Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 20th century. With George, he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me". He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the Gershwin brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. His mastery of songwriting continued after George's early death in 1937. Ira wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill, Harry Warren and Harold Arlen. His critically acclaimed 1959 book Lyrics on Several Occasions, an amalgam of autobiography and annotated anthology, is an important source for studying the art of the lyricist in the golden age of American popular song. |
Birth and Death Data: Born December 6, 1896 (Manhattan), Died August 17, 1983 (Beverly Hills)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1951
Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 284 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-55639 | 10-in. | 7/31/1929 | Do what you do! | Leo Reisman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-58639 | 10-in. | 1/31/1930 | Soon | Lewis James ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-58640 | 10-in. | 1/31/1930 | Strike up the band! | Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-59660 | 10-in. | 3/31/1930 | Strike up the band! | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | lyricist | |
Victor | PBVE-61073 | 10-in. | 2/16/1931 | I got rhythm | The Rounders | Male vocal quartet, with piano | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-63113 | 10-in. | 7/10/1930 | I am only human after all | Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-63159 | 10-in. | 10/20/1930 | Embraceable you | Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-63160 | 10-in. | 10/20/1930 | I got rhythm | Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-63178 | 10-in. | 10/28/1930 | Cheerful little earful | High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy ; Johnny Marvin | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-67712 | 10-in. | 12/15/1930 | Bidin' my time | Bluejeans | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-67790 | 10-in. | 1/13/1931 | Cheerful little earful | National Cavaliers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-67800 | 10-in. | 1/16/1931 | Sam and Delilah | Chick Bullock ; Cotton Club Orchestra ; Duke Ellington | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BRC-70995 | 10-in. | 12/22/1931 | Delishious | Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BRC-71211 | 10-in. | 12/31/1931 | Somebody from somewhere | Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BRC-71229 | 10-in. | 1/14/1932 | Who cares? (So long as you care for me) | Arden-Ohman Orchestra ; Frank Luther | Jazz/dance band, male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BRC-71230 | 10-in. | 1/14/1932 | Of thee I sing | Arden-Ohman Orchestra ; Frank Luther | Jazz/dance band, male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-74647 | 10-in. | 12/8/1932 | My cousin in Milwaukee | Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-74648 | 10-in. | 12/8/1932 | Isn't it a pity | Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-75343 | 10-in. | 3/1/1933 | My cousin in Milwaukee | Roy Bargy ; Ramona | Piano duet and instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-77987 | 10-in. | 9/25/1933 | Till then | Neil Buckley ; Don Bestor Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-78162 | 10-in. | 10/11/1933 | Let 'em eat cake | Leo Reisman Orchestra ; Frank Luther | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-78163 | 10-in. | 10/11/1933 | Mine | Phil Dewey ; Leo Reisman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | CS-78295 | 12-in. | 10/27/1933 | Let 'em eat cake | Bob Lawrence ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra ; Ramona ; Rhythm Boys | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo, female-male vocal duet, and male vocal trio | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-83378 | 10-in. | 7/13/1934 | Fun to be fooled | Richard Himber ; Joey Nash ; Ritz-Carlton Hotel Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
Victor | BS-83379 | 10-in. | 7/13/1934 | Let's take a walk around the block | Richard Himber ; Joey Nash ; Ritz-Carlton Hotel Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gershwin, Ira," accessed October 9, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102148.
Gershwin, Ira. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 9, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102148.
"Gershwin, Ira." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Ira Gershwin
Discogs: Ira Gershwin
Allmusic: Ira Gershwin
Grove: Ira Gershwin
IMSLP: Ira Gershwin
IMDb: Ira Gershwin
Britannica: Ira Gershwin
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Gershwin, Ira, 1896-1983 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50076010
Wikidata: Ira Gershwin - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q61059
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/39519496
MusicBrainz: Ira Gershwin - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/509086c2-9cc8-4e77-89e9-322e34240ffc
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