. No other composer comes close ! ! !
EARLY HISTORY
Harry Warren was born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna in Brooklyn, New York on December 24, 1893--the youngest of twelve children. His parents, Antonio and Rachel, emigrated from Calabria, Italy in 1885, and settled in Brooklyn, where his father made a comfortable living as a
custom bootmaker. Harry was an altar server and, as a boy, sang in his local church choir--Our Lady of Loretto. He received his only musical
instruction from the church organist and choir
director, Pauline Schneider, but later taught himself to play the piano and several other instruments before he began composing music. His first musical job was as a drummer in a brass band with a traveling circus. Not long after, he was employed by the Vitagraph Film Studio, in
Brooklyn, providing mood music for movie actors, helping them project the emotions called for by
the script. Meanwhile he tried his hand at composing songs--which no one seemed to want.
Finally, in the late twenties, he composed
"Nagasaki," "Would You Like to Take a Walk?" and
"You're My Everything," which all became hits.
And, after a short stint on Broadway--("Sweet and Low," "Crazy Quilt," and "The Laugh Parade")--
Hollywood beckoned, and he was on his way.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME FAMOUS?
Although I grew up singing Harry Warren
tunes(I was born in 1921), I never knew who he was until 1989--when I stumbled across his name
in an article by Alec Wilder, composer, author and music critic. Since that time, I have spent hundreds of very pleasurable hours on the internet, in libraries, music shops, video and
record stores and schools of music at major
universities, learning more about this unknown
giant of popular music. And, the more I research, the more astounded I become! I have also become consumed by an overwhelming sense
of injustice! What does it take to become famous?
Harry Warren may not have been our greatest composer of popular songs. Irving Berlin and Cole Porter each wrote the music and THE LYRICS for all their songs, and none of Harry Warren's best ballads ever achieved the universality of Berlin's "White Christmas" or "God Bless America," or the intricacy or sophistication of Porter's "Begin the Beguine" or "Night and Day." And, though he died at the tender age of 37, I believe the truly classical music of George Gershwin in his opera "Porgy and Bess" and his masterpiece "Rhapsody in Blue" scaled heights attained by no other American "pop" composer!
Why then, am I so obsessed with Harry Warren? Because each of the above three composers, plus Jerome Kern and Richard Rodgers, deservedly basked in the sunlight of universal fame for most of their careers, and when each died, the news made headlines around the world. But, although Warren far exceeded all of them in most "hit" records (216), most motion picture Academy Award nominations (11), AND Oscars (3),
and most movies featuring his music (David Jenkins lists an unbelievable 803 such movies on his fabulous website: www.harrywarren.org) he remains a virtual nonentity. He died largely unknown, unwept and unsung. Yet, in contrast, Vanna White, whose incredible (unbelieveable) talent is touching letters on a TV show, (which are lit before she touches them)is known to virtually everyone in the U.S. and Canada--and this ABSOLUTELY KILLS ME !!!
YOUR HIT PARADE
During the fifteen years, 1935-50, of radio broadcasts of the weekly program: "Your Hit Parade," sixteen of Cole Porter's beautiful songs made the coveted "top ten" list and were broadcast. George Gershwin also had sixteen, Richard Rodgers, nineteen, and that undisputed genius, Irving Berlin (who finished second) had thirty three different songs performed on "Your Hit Parade." Yet, during this same period, forty two different songs by Harry Warren--the guy nobody ever heard of--were performed on this show. On one program, in 1942, four of the top-ten songs performed: "There Will Never Be Another You," "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo," "Serenade in Blue," and "At Last," were all composed by Harry Warren. Four songs by one composer on the same program was a Hit Parade record, but nobody even mentioned the composer's name. On this program the praise was for the vocalist or the band.
CONTRIBUTION TO MOTION PICTURES
Warren's songs have been performed in far more motion pictures than those of any other composer. In his only biography: "Harry Warren and the Hollywood Musical," author Tony Thomas states (on page 6):
"No other composer can match his (Warren's) record for the twenty-five years between 1932 and 1957, when he was consistently employed by four major studios while they were specializing in musicals: Warner Bros. during the thirties, Twentieth Century Fox in the early forties, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the late forties and early fifties, and Paramount in the final
five years."
During these twenty five years, and brief intervals before and after, Mr. Warren was assigned to compose songs for eighty one motion pictures. This output included 311 songs, nearly all of which were published and performed. And, again quoting Thomas:". . .but what is even more remarkable is that 50 of those songs have become standards and continue to earn substantial royalties."
Yes, Warren achieved fortune, but not fame! In addition to the eighty one movies and numerous "short subjects" he was assigned to work on, the four studios for whom he had worked have retained the film rights to all songs composed while under their respective employ. As a result, his songs have been "interpolated" into many other motion pictures and short subjects (before and after his death). In recent years, these movies have included: "Pettin' in the Park" from the 1995 Oscar winning movie, THE ENGLISH PATIENT (Juliet Benoche & Ralph Fiennes). Also in 1995, "I Only Have Eyes for You" was interpolated into two additional movies: HIDEAWAY (Christine Lahti & Jeff Goldblum)and JUST CAUSE (Sean Connery & Ruby Dee)and THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (Clint Eastwood & Meryl Streep) includes Warren's "This is Always."
