American Songwriter Article
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"PIIFMS ARF PIIFMS SIINR IYRIcS ARF FIIR SniCS " -RFN GIRR4Rn\ BANDS to watch in 1 2008 A 8 IFp~U2 - DEATH CAB The SteelDrivers FOR CUTIE pgm56 The Magnetic Fields Be Your Own Pet Drive-By Truckers The Mountain Goats an2 more! MWR PL--& AlSO FEATUBIAIG: Daniel Lanois I Ani UiFranco I 1 Bon lm 1 Mar llclnally 1 limn Eallatt Kathleen Edwards I limmy Van Heusen Otis ~aylorI lyhEontest I Ask llSAl I I - A --VdumeB.Na3 PubIisherNP B~lsfnearw&pm R4tmFCbePt Kindred Crooners PP~kmitor-Inaef Sdeop-D-pgg, & ~inatra: :. Dollglas Waterman 11 'e Managtng Edltor Axeridan Sonwter Readers, Matthew W. Shearon Armsignwector Rachel Brlggs Design Consdtant Laura C. Deleot. Crookston Deslgn www.aookstondesign.com Advertlslng Dlrector Kristen Dabbs , kdabbs@ame~~ter.com 615.594.7814 Operattons Dlrector Kayk Van Zyl Sentor Edltors ;. : Michael Kosser. Paul 20110 . ;..-"- Contributing Edlton HoUy Gleason. 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Faver Webs New Media Partner echomuslc ~mertcadSongwriter Magazhe, LLC Robed J. Clement. Thomas B. Clement. Sr.. Douglas Waterman. Newsstand Consultant Ellen Sugarman Natlond Dlstrlbutor Mlke Werner RCS, Inc. 34.344.1200 Illrcb / April n 12 . .- , - .. >': . Paul Zoilo IS a Sei~iorEditor bas4 sic Los Angeles. He is the fo!.rner- Editor d SongBlh rnagsrine 2nd the author of Scngwcters on Sengwriting. a collect~onof 62 interviews AMERICAN ICONS with ~pblarn~~~ic's fii:est. Paul Zollo Jimmy Van Heusen 1 o dazzling was Van Heusen as a mere tone-they wrote songs that fit his born. His first job was as a DJ on a local sta- composer that after his death, persona. Both he and Sammy vicariously tion, during which he'd invite listeners to lyricist Sammy Cahn-his most enjoyed the existence of Sinatra, whose send in lyrics that he'd set to music. frequent collaborator-contin- Recognizing his genius both with melody S ued to write new words to his and with making lyrics sing, he moved to tunes. At a tribute to Van Heusen in 1991, New York in 1928 to set up shop in Tin Pan Sammy recited new lyrics for his absent Alley. His friend Jerry Arlen-brother of friend to the melody of their classic song, Harold-opened some doors for him, and "But Beautiful". soon he was writing songs for Harlem's leg- Paul Simon once said that a song- endary Cotton Club. Like Irving Berlin, writer's supreme challenge was being com- whom he idolized, he was gifted at writing plex and simple at the same time-writing songs that transcended race. His "Harlem songs with lasting depth that are also sim- Hospitality" was recorded by Cab cal1oway ple enough to be memorable. Jimmy Van ability to live large was legend. They would and was his first published song. His Heusen was a master at this kind of song. write songs as themes for Sinatra's movies, grand-nephew Brook Babcock, who works His music was complex, with deeply rich such as "The Tender Trap," written to that valiantly to maintain Jimmy's legacy, chord changes any jazzman can embrace, title. They would write songs to open and quotes him as saying, "When I saw my but also possessed catchy, crystalline close Sinatra's albums. If Sinatra snapped name on a printed song copy, I was then melodies of exceeding sing-ability. His his finger for a new song, they quickly and there a songwriter forever." songs were meant to be sung, not just lis- delivered. Sammy would write the lyric In 1939, Benny Goodman recorded a tened to, and they were sung by the best, first, and Van Heusen-decades before chain of his songs, starting with "Darn with Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby at the Elton John would instantly transform a that Dream," and his career was golden. top of that list. He wrote songs about hope Bernie Taupin lyric into a hit in mere min- With Johnny Burke, he wrote many songs for a hopeful time, such as the classic utes-would briskly craft a melody that fit for movies recorded by Bing Crosby, then "Swinging, on a Star," and "High Hopes," the lyric, fit Sinatra's style and stood as the world's most popular singer. Burke and which JFK used as his theme song. In his architecturally sound as Sammy's perfect Van Heusen, according to Cahn, were song- hefty catalog of more than 800 songs, at rhymes and cleverly crafted words. "If writing royalty, the original "A Team," cre- least 50 of them are undisputed standards, Sinatra wanted a song in the morning," ating classics for Bing's velvet voice. When including "My Kind of Town," "Come Fly Sammy told me, "he'd get it in the after- Burke's health began to flag, Jimmy with Me," "Here's that Rainy Day," "Love noon. Seriously. We spoiled him." teamed up with Cahn, and like Rodgers and Marriage," "All the Way," and "Call Me "Sinatra," Van Heusen told the BBC, finding Hammerstein, another great song- Irresponsible." "he's the greatest. Because he chooses his writing team was born. He was Sinatra's favorite composer, craftsmen and he let's them do their job. He remained a bachelor until he was and he wrote some 84 songs for 01' Blue He never masterminded or criticized a 57, flew his own planes and, according to Eyes, most with lyrics by Cahn. His real song." Though his process with Cahn was Brook, loved being the life of the party. "He name was Chester Babcock (the "Van almost always words-first, occasionally was a night-owl," said Brook. "He loved Heusen" moniker derived from a billboard this would switch. While writing songs for working to the wee hours in the morning, for Van Heusen collars), and Frank, who the TV film of Our Town, Sammy adopted and was considered the go-to guy because j . wore his pals as close as one of his custom- the title of the play's second act, "Love and he was usually available." In 1961, Van , . I. tailored suits, called him Chester Babcock. Marriage," and asked Jimmy for a piano Heusen was described by a' newspaper Frank also entrusted him with the fre- vamp. Van Heusen played him a major- writer as the opposite of a genius song- quent chore of holding his cash, and would chord progression that spoke of both writer who locks himself away from the flash him the signal of the cross when he romance and fidelity, and Sammy impro- world to "create." He was "charming, per- wanted Jimmy to "duke" someone, vised the now famous opening almost sonable and witty, with laughing eyes and whether a waitress, busboy, valet or other, instantly, "Love and marriage, love and a great sense of humor." He lived until usually about 150 bucks. marriage, go together like a horse and car- 1990, recognizing the lasting value of his Jimmy was close to Frank because he riage." work by leaving his estate to his family, and Cahn not only wrote the songs that Van Heusen was born in Syracuse, and also by leaving a lasting legacy of hope- suited his unique phrasing and his cash- N.Y., in 1913, the same year that Cahn was ful, shining songs to the world. -PZ march / april n 9? .