Nop, Cobber...

Izzy didn't do all his own stuff on the Bowery..

He was a saloon singer, he sang the current hits of the day...Songs by people like Victor Herbert(who later founded and became first president of ASCAP) and all the bawdy old English music hall songs and even stephen foster...

He would also perform Yiddish parodies of popular songs...

His first original works were not for himself, but for other performers like him on the bowery.

So, in fact, he was making a living doing "cover" songs.

He continued working the joints until his songs (primarily cowritten in the beginning) began earning him sheet music monies.


Many of the other songs that came out of his legendary trunk in later years were also formed in the days around the beginning of World War One.
"God Bless America" had a different title and theme and was cut (thankfully) from a couple of shows.

Ahhhhh....I could go on for days...

What an inspiration...
Every aspiring songwriter should study Irving Berlin....not just his words and music, but his life.

He was a great artist and a great guy !
A loyal husband, a dedicated father..(and in his youth, the sole means of support for his mother and father and family)

You should read the book Cobber...
I have several books on Irving Berlin...but that's the best one in my opinion.

bob

[This message has been edited by bob young (edited 12-30-2003).]

[This message has been edited by bob young (edited 12-31-2003).]