In 1996, his great ballad: "At Last" was incorporated into THE OTHER SISTER (Diane Keaton & Tom Skerret), and in 1997, nine movies featured songs by Harry Warren: THAT OLD FEELING (Bette Midler & Dennis Farina)--songs: "At Last" and "There Will Never be Another You;" GRUMPIER OLD MEN (Jack Lemon & Walter Matthau)--songs: "That's Amore" and "Innamorata;" MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL (Kevin Spacey & John Cusik)--song: "Jeepers Creepers;" BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (Ry Cooder)- song: "Chattanooga Choo Choo;" PICTURE PERFECT (Jennifer Aniston)- songs: "I Had the Craziest Dream," "The More I See You," and "You'll Never Know;" THE DEVIL'S OWN (Joan Fontaine) song:
"There Will Never be Another You;" "INVENTING THE ABBOTTS" (Pat O'Conner & Liv Tyler) songs:
"I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo," "Serenade in Blue" & "You'll Never Know"; MONEY TALKS (Chris Tucker & Charley Sheen) Song: "That's Amore and OUT TO
SEA (Songs: "At Last," Chattanooga Choo Choo," & "I Only Have Eyes for You.
In 1998, his songs could be heard in eight movies: LIVING OUT LOUD (Danny DeVito & Holly Hunter)- song: "At Last;" PATCH ADAMS (Robin Williams) - song: "Chattanooga Choo Choo;" BABE; PIG IN THE CITY (Magda Szubanski & Mickey Rooney) - songs: "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "That's Amore;" STUART LITTLE (Geena Davis)- song: "That's Amore;" KISSING A FOOL (David Schwimmer) Song: "At Last; MEET JOE BLACK (Shelley
Winters)Song: "You're Getting to be a Habit With Me"); PLEASANTVILLE (Tobey Maguire & Joan Allen)Song: "At Last" and SPHERE (Dustin Hoffman & Sharon Stone) song: "I Had the Craziest Dream).
During 1999,you could hear his music (and see his name in the credits) in nine movies: ANALYZE THIS (Robert DeNiro)- songs: "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" and "Innamorata;" L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (Kim Bassinger & Kevin Spacey)- song: "At Last;" EYES WIDE SHUT (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman)- song: "I Only Have Eyes for You;" MY DOG SKIP (Frankie Muniz & Kevin Bacon)- song: "Lullaby of Broadway;" AMERICAN PIE (Jason Biggs & Mena Suvari) - song: "At Last;" ANYWHERE BUT HERE -song: "The More I See You;" COTTON MARY (Gretta Scacchi) song: "That's Amore;" FIGHT CLUB(Brad Pitt & Helena Bonham Carter) song: "No Love, No Nothin';" AWAKE IN PROVIDENCE (Mary Alice) song:"Innamorata" and SWEET AND LOWDOWN - (Benny Goodman Orch)songs: "I Yi, Yi, Yi" and "No Love, No Love, No Nothin'."
In the year 2000, his music could be heard in five movies: MEN OF HONOR (Robert DeNiro & Cuba Gooding, Jr.)- song: "You'll Never Know;" SPACE COWBOYS (Clint Eastwood & Donald Sutherland)- song: "I Only Have Eyes for You;" REINDEER GAMES (Gary Sinese & Ben Affleck) -song: "At Last;" and SMALL TIME CROOKS (Woody
Allen)song: "With Plenty of Money and You;" and THE GATHERING STORM (Vanessa Redgrave) Song: "Keep Young and Beautiful.
During 2001, there were five movies; PEARL HARBOR (Ben Affleck) song: "Jeepers Creepers;" JEEPERS CREEPERS (a horror flick, which includes HW's song in the sound track); ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - Song "I Only Have Eyes for You;"
LAST ORDERS (Michael Caine)song: "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and THE OTHERS (Nicole Kidman) Songs: "I Only Have Eyes for You" and At Last."
During 2002, the string continued with five more: CHERISH (Robin Tunney) Song: "I Only Have Eyes for you;" ENOUGH (Jeniffer Lopez)song: "I Only Have Eyes for you;" DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA YA SISTERHOOD (Sandra Bullock) Song: "Lulu's Back in Town"; ENDING (Song: Serenade in Blue.")
Finally, so far in 2003, there have been two movies: HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN TEN DAYS (Kate Hudson) Song:"An Affair to Remember" and SOME-
THING'S GOT TO GIVE (Jack Nicholson & Diane Keaton)Song: "I Only Have Eyes For You."
Just since 1995, there have been an incredible 47 movies with at least one Harry Warren Song. It is abundantly clear, therefore, that although he died more than twenty years ago, and most of these songs were composed more than fifty years ago, the enduring quality of Harry Warren songs has continued in movies every year right into the twenty first century!!
The total number of movies containing at least one Warren song is truly staggering. Until about 1998, I felt justly proud in having identified 278 such movies. However, if you log on to David Jenkin's (of Cape Carteret, N.C.) fabulous web site: www.harrywarren.org you will find a truly mind boggling listing of 803 movies and short subjects which include at least one Harry Warren song. Far too many to include in this website! Most of these include interpolated songs, but the musicals--where Warren was assigned to write songs to fit, or better yet, advance the story line, and, also, match the vocal range of a particular actor or actress--or to be played by a top "Big Band" Orchestra--clearly represent his greatest achievements.
