Fred Fisher
Encyclopedia
Fred Fisher was a German-born
American
songwriter
and Tin Pan Alley
music publisher. Fisher founded Fred Fisher Music Publishing Company in 1907. He was born as Albert von Breitenbach in Cologne. After visiting in 1892, he immigrated to the United States in 1900, where he assumed the name Fred Fischer — Friedrich for its Germanic strength and Fischer from a sign he read on a passing truck. With the onslaught of World War I
, he decided Fischer was too Germanic so he modified it to Fisher.
.
German
German may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Germany, a country in west-central Europe* The German language* as a noun, Germans, people from Germany or of German ancestry**German citizens, see demographics of Germany...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
music publisher. Fisher founded Fred Fisher Music Publishing Company in 1907. He was born as Albert von Breitenbach in Cologne. After visiting in 1892, he immigrated to the United States in 1900, where he assumed the name Fred Fischer — Friedrich for its Germanic strength and Fischer from a sign he read on a passing truck. With the onslaught of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he decided Fischer was too Germanic so he modified it to Fisher.
Selected compositions
- If the Man in the Moon Were a Coon, by Fred Fischer, Will Rossiter (pub) (1905) (this was his first hit; it combined two then-popular song themes, Moon songs and Coon songs)
- Come Josephine In My Flying MachineCome Josephine in My Flying Machine"Come Josephine In My Flying Machine" is a popular song.The music was written by Fred Fisher, the lyrics by Alfred Bryan. The song was published in 1910. It was originally recorded by Blanche Ring in 1910 and was, for a while, her signature song...
, by Fred Fischer, Shapiro (pub) (1910) - Peg O' My HeartPeg o' My Heart"Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan and Fred Fisher. It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical Ziegfeld Follies. The song was first performed publicly by Irving Kaufman in 1912 at The College Inn in New York City after he had stumbled across a...
, words by Alfred BryanAlfred BryanAlfred Bryan was a United States songwriter and pacifist.-Songs:His hits included*"Peg O' My Heart"*"Come Josephine in My Flying Machine"*"I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier"...
, music by Fred Fisher, Leo Feist (pub) (1913) - Who paid the rent for Mrs. Rip Van Winkle? words by Alfred BryanAlfred BryanAlfred Bryan was a United States songwriter and pacifist.-Songs:His hits included*"Peg O' My Heart"*"Come Josephine in My Flying Machine"*"I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier"...
, music by Fred Fischer, Leo Feist (pub) (1914) - They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me, words by Joe McCarthyJoseph McCarthy (lyricist)Joseph McCarthy was an American lyricist whose most famous songs include You Made Me Love You, and I'm Always Chasing Rainbows, based upon the haunting melody from the middle section of Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu".McCarthy, who was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, was a frequent collaborator...
(1885–1943), music by Fred Fisher, McCarthy & Fisher (pub) (1917) - DardanellaDardanella"Dardanella" is a popular song published in 1919 by Fred Fisher, who wrote the lyrics for the music written by Felix Bernard and Johnny S. Black. Band conductor Ben Selvin led into the 1920s with his hit instrumental version of Dardanella. The song held the No. 1 spot on the U.S...
, words by Fred Fisher, music by Felix BernardFelix BernardFelix Bernard was an American conductor, pianist and a composer of popular music. His writing credits include the popular songs Winter Wonderland and Dardanella.-Biography:...
(1897–1944) & Johnny S. Black (1895–1936), McCarthy & Fisher Inc. (1919) - Chicago, by Fred Fisher, Fred Fisher (pub) (1922)
- That's When Your Heartaches Begin, by William Raskin, George Brown (Billy HillBilly Hill (songwriter)Billy Hill was an American songwriter, violinst, and pianist who found fame writing Western songs such as "They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree", "The Last Roundup", "Wagon Wheels", and "Empty Saddles"...
), and Fred Fisher, Fred Fisher Music Co. (1940) (an Ink Spots tune recorded in 1957 by Elvis) - Your Feet's Too BigYour Feet's Too BigYour Feet's Too Big is a song composed in 1936 by Fred Fisher with lyrics by Ada Benson. It has been recorded by several artists including the Ink Spots and Beatles and was a hit for Fats Waller in 1939...
, by Ada Benson, Fred Fisher, The Four Ink Spots (1936) - I'd Rather Be Blue, words by Billy RoseBilly RoseWilliam "Billy" Rose was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. He is credited with many famous songs, notably "Me and My Shadow" , "It Happened in Monterey" and "It's Only a Paper Moon"...
, music by Fred Fisher, Irving BerlinIrving BerlinIrving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
(pub) (1928) - Whispering GrassWhispering Grass"Whispering Grass " is a popular song written by Fred Fisher and his daughter Doris Fisher. The song was first recorded by Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra in 1940. The Ink Spots also recorded it the same year....
, words by Fred Fisher, music by Doris Fisher, Mills Music Inc.Irving MillsIrving Mills was a jazz music publisher, also known by the name of "Joe Primrose."Mills was born to Jewish parents in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. He founded Mills Music with his brother Jack in 1919...
(pub) (1940)
Filmography
- My ManMy Man (1928 film)My Man is a 1928 black and white part-talkie American comedy-drama musical film from Warner Brothers Pictures starring Fannie Brice and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams The tagline was "FANNIE BRICE in the SINGING-TALKING VITAPHONE PICTURE "MY MAN""...
(1928) – Fanny BriceFanny BriceFanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
sang the Fisher-Billy Rose collaboration I'd Rather Be Blue. That song was later covered by Barbra StreisandBarbra StreisandBarbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
.
- Oh, You Beautiful DollOh, You Beautiful Doll (film)Oh, You Beautiful Doll was a 1949 musical film that starred the musical queen June Haver and Mark Stevens. Co-stars included S.Z. Sakall, Charlotte Greenwood, and Gale Robbins.- Plot :...
(1949) – This film is a fictionalized Hollywood biography featuring many of Fisher's songs. A Tin Pan Alley promoter (Mark StevensMark Stevens (actor)-Career:Born Richard William Stevens in Cleveland, Ohio, he first studied to become a painter before becoming active in theater work. He then launched a radio career as an announcer in Akron, Ohio....
) turns serious composer Fred Breitenbach (S.Z. SakallS.Z. SakallSzőke Szakáll , known as S.Z. Sakall, was a Hungarian film character actor. He was in many films including In the Good Old Summertime, Lullaby of Broadway, Christmas in Connecticut and Casablanca in which he played Carl, the head waiter.Chubby-jowled Sakall played numerous supporting roles in...
) into songwriter Fred Fisher.
Death
Fred Fisher died in Manhattan, New York and was interred at Maimonides Cemetery in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
Honors
- 1970 — Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of FameSongwriters Hall of FameThe Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
- Fisher made it into Ripley's "Believe It or Not" column for writing more Irish songs than anyone else.