Al Dubin - Biography

Alexander "Al" Dubin (June 10, 1891 - February 11, 1945) was an American lyricist. He became known through his collaborations with the composer Harry Warren.

Life and works

Al Dubin came from a Russian Jewish family which immigrated to the USA from Switzerland when he was two years old. He grew up in Philadelphia. There he worked as a songwriter and lyricist for various Tin Pan Alley music companies. He served in the First World War.

Dubin was responsible for lyrics to several Broadway shows. In 1970 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He is perhaps most famous for the 1933 musical film 42nd Street to the music of Harry Warren. Other famous movies included Footlight Parade and all five Gold Diggers films. Together, Warren and Dubin wrote 60 hit songs for Warner Brothers. In 1980 producer David Merrick and director Gower Champion adapted 42nd Street into a Broadway musical that won The Tony Award for Best Musical for 1981.

On his passing in 1945, Al Dubin was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Work on Broadway

• Charlot Revue (1925) - revue - featured co-lyricist for "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You"
• White Lights (1927) - musical - co-lyricist
• Streets of Paris (1939) - revue - lyricist
• Keep Off the Grass (1940) - revue - co-lyricist
• Star and Garter (1942) - revue - featured lyricist for "Robert the Roue"
• Sugar Babies (1979) - revue - co-lyricist
• 42nd Street (1980, revival in 2001) - musical - lyricist

Notable Songs

• "42nd Street"
• "Shanghai Lil" (Footlight Parade, 1933)
• "I Only Have Eyes for You"
• "Lullaby of Broadway"
• Villanova University alma mater and fight song ("V for Villanova")
• "The Anniversary Waltz" (lyrics)
• "September in the Rain"
• "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)"
• "Tiptoe through the Tulips" (1929)
• "I'll String Along with You" (1934)
• "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Sung by Constance Bennett. The song was a 1934 hit song by Al Dubin (words) and Harry Warren (music). The song was written for the 1934 film Moulin Rouge.

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