HARRY WARREN FILM MUSICALS
There are too many to list here, but several of these deserve attention: THE CROONER (with Rudy Valley singing "Three's a Crowd"); GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (w/Dick Powell and Joan Blondell singing: "Shadow Waltz," "We're in the Money," "Pettin'in the Park," "Remember My Forgotten Man," and "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song); FORTY SECOND STREET (w/Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler singing and dancing: "You're Getting to be a Habit With Me," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," "Forty Second Street," "Young and Healthy," and "It Must Be June"); ROMAN SCANDALS (w/Eddie Cantor singing: "Keep Young and Beautiful" and "When We Build Our Little Home"); FOOTLIGHT PARADE (w/James Cagney singing "Shanghai Lil"); DAMES (w/Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler singing: "Dames," and "I Only Have Eyes for You"); GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 (w/Winnie Shaw singing: "Lullaby of Broadway"--Warren's first "Oscar"); GO INTO YOUR DANCE (w/Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler and Helen Morgan singing: "She's a Latin from Manhattan," "A Good Old Fashioned Cocktail," and "Go Into Your Dance,"); BROADWAY GONDOLIER (w/Dick Powell and Joan Blondell singing: "Lulu's Back in Town," "The Rose in Her Hair," and "You Can be Kissed"); CASINO de PAREE (w/Al Jolson singing "About a Quarter to Nine"); MELODY FOR TWO (w/James Melton singing "September in the Rain"); MR. DODDS TAKES THE AIR (w/Kenny Baker singing "Remember Me?"); GOING PLACES (w/ Louis Armstrong singing "Jeepers Creepers"); HARD TO GET (w/Dick Powell singing: "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" and "There's a Sunny Side to Every Situation"); DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (in which Betty Grable just radiates while singing and dancing to "Down Argentina Way" and "Two Dreams Met" with Don Ameche); THAT NIGHT IN RIO (w/Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda singing: "They Met in Rio," "I Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)" and "Chica, Chica Boom Chick"); SUN VALLEY SERENADE and ORCHESTRA WIVES (The Glenn Miller Orchestra's only two movies--with half a dozen Warren hits, listed below under "Gold Record");
SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES (w/The Harry James Orchestra playing: "I Had the Craziest Dream"); ICELAND (w/The Sammy Kaye Orchestra playing: "There Will Never Be Another You"; THE GANG'S ALL HERE (w/The Benny Goodman Orchestra playing, and Alice Faye singing: "A Journey to a Star" and "No Love, No Nothin'" and Benny, himself, singing "Paducah,"); HELLO, FRISCO, HELLO (w/Alice Faye singing Warren's second "Oscar" song: "You'll Never Know"); SWEET ROSIE O'GRADY (w/Betty Grable singing "My Heart Tells Me"--in the bathtub); HARD TO GET (w/Dick Powell singing "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"); YOUNG PEOPLE (Shirley Temple's last movie, singing Warren's: "I Wouldn't Take a Million," "Young People" and "Fifth Avenue"); BILLY ROSE'S DIAMOND HORSESHOE (w/ Betty Grable and Dick Haymes singing "I Wish I knew," "In Acapulco," and "The More I See You"); THE HARVEY GIRLS (w/ Judy Garland singing "On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe"--Warren's third "Oscar"--and Kenny Baker singing a gorgeous "Wait and See"); THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY (Fred amd Ginger's last movie together--and the only one in technicolor)
with both singing "My One and Only Highland Fling"
and Fred singing "Shoes With Wings On; MY DREAM IS YOURS (w/Doris Day singing "Someone Like You"); SUMMER STOCK (w/Judy Garland and Gene Kelly singing and dancing to "You Wonderful You," "Friendly Star," and "If You Feel Like Singing, Sing"); THREE LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE (w/June Haver singing "This is Always"); TEXAS CARNIVAL (w/Esther Williams singing "It's Dynamite"); THE BELLE OF NEW YORK (w/Fred Astaire singing and dancing to: "I Wanna be a Dancin' Man" and "Baby Doll"); SKIRTS AHOY (w/Esther Williams singing: "What Good is a Gal Without a Guy?" and "Hold Me Close to You"); JUST FOR YOU (w/Bing Crosby singing "Zing a Little Zong" and "On the Ten Ten from Ten Ten Tennessee"); THE CADDY (w/Dean Martin singing "That's Amore"--which turned out to be Dino's biggest hit) and AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (In which the beautiful theme, by that name, became the last film song by Warren nominated for an academy award. It was also
later recorded by Nat "King" Cole, Vic Damone and Al Martino and became a big hit for each. This same song provided the background theme for the
movie: "Sleepless in Seattle."
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS
During the twenty two year period, 1935 to 1957, a Harry Warren song was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Song in a Motion Picture" ELEVEN times. This is the equivalent of once every other year for more than two decades! Three of these songs won "Oscars": "Lullaby of Broadway" (lyrics by Al Dubin) from Gold-Diggers of 1935; "You'll Never Know" (lyrics by Mack Gordon) from Hello Frisco, Hello, 1943; and "On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe" (lyrics by Johnny Mercer) from The Harvey Girls, 1945. Only one of the remaining eight nominated songs ("Zing a Little Zong"-1952)is seldom played anymore. The other seven are still being played and even newly recorded in the twenty first century. These "passed over" nominations are: "Remember Me (1937); "Jeepers Creepers" (1938); "Down Argentina Way" (1940); "Chattanooga Choo Choo"
(1941); I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" (1942); "That's Amore (1953) and "An Affair to Remember" (1957).
