James Brockman

James Brockman (December 8, 1886 – May 22, 1967) was an American songwriter. Born in Russia, he emigrated to New York by himself at the age of 9 or 10. His given name was Jacob Brachman but he changed the spelling of the last name because it was mis-pronounced and the rest of the family followed with the change.

Brockman began his career as a comedian in vaudeville and musicals in the early 1900s. He was a partner, along with James Kendis, of the Kendis-Brockman Music Company.

He wrote the lyrics to Down among the Sheltering Palms with music by composer and Chicago music publisher Abe Olman. Oldman's marketing of the song led to Leo Feist acquiring it and encouraging Al Jolson to perform on stage.

In 1919, he was a co-writer of the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", which years later would become the anthem of the English football club West Ham United. Also in 1919, he co-wrote "I'm Like a Ship Without a Sail". He also co-wrote, with Abe Olman, the song "Down Among The Sheltering Palms", published in 1914 and popularized by the Boswell Sisters in the early 1930s.

He went on to work in Hollywood as a songwriter for films, and wrote the score for Happy Days. He died in Santa Monica, California in May 1967, aged 80, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 8, 1886 (Russian Empire), Died May 22, 1967 (Santa Monica)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1907 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist, tenor vocal

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-146 of 146 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 6096 10-in. 3/31/1918 Three pickaninnies Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Edison 6932 10-in. 9/16/1919 I know what it means to be lonesome Margaret A. Freer Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6942 10-in. 9/23/1919 Golden gate (Open for me) Louise Ferrell ; Lewis James Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Edison 7020 10-in. 11/13/1919 Sunny weather friends Harvey Hindermyer Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 7203 10-in. 3/9/1920 Brazilian chimes Crescent Trio Male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7270 10-in. 4/6/1920 Ages and ages George Wilton Ballard Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 7537 10-in. 9/21/1920 Feather your nest Lenzberg's Riverside Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 7674 10-in. 12/10/1920 Good as gold Max Fells' Della Robbia Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 7777 10-in. 2/4/1921 The Arabian yogi man Max Fells' Della Robbia Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 7858 10-in. 3/22/1921 Jabberwocky Harry Raderman's Jazz Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 7976 10-in. 5/11/1921 Lettres d'amour Hector Pellerin Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 8041 10-in. 6/2/1921 Sunnyside Sal Vernon Dalhart ; Gladys Rice Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 9761 10-in. 10/2/1924 Temper'mental papa Kansas City Five ; Josephine Miles Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble songwriter  
Edison 9880 10-in. 11/15/1924 Nightingale Clover Garden Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 10511 10-in. 7/22/1925 Silver head Clover Gardens Orchestra ; Vernon Dalhart Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Edison 18864 10-in. 11/13/1928 You don't know how much you have to know Bob Pierce Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 19038 10-in. 2/7/1929 I faw down an' go boom Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 19074 10-in. 3/5/1929 I faw down an' go boom Assassinators ; Arthur Fields Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison N-559 10-in. 11/13/1929 You don't know how much you have to know Bob Pierce Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison N-729 10-in. 2/7/1929 I faw down an' go boom Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison N-765 10-in. 3/5/1929 I faw down an' go boom Assassinators ; Arthur Fields Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
(Results 126-146 of 146 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brockman, James," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106540.

Brockman, James. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106540.

"Brockman, James." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106540

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