Irving Kahal

Irving Kahal (March 5, 1903, Houtzdale, Pennsylvania – February 7, 1942, New York City) was a popular American song lyricist active in the 1920s and 1930s. He is best remembered for his collaborations with composer Sammy Fain which started in 1926 when Kahal was working in vaudeville sketches written by Gus Edwards. Their collaboration lasted 16 years, until Kahal's death in 1942.

Among many fine songs, the stand-out was "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" on which Pierre Norman lent a hand, which was sung by Maurice Chevalier in the film The Big Pond (1930) effectively becoming his signature tune, and featured by Frank Sinatra on his magisterial album Songs For Swingin' Lovers.

The Fain/Kahal catalogue also includes "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella" (1928) with Francis Wheeler, "Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine" (1929) with Willie Raskin, "By a Waterfall" (1930), "When I Take My Sugar to Tea" (1931) with Pierre Norman, "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (1938) and "I'll Be Seeing You", which was written in 1938, but became a hit in 1943 especially among the families of servicemen sent overseas.

In 1970, Irving Kahal was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 5, 1903 (Houtzdale), Died February 7, 1942 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, composer, vocalist, translator

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

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 272 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 145252 10-in. 11/29/1927 Sweet stranger Manhattan Dance Makers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia 145390 10-in. 12/23/1927 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day Broadway Bellhops Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia 145418 10-in. 12/16/1927 What a wonderful wedding that will be Lou Gold Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W145467 10-in. 1/4/1928 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio lyricist  
Columbia W145476 10-in. 1/4/1928 What a wonderful wedding that will be Harold Lambert ; Paul Ash Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W145564 10-in. 1/23/1928 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day Blue Grass Boys ; Lee Morse Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Columbia 145570 10-in. 1/24/1928 Let a smile be your umbrella Dolly Kay ; University Six Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Columbia W145675 10-in. 2/23/1928 Fascinating eyes Mull Downey ; Jan Garber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W145813 10-in. 3/19/1928 There's something about a rose (That reminds me of you) Earl Bell ; Gerald Marks and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia 146247 10-in. 5/11/1928 Ther's something about a rose (That reminds me of you) WMCA Broadcasters Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W146369 10-in. 5/29/1928 There's something about a rose (That reminds me of you) Kitty O'Connor Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio lyricist  
Columbia W146514 10-in. 7/10/1928 I love my old-fashioned man Chick and Andy Male vocal duet lyricist  
Columbia 147927 10-in. 2/5/1929 Wedding bells (Are breaking up that old gang of mine) Jerome Conrad Orchestra ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia [W]147933 10-in. 2/6/1929 Wedding bells (Are breaking up that old gang of mine) Sammy Fain Male vocal solo, with violin and piano lyricist  
Columbia W147968 10-in. 2/19/1929 Wedding bells (Are breaking up that old gang of mine) Goodrich Silvertown Quartet Male vocal quartet, with piano lyricist  
Columbia W147969 10-in. 2/19/1929 Wedding bells (Are breaking up that old gang of mine) Fred Rich Orchestra ; The Rollickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet lyricist  
Columbia 147999 10-in. 2/27/1929 Mountains ain't no place for bad men Ned Cobben Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar composer  
Columbia W148058 10-in. 3/12/1929 (You can't take away) The things that were made for love Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia 148088 10-in. 3/16/1929 (You can't take away) The things that were made for love Jim Andrews ; Ted Bartell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia [W]148140 10-in. 3/26/1929 (You can't take away) The things that were made for love Sammy Fain Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W148177 10-in. 4/5/1929 The things that were made for love Johnny Morris ; Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W148598 10-in. 6/20/1929 If I give up the saxophone (Will you come back to me) Pearce Brothers Male vocal duet songwriter  
Columbia [W]148752 10-in. 6/25/1929 The squire and the deacon "Hobo" Jack Turner Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist  
Columbia [W]148753 10-in. 6/25/1929 A high silk hat and a walking cane "Hobo" Jack Turner Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist  
Columbia W148771 10-in. 7/1/1929 Don't hang your dreams on a rainbow Fred Rich Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 126-150 of 272 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kahal, Irving," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

Kahal, Irving. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

"Kahal, Irving." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675

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