THE FIRST GOLD RECORD
The world's first "Gold Record" (actually pressed on a gold disc) was presented to Glenn Miller by RCA Records in 1941, after his recording of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" sold l.2 million (78rpm) records. Miller got tons of publicity for this feat--and every subsequent record with sales over a million became known as a "Gold Record"--but the name of the composer of this block-buster song, Harry Warren, was hardly mentioned. Glenn Miller's recordings of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" plus "At Last," "I Know Why (and so do you)," "Devil May Care," "Serenade in Blue," "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo," "People Like You and Me," "It Happened in Sun Valley," "Kiss Polka," "Fifth Avenue," "That's Sabotage," "I Wouldn't Take a Million," and "Cowboy from Brooklyn" were all composed by Harry Warren and these thirteen recordings helped considerably in catapulting Miller's orchestra to the top of the "Big Bands" of the forties. After Miller went into service and formed his Army Air Force Band, he also recorded Warren's "My Heart Tells Me" with Johnny Desmond doing the vocal--in German!
Similarly, one of Harry James' biggest hits: "I Had the Craziest Dream" became No. 1 in the country and stayed on the charts for 22 straight weeks during l943 (source: page 226, Joel Whitburn's "Pop Memories 1890 to 1954"). And, Dean Martin's biggest hit: "That's Amore;" Three of Guy Lombardo's No. 1 hits: "By the River St. Marie," "Too Many Tears," and "September in the Rain;" four of Bing Crosby's No. 1 hits: "You're Getting to be a Habit With Me," "Shadow Waltz," "Remember Me?" and "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby;" and
Dick Haymes biggest hit: "You'll Never Know--No. 1 for seven straight weeks--were all composed by Harry Warren. Barbra Streisand's first recording, at age sixteen, was also "You'll
Never Know" and British born blind pianist, George Shearing's first recording, after coming to the U.S. in 1947, was Warren's "September in the Rain," which quickly sold 900,000 copies. (In the days of "78" records this was a big hit,indeed). Altogether, twenty one recordings of Warren tunes, by fifteen different artists, reached No. 1 on the charts. And another fourteen Harry Warren songs topped out at No.2. That is truly ASTOUNDING!
HOW COULD HE REMAIN UNKNOWN?
How is it possible to achieve so much, and contribute to so many other people's fame and still remain virtually unknown? During my years of research, I've found no single answer, but have noted many clues to his lack of acclaim. First of all, more than one writer has described him as shy or reticent. Tony Thomas, on page 5 of his biography states: "Despite a lifetime in the entertainment industry, Harry Warren has never liked performing in public. 'Anytime I've had to do it, I've had to have a few drinks first,' he says. And he has no taste or talent for publicity."
Bing Crosby, who knew him well, states: (in the "Forward" to Thomas' biography): "Harry himself is a practicing self-deprecator. I don't think he really appreciates what an immense contribution he has made to popular music, but I do, and I admire him and respect him immensely because of it."
SHOULD WE BLAME THE DISC JOCKEYS?
Early in my research I ran across the following quotation from Alec Wilder's: "American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950" (page 395) in a chapter entitled: "The Great Craftsmen," which--AT FIRST--I though really hit the nail on the head: "Harry Warren, another writer of many hits, nearly all of them from films. . .and I find his anonymity to record program listeners an ill-mannered lapse on the part of the disc jockeys."
However, I had the privilege of discussing this point with three Detroit Area disc jockeys: Mike Deja, WJR-760-AM; Wayne Stevens, CKWW,580-AM,who hosts the wonderful "Music of your Life" show daily from 2 to 6, and who has done much in making Detroiters familiar with Harry Warren; and the dean of Detroit broadcasters, Mike Whorf, WJR-760-AM,who knew all about Harry Warren long before I ever heard his name--he even interviewed him some thirty years ago. These discussions disclosed a serious flaw in Wilder's conclusion. How can they give credit to the composer of every song when there are thousands of composers whom no one has heard of? Besides, the average record playing announcer has enough to do keeping the listeners apprised of the name of each song and the performing artist. If anything else is added, it is the name of the orchestra. Only rarely is the composer mentioned, usually for songs that have become so closely associated with his name that they've practically become part of the title. Songs like "Irving Berlin's God Bless America" (which, following the September 11 tragedy, has practically become an extra national anthem), "Cole Porter's Begin the Beguine," or "Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust." No--I believe the answer lies elsewhere.
SHOULD HIS FAMILY HAVE CHANGED HIS NAME?
Part of the fault may rest with his well-meaning older sisters who changed the family name to Warren and picked too common a first name for their younger brother, while he was still a little boy. Even though his name has been included in the credits for hundreds of movies, the name Harry Warren is hardly one to stand out in a list of credits. He might have done much better if his name had been left Salvatore Guaragna!
DID HE NEED A "P.R. MAN?"
