Alfred Bryan

Alfred Bryan (September 15, 1871 – April 1, 1958) was a Canadian lyricist.

Bryan was born in Brantford, Ontario. He worked as an arranger in New York and wrote lyrics for many Broadway shows in the late 1910s and early 1920s. In the 1920s he moved to Hollywood to write lyrics for screen musicals.

Bryan worked with several composers during his career. Among his collaborators were Henriette Blanke-Belcher, Fred Fischer, Al Sherman, Larry Stock and Joe McCarthy. Perhaps his most successful song was "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" (1915), with music by Al Piantadosi. The song sold 650,000 copies during the first three months and became one of 1915's top-selling songs in the United States. Although Bryan himself was not a committed pacifist, he described the American public's anti-war sentiments in his lyrics.

He died in Gladstone, New Jersey, aged 86.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 15, 1871 (Brantford), Died April 1, 1958 (Gladstone)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1902 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, composer

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

Recordings (Results 176-200 of 513 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-010530 10-in. 6/8/1937 You'll never go to heaven (If you break my heart) Ken Drake Orchestra ; Jimmy Ray Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-021873 10-in. 4/1/1938 It's raining sunshine Rose Marie Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-023409 10-in. 5/18/1938 In a little Dutch kindergarten (Down by the Zuyder Zee) Blue Barron ; Three Blue Notes Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-024461 10-in. 8/5/1938 Hearts are never blue in Blue Kalua Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra ; Jimmy Ray Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo (Hawaiian) songwriter  
Victor BS-034970 10-in. 6/9/1939 Cuba-duba-doo Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Fran Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-035373 10-in. 3/29/1939 A ruble a rhumba Elisse Cooper ; Eddie De Lange Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and vocal ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-035737 10-in. 4/11/1939 A ruble a rhumba Jimmy Brown ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye ; The Three Barons Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-044004 10-in. 10/24/1939 Kiss and remember Danny Bridge ; Kassels-in-the-Air Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-044659 10-in. 1/23/1940 Come Josephine in my flying machine Frank Flynn ; Ted Fiorito Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-053516 10-in. 10/7/1940 Goodnight, Mother Wayne King Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-056136 10-in. 9/18/1940 Goodnight Mother Mitchell Ayres ; Fashions-in-Music ; Tommy Taylor Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-056493 10-in. 10/15/1940 The Irish were Egyptians long ago Harry's Tavern Band ; Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-057021 10-in. 10/23/1940 Goodnight, Mother Dick Todd Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor PBS-072022 10-in. 1/12/1942 Beautiful eggs City Slickers ; Spike Jones ; Del Porter Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PBS-072238 10-in. 4/7/1942 Come, Josephine, in my flying machine Boys in the Back Room ; City Slickers ; King Jackson ; Spike Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0286 10-in. 4/25/1947 Peg o' my heart Three Suns Instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1914-08-12-07] Not documented 8/12/1914 When it's night time down in Burgundy Willis Male Trio Male vocal trio, with piano lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1917-12-10-02] Not documented 12/10/1917 Joan of Arc (They are calling you) Percy Hemus Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1918-05-15-02] Not documented 5/15/1918 When Alexander takes his ragtime band to France Bee Palmer Female vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Victor [Trial 1921-02-08-01] 10-in. 2/8/1921 Beautiful Annabelle Lee Conly Concert Company Mixed vocal quartet, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 1084 7-in. ca. 1902 I'll wed you in the golden summer time Harry Tally Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 1084 10-in. approximately 1902 I'll wed you in the golden summertime Artists vary Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 1660 7-in. ca. 1903-Oct. 1905 Mary Ellen Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 1660 10-in. approximately 1903 Mary Ellen Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 3241 10-in. ca. Jan.-Sept. 1905 Come along, little girl, come along Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 176-200 of 513 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bryan, Alfred," accessed May 3, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105828.

Bryan, Alfred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105828.

"Bryan, Alfred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105828

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