Frank Silver

Frank Silverstadt (September 8, 1892 – June 14, 1960), better known by his stage name Frank Silver, was an American songwriter, jazz drummer and vaudeville performer. He was best known for co-writing and co-composing the popular song "Yes! We Have No Bananas" in 1923 with Irving Cohn. He wrote at least 75 songs in his career.

Born in Boston, Silver grew up on the lower East Side of Manhattan. He began playing drums in a Bowery music hall's orchestra when he was 15.

Early in Silver's career, he conducted orchestras in vaudeville houses and was a drummer in Loew's Metropolitan Theatre's orchestra. After those jobs, he toured with his own 12-piece band, playing one-night stands. He also performed with the Hitchy-Koo traveling revue of Raymond Hitchcock and worked at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Other songs that Silver wrote included "Icky Wicky Woo" and "What Do We Get from Boston? (Beans, Beans, Beans)".

Silver was married twice, Dora Silverstadt (born Mandelbaum) and had two sons, Robert and Arthur; Victoria Silverstadt (born Martinkus) and had a son, Frank.

On June 14, 1960, Silver died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Brooklyn Jewish Hospital at age 68.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 8, 1892 (Boston), Died June 14, 1960

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1904 - 1925

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, leader

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

Recordings (Results 26-33 of 33 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 9213 10-in. 10/19/1923 Yes, we have no bananas Billy Jones Male vocal solo and mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 9227 10-in. 10/29/1923 Yes, we have no bananas Harvey Hindermyer Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 9859 10-in. 11/20/1924 Take me Frank Silver Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Edison 9865 10-in. 11/22/1924 Underneath a sunny sky Frank Silver Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Edison 10274 10-in. 3/24/1925 If you knew Susie (Like I know Susie) Frank Silver Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Edison 10275 10-in. 3/24/1925 What do we get from Boston? Frank Silver Dance Orchestra ; Lawrence A. Murphy Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, songwriter  
Edison 10310 10-in. 4/10/1925 Sweet Kalula Lou Frank Silver Dance Orchestra ; Lawrence A. Murphy Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Edison 10311 10-in. 4/10/1925 Mamie Frank Silver Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
(Results 26-33 of 33 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Silver, Frank," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116908.

Silver, Frank. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116908.

"Silver, Frank." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116908

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.