Another factor that helped Warren's competitors achieve "household name" status was the use of a publicity or (P.R.) man. In an article on page H-35 of the New York Times on December 26, 1993, entitled: "Can't Get His Tunes Out of Our Heads, But Who Was He?" Michael Feinstein (who worked for Warren a few years before his death in 1981) states: "At the suggestion of friends, he once hired a publicist but fired him a few weeks later, embarassed at seeing his name in the gossip columns".
Wilfrid Sheed, in an article for the December 20, 1993 issue of The New Yorker Magazine (Pg. 102) entitled: "Centenary - Harry Warren" states: ". . .if he had only sung his own songs, like Hoagy Carmichael, or blown his own horn, like Irving Berlin, or simply stayed in New York as he pined to do, he wouldn't need a defining joke." (cited earlier in the article: ". . .even his best friends hadn't heard of him, he claimed.")
NAME IN LIGHTS ON BROADWAY
The final--and perhaps most important factor affecting fame--was getting your name up in lights on Broadway." All of the "big name" composers enjoyed years and years of such exposure to New Yorkers and the thousands of visitors to the "Big Apple." It also contributed to repeated references in the columns of syndicated New York reporters like Walter Winchell and Dorothy Kilgallen. But, although it was traditional to put the composer(s) names up in lights on the theatre marquee, above the title of the musical, Harry Warren never made it. Two of his first three Broadway musicals ("Sweet and Low," and "Crazy Quilt") were produced by Billy Rose--who put HIS name on the marquee, in place of the songwriters. The third, "Laugh Parade," was for Ed Wynn--with the same result. Then, 1n 1980, David Merrick launched a stage version of the old film musical "Forty Second Street" on Broadway.. It included all of the original movie songs plus several other Harry Warren - Al Dubin numbers from other films. It was a smash, and ran on Broadway for eight and a half years (3,486 performances). But, once again, the name above the title on the theatre marquee was not that of the songwriters. It said: "DAVID MERRICK PRESENTS." And, if that wasn't enough, bad luck intervened, as it often did in Harry Warren's life. Although Merrick had promised to cite Warren and Dubin during his "footlight comments" on opening night, Gower Champion--the show's choreographer--died that very afternoon, and Merrick's comments ended up being devoted entirely to a eulogy for Champion.
In 1986, David Merrick opened the London,
England run of Forty Second Street with Catherine
Zeta Jones (now Mrs. Michael Douglas) working her way up from a member of the chorus to a leading role, as Peggy Sawyer (the part played by Ruby Keeler in the Hollywood film).
Another case of unlucky timing occurred
late in his life. After Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll had supplanted his kind of music, Warren composed a Latin Mass. Wilfrid Sheed, in his previously quoted article: "Centenary," describes it this way: "He was certainly the only one who wound up writing a complete Latin Mass. . .This being a Harry Warren story, the church stopped using Latin around then."
UNPUBLICIZED ACCLAIM
Irving Berlin once described Warren as "one of the really fine composers of popular music in this country" and Alec Wilder praised his "love of the singing line." Also, Johnny Mercer, one of his many lyricists, referred to Warren as: "Probably one of the two or three best popular song-writers America's ever had." Warren was honored with election into "The Songwriters Hall of Fame" and on March 19,1958, he was honored by host Ralph Edwards on the television show "This is Your Life." On page 5 of his biography, Thomas reports that: "Warren had to be tricked into appearing on the program, thinking he was going to a recording session of some of his songs, but his discomfort was eased by a gift from Edwards and his staff. This was to become one of his prized possessions, a framed page from the original draft of Puccini's La Boheme, autographed by the composer." Warren loved opera and Puccini was his favorite composer.
Perhaps his most touching honor was a belated (because of the holidays) eightieth birthday party given to him by his friends and contemporary musical artists, sometime after the "big day," December 24, 1973. I was unable to pin down the date, but I have a photograph of Nelson Riddle leading the orchestra at this affair and understand that, after an evening of nothing but Harry Warren songs, there wasn't a dry eye in the "house!"
Two other little publicized honors befalling Harry Warren were the adoption (as an official anthem) by the U.S. Naval Academy of his "Don't Give Up the Ship" from the film "Shipmates Forever" (1936) and the adoption by the U.S. Marine Corps of his "Song of the Marines" (Over the seas lets go men)from the film "The Singing Marine" (1938).
Another case of little or no publicity was
the theme for the successful TV Series "The Legend of Wyatt Earp" which was composed by Harry Warren at the end of his film career.
SOME POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION
But, in more recent years--long after his death on September 22, 1981 at the age of 87--Harry Warren has finally started receiving some of the publicity he so richly deserved, but was denied during his lifetime. In March 1988, Frank Ferriano, of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, gave an extensive talk at the Tenth Annual meeting of The American Culture Association, held in New Orleans, Louisiana. His talk was entitled: "Harry Warren: Unsung Hollywood Tunesmith." On page 6 of the transcript of his talk, he mentions that: "Three of Warren's songs were chosen for the Smithsonian collection of American Popular songs: "Jeepers Creepers," "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "There Will Never Be Another You," (something I had not previously run across in my Warren research). His talk was largely biographical and highly complimentary, and he summed up his speech this way: "It is not an exaggeration to compare Warren's songs to those of Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. It is unfortunate that because Warren did most of his best work for films, he is not accorded the same stature as his "Broadway show colleagues."
