Berlin: Early Songs, Part I

The period 1907–14 represents the first phase of Irving Berlin's songwriting career, when his primary concern was with individual songs, before he turned to focus on complete shows. Despite Berlin's stature as the era's leading songwriter, however, the majority of the over two hundred songs presented in this edition have been difficult to obtain. Offering all of these songs here, in chronological order and including numerous previously unpublished works, gives a complete picture of Berlin's early development as a songwriter. The extensive introduction places Berlin within the Tin Pan Alley tradition originating in the late nineteenth century and stretching well into the twentieth.

Part 1

1. Marie from Sunny Italy

2. Queenie

3. The Best of Friends Must Part

4. I Didn't Go Home at All

5. Dorando

6. No One Could Do It Like My Father!

7. Sadie Salome (Go Home)

8. My Wife's Gone to the Country (Hurrah! Hurrah!)

9. Just Like the Rose

10. Oh, What I Know about You

11. Someone's Waiting for Me (We'll Wait, Wait, Wait)

12. Do Your Duty Doctor! (Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Doctor)

13. Good-bye, Girlie, and Remember Me

14. Wild Cherries

15. Oh! Where Is My Wife To-night?

16. She Was a Dear Little Girl

17. Some Little Something about You

18. If I Thought You Wouldn't Tell

19. I Wish That You Was My Gal, Molly

20. Next to Your Mother, Who Do You Love?

21. Stop That Rag (Keep On Playing, Honey)

22. Christmas-time Seems Years and Years Away

23. Yiddle, on Your Fiddle, Play Some Ragtime

24. I Just Came Back to Say Good Bye

25. Before I Go and Marry, I Will Have a Talk with You

26. That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune

27. Someone Just Like You

28. Telling Lies

29. Sweet Marie, Make-a Rag-a-time Dance wid Me

30. If the Managers Only Thought the Same As Mother

31. Oh How That German Could Love

32. When You Play That Piano, Bill!

33. Draggy Rag

34. Dear Mayme, I Love You!

35. Grizzly Bear

36. Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon

37. That Opera Rag

38. I'm a Happy Married Man

39. I Love You More Each Day

40. Alexander and His Clarinet

41. Sweet Italian Love

42. Oh, That Beautiful Rag

43. Try It on Your Piano

44. "Thank You, Kind Sir!" Said She

45. Yiddisha Eyes

46. Is There Anything Else I Can Do for You?

47. Kiss Me My Honey, Kiss Me

48. Colored Romeo

49. Stop, Stop, Stop (Come Over and Love Me Some More)

50. Herman Let's Dance That Beautiful Waltz

51. Piano Man

52. Innocent Bessie Brown

53. Dreams, Just Dreams

54. I'm Going on a Long Vacation

55. Bring Back My Lena to Me

56. That Kazzatsky Dance

57. Wishing

58. Dat's-a My Gal

59. That Dying Rag

60. Alexander's Ragtime Band

 

<div>MPA Paul Revere Award, 1995</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

<div>Geoffrey Block, Notes, June 1997; David Schiff, Atlantic Monthly, March 1996</div>