Irving Berlin Documentary - Hollywood Walk of Fame
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in history. His music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five. He published his first song, "Marie from Sunny Italy", in 1907, receiving 33 cents for the publishing rights, and had his first major international hit, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", in 1911. He also was an owner of the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. For much of his career Berlin could not read sheet music, and was such a limited piano player that he could only play in the key of F-sharp using his custom piano equipped with a transposing lever.
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" sparked an international dance craze in places as far away as Berlin's native Russia, which also "flung itself into the ragtime beat with an abandon bordering on mania". Over the years he was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular: uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his stated aim being to "reach the heart of the average American," whom he saw as the "real soul of the country". In doing so, said Walter Cronkite, at Berlin's 100th birthday tribute, he "helped write the story of this country, capturing the best of who we are and the dreams that shape our lives".
He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him famous before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films, with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "Easter Parade", "Puttin' on the Ritz", "Cheek to Cheek", "White Christmas", "Happy Holiday", "Anything You Can Do ", and "There's No Business Like Show Business". His Broadway musical and 1943 film This Is the Army, with Ronald Reagan, had Kate Smith singing Berlin's "God Bless America" which was first performed in 1938.
Пікірлер: 7
I love Irving Berlins' songs. Our father used to have our young family learn and sing some of these songs in the early sixties, while he strummed the guitar, which he learned to play while serving as a lieutenant in the Canadian Merchant Marine in World War 2 , on the ships. Berlins songs have meant much to me over the years especially his romantic songs like 'Always', 'Blue Skies', Say It Isn't So', and 'The Song Is Ended'. I love playing them on the piano, and that gives me much pleasure.
So why is it that America now says that Duke Ellington is America’s greatest composer? What about Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein or Jerome Kern. All of the above were Jewish. When someone tells me that Duke is America’s greatest composer I ask them to sing ONE of his songs. They can’t sing one. But they remember “God Bless America” and “White Christmas.” In fact, the great songs attributed to Duke were actually written by Billy Strayhorn including “A Train.” Gee, can anybody explain this curiosity?? Oh, by the way, Duke never wrote a lyric in his life. Berlin did it all himself.
@knockedoutloaded279
Жыл бұрын
Or Johnny Mercer or Bob Dylan.....
AI voice..? .its soulless either way
@TheDoctor1225
6 ай бұрын
Man I agree. I had to shut the thing off. It's like listening to a computer read the encyclopedia.
Wikipedia in pictures. 😂