The October, 1993 issue of "American Heritage" magazine included another article by Wilfrid Sheed entitled: "The Songwriters in Hollywood." This article includes a page and a half illustration of caricatures of fourteen of America's greatest songwriters, including Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Harold Arlan and Johnny Mercer, along with the caption: "Harry Warren, center foreground, had more hit songs than any of his contemporaries."
In the October 16,1993 issue of "America" magazine, its Editor in Chief, George W.Hunt, in an Editorial entitled: "Of Many Things," refers to the above Sheed article, stating that he (Hunt) had planned a column for their December issue, commemorating the 100th anniversary of composer Harry Warren's birth:
". . .the longest-lived, most versatile and successful of film composers. 'Harry Warren? Who he?' I hear you ask. . .Remember all those back stage musicals with Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and later versions with Betty Grable and Dick Haymes? Or, how about that haunting theme from "An Affair to Remember" that provides much of the glue for this summer's Blockbuster, "Sleepless in Seattle"? Yes, THAT Harry Warren."
In Feinstein's previously quoted N.Y. Times article, he also reports: "Ira Gershwin once told me that he and his brother George were envious of Warren's mid-1930's stream of mega-hits and would have given anything to have written some of them."
The April, 1994 issue of "Down Beat" magazine contains an article by David Fantle, entitled: "Songwriter's Centennial Goes Unnoticed" (which is not quite correct) in which he reports: "Harry Warren was an absolute giant," said Mel Torme, "He's one of the great songwriting gods to me."
On August 5, 1995 the "Larry King Live" one hour TV show was devoted entirely to a musical tribute to Harry Warren, with Michael Feinstein, Vic Damone and Toni Tennile providing the music and vocals. The show began with a King pronouncement: "You don't know his name, but you'll KNOW his music!" Then, during the show, Larry repeatedly asked: "He wrote that too?" after several of the songs. Later, during the winter of 1995-96, Michael Feinstein hosted a half hour TV show ("Sing a Song of Hollywood") also devoted entirely to the music of Harry Warren, in which he provided the music and shared the vocals with Gogi Grant.
Finally, although I don't have the dates, beginning in 1976, Lawrence Welk devoted three of his Saturday night one hour TV programs entirely
to the music of Harry Warren. The first of these
shows (from 1976) has been re-broadcast (on PBS) at least two times in the twenty-first century,
with Mary Lou Metzger serving as hostess.
WHAT ABOUT RADIO TRIBUTES?
I am sure there have many radio tributes to Harry Warren of which I am not aware, but I have had the pleasure of listening to, and taping, three, rather long radio tributes, which included biographical material and recordings of many of his enduring songs. The first of these was a three hour broadcast on January 16, 1994 on Detroit AM Station WJR, when announcer Mike Deja broadcast what he called a "capsule bio" of HW and played 35 of his best selections. Then on May 24 and 25, 1999, National Public Radio broadcast a two day Warren tribute with announcer Terry Gross and the John Pizzarelli Trio supplying the music. Warren's granddaughter, Julia Riva, was also heard on the program supplying a few anecdotes about her wonderful grandpa. (This same two day tribute was recently re-broadcast on December 31, 2001 and New Year's Day, 2002, on Detroit area radio FM station
101.9 from three to four P.M. each day.)
And, at the suggestion of the author, on March 19, 2000, Detroit announcer Mike Whorf devoted a three hour Sunday morning program ("Patterns in Music") entirely to the music and history of Harry Warren. He also aired a portion of a tape he had made many years earlier during an interview with HW, and played dozens of his most popular songs.
Subsequent to the opening of this web-file, Dick Harpham, of Santa Barbara, CA, the Warren Family Archivist, mailed me a CD transcript of a much earlier radio tribute, at which Harry Warren was present. This tribute was aired on November 9, 1975 on the Bill Moran Show, radio station KABC, Los Angeles. Tony Thomas, the only HW biographer, was also present at the radio station and many "greats" were heard in telephoned tributes to HW--including: Alice Faye, Bing Crosby, Harry James and Guy Lombardo.
The most recent tribute to Harry Warren appeared in the October 24, 2001 issue of "Time
Magazine" in which Richard Corliss sums up his
unbelieveable accomplishments and the many ways
he outdid his contemporary competitors, including
Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Jerome Kern and George Gershwin. He also included
a glowing paragraph on David Jenkins and his fabulous web site: www.harrywarren.org
MORE PERMANENT TRIBUTES
In the year following Warren's death, 1982, The "Harry Warren Theatre" was established on Bath Avenue at Bay 38th Street, in Brooklyn (where he was born) and is now home to the The Ryan Repertory Company--in memory of HW's many musical contributions. And, on July 11, 1998, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani signed legislation re-naming a portion of Bay 38th Street, in Brooklyn, as "HARRY WARREN WAY."
