Al Dubin

Alexander " Al " Dubin ( born June 10, 1891 in Zurich, Switzerland, † February 11, 1945 in New York City ) was an American songwriter. He was known for his collaboration with composer Harry Warren. From their repertoire originate many classics from the Great American Songbook, many songs were later to jazz standards.

Life and work

Al Dubin comes from a Jewish- Russian family who emigrated to the U.S. when he was two years old. He grew up in Philadelphia. After his parents request Dubin should follow an academic career, but was expelled in 1911, after which he went to New York. There he worked as a songwriter and lyricist for various Tin Pan Alley music publishers. During the first world war he engaged in 1917/18 his war service. In 1921 he was able to bring his first title in the revue Greenwich Village Follies. In 1927 Dubin together with composer J. Fred Coots his first complete score for a Broadway musical.

Success came in the late 1920s with his departure to Hollywood a. He worked initially with composer Joe Burke; together they wrote songs for films and film musicals, including such hits as Tip Toe Through the Tulips with Me ( from Gold Diggers of Broadway, 1929), Love Will Find A Way (1929) and Dancing With Tears in My Eyes ( 1930).

1932/33, began working with Harry Warren, which lasted until 1938; there was a series of songs for films and film musicals. The most famous are The 42nd Street from the year 1933 (the hits such as Forty- Second Street, Shuffle Off to Buffalo, Young and Healthy, You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me contains ), and the 1930 Gold Diggers movies ( Gold Diggers of 1933, Gold diggers of 1935, Gold diggers of 1937, Gold diggers in Paris ( 1938) ).

Dubin and Warren wrote a number of hit songs, including: The Gold Diggers Song ( We're in the Money ) and Shadow Waltz ( 1933), The Boulevard of Broken Dreams and I Only Have Eyes For You (1934 ), Go into Your Dance, About a Quarter to Nine and Lulu's Back in Town (1935 ), With Plenty of Money and You, September in the Rain and Remember Me? (1937 ).

For the title Lullaby Of Broadway musical from the film Gold Diggers of 1935 Dubin and Warren in 1936 received the Academy Award for Best Song.

In the 1940s, Dubin went on to work for the film, but also wrote the lyrics for the Broadway. He wrote for compositions by James V. Monaco (We Must not Say Goodbye ), Jimmy McHugh (South American Way ), Will Grosz ( Along the Santa Fe Trail ) and Duke Ellington ( I Never Felt This Way Before ).

Dubin died at the age of 53 years due to his extravagant lifestyle. He was married twice; from his first marriage comes the daughter Patricia Dubin.

In 1970 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 1980, producer David Merrick of an adaptation of the 1930s movie musicals with extraordinary success on Broadway: 42nd Street ( musical).