J. Fred Coots
John Frederick Coots (May 2, 1897 – April 8, 1985) was an American songwriter. He composed over 700 popular songs and over a dozen Broadway shows. In 1934, Coots wrote the melody with his then chief collaborator, lyricist Haven Gillespie, for the biggest hit of either man's career, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town." The song became one of the biggest sellers in American history. In 1934, when Gillespie brought him the lyrics to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", Coots came up with the outline of the melody in just ten minutes. Coots took the song to his publisher, Leo Feist, who liked it but thought it was "a kids' song" and didn't expect too much from it. Coots offered the song to Eddie Cantor who used it on his radio show that November and it became an instant hit. The morning after the radio show there were orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music and by Christmas sales had passed 400,000. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 2, 1897 (New York City), Died April 8, 1985 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, tenor vocal, lyricist, piano
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 357 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-51251 | 10-in. | 4/23/1929 | Oh sweetheart, where are you tonight? | Vaughn De Leath | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Victor | BVE-51673 | 10-in. | 5/1/1929 | Just another kiss | Franklyn Baur | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BVE-51688 | 10-in. | 5/7/1929 | You're just another memory | Morton Downey | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BVE-51997 | 10-in. | 5/13/1929 | Just another kiss | Bob Borger ; George Olsen and his Music | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-53527 | 10-in. | 5/29/1929 | Out where the moonbeams are born | George Olsen and his Music | Jazz/dance band, with recitation | composer | |
Victor | BVE-53541 | 10-in. | 6/5/1929 | You're just another memory | Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-53571 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Una cosita llamada amor | Marimba Centro-Americana | Marimba band | composer | |
Victor | BVE-53622 | 10-in. | 5/15/1929 | Was man so die Liebe nennt | James Haupt ; Carl Mathieu | Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Victor | BVE-55515 | 10-in. | 7/27/1929 | I'm refer'n just to her 'n me | Jean Goldkette Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-56088 | 10-in. | 9/13/1929 | There's too many eyes that wanna make eyes at two pretty eyes I love | Ted Weems Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-56130 | 10-in. | 9/12/1929 | I'm only making believe | Welcome Lewis | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BVE-57537 | 10-in. | 11/12/1929 | Why? | Arden-Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BVE-57538 | 10-in. | 11/12/1929 | It's you I love | Arden-Ohman Orchestra ; Frank Luther | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BVE-57981 | 10-in. | 1/7/1930 | It's you I love | Olga Albani | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BVE-58121 | 10-in. | 12/19/1929 | May I say, "I love you" | Frank Munn ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra | Orchestra, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-58122 | 10-in. | 12/19/1929 | Cross your fingers | Burt Lorin ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra | Orchestra, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-58504 | 10-in. | 1/17/1930 | Red hot and blue rhythm | High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy ; Johnny Marvin | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-58507 | 10-in. | 1/20/1930 | (You can't stop me from) Falling in love with you | J. Fred Coots | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer, vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-58531 | 10-in. | 1/29/1930 | Singing a vagabond song | J. Fred Coots | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BS-58996 | 10-in. | 9/2/1932 | Always in my heart (Forever on my mind) | Isham Jones Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-62647 | 10-in. | 6/10/1930 | Sharing | Jane Froman ; Henry Thies Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-62700 | 10-in. | 7/25/1930 | I still get a thrill (thinking of you) | Art Jarrett ; Ted Weems Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-63305 | 10-in. | 7/23/1930 | Everything's O.K. with me | Royal Flush Orchestra ; Fess Williams | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-63659 | 10-in. | 9/17/1930 | I still get a thrill (thinking of you) | Johnny Marvin | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Victor | BVE-64362 | 10-in. | 11/19/1930 | I miss a little miss (Who misses me in sunny Tennessee) | Frank Crumit | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Coots, J. Fred," accessed October 16, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489.
Coots, J. Fred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489.
"Coots, J. Fred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 16 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: J. Fred Coots
Discogs: J. Fred Coots
Allmusic: J. Fred Coots
IMDb: J. Fred Coots
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Coots, J. Fred, 1897-1985 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92014476
Wikidata: J. Fred Coots - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1284588
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/5196885
MusicBrainz: J. Fred Coots - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3bcb90e6-c8d9-463d-870a-3cc1e480a060
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