LONG PLAY RECORDS OF ALL HARRY WARREN SONGS
Hundreds of artists recorded his songs, and at least eighteen published LP albums made up entirely of HW tunes. I was aware of only one of these--an album recorded in England featuring
vocalist John Hanson singing twelve Harry Warren
songs. However, I checked out this point with David Jenkins (www.harrywarren.org), second in knowledge of HW, only to Dick Harpham, of Santa Barbara, CA--the Warren Family Archivist and world's foremost authority on Harry Warren. Jenkins e-mailed me a listing of seventeen additional LP albums comprised entirely of Harry Warren tunes. He even identified the individual songs on each album, but because I'm running short of space on this web-site, I will include just the album name, the number of songs and the year published, as included in his listing:
Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra: I Only Have Eyes For You (12 songs) LP,1964;
The Music of Harry Warren played by Joe Marino (16 songs) LP,1980;
Alice Faye and the Songs of Harry Warren (12
songs) LP,1976;
Hugh Delain: Harry Warren's Piano Vignettes
(13 pieces) LP,1975;
Songs by Harry Warren (10 songs by various artists) LP,1970s);
Kenny Drew: A Harry Warren Showcase (13 Songs) LP,1957;
Susanah McCorkle: The Music of Harry Warren (17 Songs) LP,1981;
The Spencer-Hagen Orchestra: Some of the great songs of Harry Warren and Al Dubin (12 songs) LP 19??;
Johnny Guarnieri Plays Harry Warren (12 songs) LP, 1973;
LuAnn Simms with David Terry and His Orchestra: The Songs of Harry Warren (12 songs) LP,19??;
The Harry Betts Orchestra and Chorus: Songs by Harry Warren (10 songs) LP,c.1970;
The Dave McKenna Trio: Plays the Music of Harry Warren (11 songs) LP, August 1981;
Andre Previn: Plays Harry Warren (8 songs) LP,1951;
Russ Morgan: Plays Harry Warren songs (8 songs)LP, early 1950's;
Oscar Peterson: Plays Harry Warren (11 songs) 3 - 45rpm record set, 19??;
Joni James: Sings Songs by Harry Warren (4 songs) 45 rpm record,19??:
Arts Musicale Singers: Music by Harry Warren (2 numbers) 45rpm record, 19??;
ALL HARRY WARREN COMPACT DISCS
Compact Discs did not come out until a few years after Warren's death in 1981. Yet today, there are at least eight--all Harry Warren--CD's available. In 1994, Sony Music Entertainment released the first of these, a new compact disc (#JK57329) of all Warren tunes, entitled: "Teresa Brewer - The Music of Harry Warren." And, in 1995, Capitol Records issued a new CD entitled: "Capitol Sings Harry Warren" on which are recorded 20 of HW's best tunes, sung by the likes of Nat "King" Cole, Dinah Shore, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Helen Forest, The Four Freshmen and others.
The March 4, 1996 issue of "People Magazine" (pgs. 28-29)describes a just released all Harry Warren CD featuring a trio known as the Manhattan Rhythm Kings, and entitled: "Hooray for Spinach: The Music of Harry Warren." This article states: "On this tribute album, composer Harry Warren has found sympathetic interpreters. The Threesome offers a meltingly lovely version of "At Last," a sinuous "Forty Second Street" and a buoyant rendition of "Jeepers Creepers," and please, lets not forget the impish, giddy title tribute to a certain iron-rich green vegetable."
These three CD's were followed by: in 1997, The Ralph Sharon Trio's CD (#5245-DRG Records) entitled: "The Harry Warren Songbook," including 17 HW tunes; in 1998, The Dick Fregulia Trio CD; (#BKCD10-Koala Records) entitled: "That's Amore-The Music of Harry Warren," which includes fourteen numbers; and in 1999, Rocksmith Records published CD#RM0002, entitled: "Swing Here and Now," featuring 18 Warren songs--all from films,
recorded by the George Roumanis Orchestra. Most recently, in June, 2002, Shellwood Productions
released CD # SWCD21, entitled "Jeepers Creepers--
Alex Hassan plays Harry Warren." On this CD, the
pianist plays solos of 42 different Harry Warren
hits (one time through--in some cases including
the verse). The accompanying pamphlet has an
excellent 13 page article about Warren, written
by David Jenkins--the creator of the most fabulous
Harry Warren site on the internet: www.harrywarren.com
Following the revival on Broadway of Warren's "Forty Second Street, on May 3, 2001, (which is still running on Broadway today, more than three years after its revival), Atlantic Records issued CD#92953-2: "The New Cast Recording of 42nd Street" which includes 22 Harry Warren numbers from the current stage production at the Grand Theatre on Broadway.
One other CD worth mentioning, although not ALL Harry Warren numbers, was issued in London, England by ASV Records,Ltd., CD#A5261, "Dick Powell--Lullaby of Broadway," includes 24 songs from Powell movies of the thirties, and SEVENTEEN of these songs were composed by Harry Warren.
These nine recent CD's--and the inclusion of some of his songs in currently released CD's by contemporary artists--loudly proclaim that there is still a market for Harry Warren's enduring tunes!!
HOW ABOUT STAGE PRODUCTIONS?
Prior to the re-opening of "Forty Second Street" on Broadway, noted above, this second longest running Broadway musical (second only to: "A Chorus Line"), has had several runs throughout the U.S. and Canada. It is also interesting to note that in terms of total performances, Warren's "Forty Second Street" exceeds any musical ever written by Rodgers & Hart (or Hammerstein), Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Lerner & Lowe, Frank Loesser or Jerome Kern.
