Jordan Caro
Rod Henley
History of Rock Music
29 October 2012
Irving Berlin and Tin Pan Alley Irving Berlin and Tin Pan Alley. If you’re not a student of music or an avid fan of its history, these names may seem superfluous. However without these key figures in music history, we may very well not have the compilations of sounds that we take for granted in our everyday lives. The creation of genres such as blues, jazz, country, and even rock ’n ’roll can trace their lineages back to these groups of lyrical and melodious pioneers. While these styles and songs have grown and evolved over the years, Irving Berlin and the composers of Tin Pan Alley laid the ground work for the birth of all American modern and future music. Irving Berlin is widely considered to be the greatest American song writer. Songs such as “God Bless America” sung at every baseball game today. “White Christmas”, a song treasured through the holidays is a cornerstone in his legacy. He even wrote many famous musicals during his career, perhaps the most known of them being “Annie’s Got a Gun”. But he was not born into his mark on history. Irving Berlin’s beginnings were much more humble than his fame would lead to believe. Irving was born Israel Isidore Baline, May 11th 1888 to Leah and Moses Baline, in the small town of Mogilyov, Russia. As one of eight children, life was no picnic in the poor town. When Irving was 5, his family moved to America to start a new life. They settled down in New York City, where they sold newspapers to support the family after their father died. As he got older, Irving took a job as a singing waiter, perhaps the start of his musical career. Although he couldn’t read music, Irving taught himself to play the piano so he could begin composing. His first song ““Marie of Sunny Italy” sold for thirty-five cents”. Not a huge amount now, but he began to create more and more songs as his popularity grew. It was then he decided to “Americanize” his name because he thought it would help his work sell more. Israel Baline became Irving Berlin, the great American song writer, a pioneer of the music industry. He went to create over 900 songs, 19 musicals, and even 18 scores of music for movies during his lengthy career as an artist. After a long life of composing, writing, and creation, he died at the age of 101. Leaving behind a vast collection of works that helped shape our current progress with music and will continue to affect and drive its industry.
“Irving Berlin Biography”. Sing365.com. http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Irving- Berlin-Biography/954E8A4CFAC1945848256970000CC030, 21/10/2012 Although his contributions to American music history were great, Irving Berlin cannot be given sole credit for its foundation. Tin Pan Alley, the birthplace of modern American music, was the gathering of minds that helped its creation. Roughly established around 1885, Tin Pan Alley was a publishing company. Songwriters, performers, and musicians alike began their careers there, publishing sheet music and selling to people and businesses, spreading their art throughout the country. It brought prolific songwriters such as Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, and Albert Von Tilzer to the mix. The creation of songs like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” or “Hello, Ma Baby!” were some of the greatest hits of the time to come out of Tin Pan Alley. But its reign was not to last. Its end began with the inventions of the radio and the phonograph. With recorded music becoming the popular choice for music, sheet music sales began to drop. Although it still played an important role in the art of music, its rise to power was over. Tin Pan Alley still exists today, and the people who helped develop the roots of its legacy are remembered. And though its bright shine has become a dim light, its mark on history can never be erased.
1)Jones, Brian. Greenfield, Lyle. “Tin Pan Alley”. Tinpanalleynyc.com,http://www.tinpanalleynyc.com/Welcome_files/TinPanAlley_Proposal.pdf, 21/10/2012
2) Arnold, Thomas. “The History Of Tin Pan Alley”. Ehow.com. http://www.ehow.com/about_5386749_history-tin-pan-alley.html, 21/10/2012 Without these important figures in American musical history, the beauty of what we hold dear today may well have never existed. Deep connections between the songs of the past and present works can be found even now. Artists like Elton John or Billy Joel have them to thank for their base. To this day, artists have flourished from their influence. The biggest genres we listen to everyday on the way to work, at home, parties all derive from the blood sweat and tears of the pioneers before us. Irving Berlin gave us songs and musicals that have touched people nationwide and lasted through the age. Genres and sub genres have evolved from the work done by so many in Tin Pan Alley. Though these are but small examples of what can be attributed to the plethora of melodious harmony and emotion evoking artwork Irving and Tin Pan Alley have given to history, their legacies will continue to help evolve and drive forward American music to new horizons.
Works Cited
“Irving Berlin Biography”. Sing365.com. http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Irving-Berlin-Biography/954E8A4CFAC1945848256970000CC030
Jones, Brian. Greenfield, Lyle. “Tin Pan Alley”. Tinpanalleynyc.com. http://www.tinpanalleynyc.com/Welcome_files/TinPanAlley_Proposal.pdf
Arnold, Thomas. “The History Of Tin Pan Alley”. Ehow.com. http://www.ehow.com/about_5386749_history-tin-pan-alley.html