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 126-150 of 284 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | MBS-093082 | 10-in. | before 7/17/1951 | Summertime | Orquesta Luis Arcaraz | Instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D4VB-0031 | 10-in. | 2/8/1944 | Long ago (and far away) | Perry Como | Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus | lyricist | |
Victor | D4VB-0483 | 10-in. | 12/19/1944 | Bess you is my woman | Charlie Spivak Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D4VB-0486 | 10-in. | 12/20/1944 | I got plenty o' nuttin' | Charlie Spivak Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D4VB-0487 | 10-in. | 12/20/1944 | It ain't necessarily so | Charlie Spivak Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-0030 | 10-in. | 1/9/1945 | 'S wonderful | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-0697 | 10-in. | 10/22/1945 | Long ago (and far away) | Al Goodman Orchestra ; Earl Wrightson | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-0749 | 10-in. | 5/8/1945 | All at once | Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-0761 | 10-in. | 5/19/1945 | They can't take that away from me | Betty Jane Bonney ; Russ Case | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1008 | 10-in. | 1/3/1945 | The man I love | Albert Sack ; Dinah Shore | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1009 | 10-in. | 1/3/1945 | Someone to watch over me | Albert Sack ; Dinah Shore | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1019 | 10-in. | 1/19/1945 | Love walked in | Sack Albert ; Dinah Shore | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1047 | 10-in. | 4/17/1945 | But not for me | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1059 | 10-in. | 6/8/1945 | A foggy day | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1070 | 10-in. | 7/3/1945 | Love walked in | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1071 | 10-in. | 7/3/1945 | Soon | Artie Shaw Orchestra ; Artie Shaw | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1076 | 10-in. | 7/11/1945 | Thay can't take that away from me | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1079 | 10-in. | 7/14/1945 | Our love is here to stay | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1080 | 10-in. | 7/14/1945 | I was doing alright | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1081 | 10-in. | 7/17/1945 | Someone to watch over me | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1082 | 10-in. | 7/17/1945 | Things are looking up | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D5VB-1091 | 10-in. | 7/24/1945 | I can't get started with you | Artie Shaw Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D6VB-1762 | 10-in. | 5/3/1946 | Aren't you kind of glad we did | Betty Norton ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra | Female-male vocal duet, with jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D6VB-1766 | 10-in. | 5/8/1946 | Changing my tune | Betty Norton ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra | Female-male vocal duet, with jazz/dance band | lyricist | |
Victor | D6VB-1906 | 10-in. | 6/19/1946 | Oh lady be good | Aristokats | Instrumental ensemble | 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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