On December 17, 1996, the stage production of "Forty Second Street" opened at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, as part of a national swing and, nearly two years later, completed an eighteen day run (August 18 to September 5, 1998) at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada. Following its Broadway revival
in May 2001,a traveling cast of the new production of "Forty Second Street" also began a cross-country swing, with performances in Detroit (October 22 through November l0, 2002) at the Masonic Temple Theatre. So, live audiences across the continent continue being treated to Harry Warren music in the twenty first century. But, sadly, his name still doesn't make the billboards or theatre marquees. You can find it, however--usually in small print--if you carefully check the playbill.
In Dick Jacob's informative book: "Who Wrote That Song?" he lists 124 song titles by Harry Warren (on pages 385-86) under the chapter entitled: "The Songwriters." Similarly, "The Great Song Thesaurus," by Roger Lax and Frederick Smith, lists 96 Warren song titles on page 521 of their Chapter VII (Lyricists and Composers). Each of these two publications necessarily has limited its listings to songs which became quite popular and has disregarded any song failing this standard.
However, as impressive as they were to me, I soon discovered that my friends and various band leaders to whom I showed the listings, had relatively mild reactions after reviewing them. This helped me realize that each of the two listings had too many songs which have been almost totally forgotten and that these 'trinkets' were obscuring the real "jewels." Today, when I hand an orchestra leader a listing of 22 of his unforgettable ballads, next to 20 of his still popular rhythm and novelty numbers,and bottomed out with America's three greatest railroad songs and two U.S. Military anthems--they almost jump out of their shoes. Eddie DeSantis, a Detroit Bandleader blurted out: "I've been playing his music all my life--how come I don't know his name?? (Eddie has since become one of HW's biggest boosters, having hosted two local Harry Warren shows, under the sponsorship of the Sons of Italy.)
ITALIAN-AMERICAN FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION TRIBUTES
To date, there have been three Detroit area evening tributes to Harry Warren, sponsored by Italian-American fraternal organizations, at which the author served as guest speaker. The first of these, sponsored by the Dante Alighieri Society, was held on October 24, 1996 in the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, in Grosse Pointe, Mi. At this affair, the audience was treated to
taped recordings of 36 Harry Warren standards, sung by Dean Martin, Jerry Vale, Nat "King"
Cole, Judy Garland, Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford, Dick Haymes, Helen Forest, Ray Eberle, Tex Beneke, the Andrews Sisters, Al Martino, Vic Damone, Tony Bennett, Kenny Baker and others.
The next two evening tributes were sponsored by the Sons of Italy. The first was held at the New Era Lodge #336, in Clawson, Mi., on September 11, 1997, with music by the Eddie DeSantis Band and the evening concluded with the audience being taught--and singing--Warren's: "The Rose in Her Hair."
The most recent show was held at the Elks Lodge, in Troy, Mi. on September 22, 200l, and attended by a sell-out crowd of 450 people. Music was supplied by a ten piece Eddie DeSantis Band, with professional singers and dancers, and Mike Carluccio serving as M.C. and singing some of HW's best ballads.
SUMMATION
Because I believe the "Orchestra Hand Out," mentioned above, epitomizes the tremendous contribution Harry Warren has made to the lives and happiness of most Americans, I have reproduced it below:
HARRY WARREN BALLADS:
The More I See You; I Had the Craziest Dream; I Wish I Knew; September in the Rain; There Will Never be Another You; I Know Why (and so do you); I Only Have Eyes for You; You're My Everything; You'll Never Know; At Last; Serenade in Blue; This Heart of Mine; I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo; Shadow Waltz; Boulevard of Broken Dreams; I'll String Along With You; My Heart Tells Me; Innamorata; This is Always, An Affair to Remember; Cheerful Little Earful; and No Love, No Nothin'.
HARRY WARREN RHYTHM AND NOVELTY NUMBERS;
Jeepers Creepers; She's a Latin From Manhattan; Lulu's Back in Town; About a Quarter to Nine; Remember Me? You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby; I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a five and ten cent store); By the River Sainte Marie; Forty Second Street; Would You Like to Take a Walk?; Nagasaki; That's Amore; Down Argentina Way; I Love My Baby; You're Getting to be a Habit With Me; We're in the Money; With Plenty of Money and You; I Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much); The Rose in Her Hair; and Lullaby of Broadway.
AMERICA'S THREE GREATEST RAILROAD SONGS:
Chattanooga Choo Choo - Shuffle Off to Buffalo - On the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe.
U.S. OFFICIAL MILITARY ANTHEMS:
U.S. Navy- Don't Give Up the Ship and U.S. Marine Corps - Song of the Marines (Over the Sea
Let's Go Men).
Yes, we all know his music -- isn't it time we LEARNED HIS NAME???
..................................................
Shureb, a University of Detroit graduate (1951) and retired Manager (for Michigan) of the U.S. Defense Contract Audit Agency, resides in Northville, Michigan. His telephone: (248)349-
1004 and e-mail address: wshureb@aol.com In 1994 he opened the first Harry Warren web file on the internet(updated in 1999) at internet address:
http:/www.novi.k12.mi.us/community/webpages/ Warren.html His most recent webfile: www.hometown.aol.com/wshureb - can also be found by logging on to www.harrywarren.org and then clicking on the first LINK of this fabulous David Jenkins site.
