Al Hoffman

Al Hoffman (September 25, 1902 – July 21, 1960) was an American song composer. He was a hit songwriter active in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, usually co-writing with others and responsible for number-one hits through each decade, many of which are still sung and recorded today. He was posthumously made a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. The popularity of Hoffman's song, "Mairzy Doats", co-written with Jerry Livingston and Milton Drake, was such that newspapers and magazines wrote about the craze. Time magazine titled one article "Our Mairzy Dotage". The New York Times simply wrote the headline, "That Song".

Hoffman's songs were recorded by singers such as Frank Sinatra ("Close To You", "I'm Gonna Live Until I Die"), Billy Eckstine ("I Apologize") Perry Como ("Papa Loves Mambo", "Hot Diggity"), Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong ("Who Walks In When I Walk Out"), Nat "King" Cole, Tony Bennett, the Merry Macs, Sophie Tucker, Eartha Kitt, Patsy Cline, Patti Page ("Allegheny Moon") and Bette Midler. In October, 2007, Hoffman's "I'm Gonna Live Til I Die" was the lead single from Queen Latifah's album, Trav'lin' Light.

Though Hoffman had apparently little connection to Chicago, he wrote the Chicago Bears fight song "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" in 1941 under the pseudonym Jerry Downs.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 25, 1902 (Stoŭbcy District), Died July 21, 1960 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist, adapter

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

Recordings (Results 201-225 of 242 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W402539 10-in. 7/31/1929 In the hush of the night The Four Deuvilliers Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
OKeh W404270 10-in. 7/23/1930 Good evenin' Seger Ellis Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
OKeh W404388 10-in. 8/29/1930 Just a little dance, mam'selle The Mariners' Trio Male vocal trio, with guitar and piano songwriter  
OKeh W404816 10-in. 1/26/1931 Heartaches Lanin’s Famous Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E30074 10-in. 6/18/1929 In the hush of the night Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) composer  
Brunswick E30186 10-in. 6/24/1929 In the hush of the night Tom Waring Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick XE30952 12-in. 9/16/1929 Brunswick brevities program G [part unknown] Abe Lyman’s California Orchestra Radio transcription disc : Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E34077 10-in. Aug. 1930 I don’t mind walkin’ in the rain Cotton and Morpheus Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar songwriter  
Brunswick E34118 10-in. 8/28/1930 I don’t mind walkin’ in the rain Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E35174 10-in. 1/18/1931 Heartaches Chester Gaylord ; Jacques Renard Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E35924 10-in. 1/14/1931 If you haven’t got a girl Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E35951 10-in. 1/22/1931 Heartaches Will Osborne and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E36190 10-in. 2/26/1931 Heartaches Seger Ellis Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick E36861 10-in. 6/12/1931 Makin’ faces at the man in the moon Snooks Friedman Memphis Stompers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E36875 10-in. 6/20/1931 What am I gonna do for lovin’? Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E36947 10-in. 7/30/1931 I apologize Dorsey Brothers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E37003 10-in. 8/4/1931 I apologize Ben Bernie Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E37080 10-in. 8/17/1931 Makin’ faces at the man in the moon Boswell Sisters ; The New Yorkers [Bill Challis Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio lyricist  
Brunswick E37085 10-in. 8/19/1931 I apologize Bing Crosby Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Brunswick E34878-E34879 10-in. 10/16/1930 Drifting on to Avalon Castlewood Marimba Band Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C2004 10-in. 6/13/1928 In a little two by four for two Melba Caldwell Female vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick C2057 10-in. 7/14/1928 In a little two by four for two Melba Caldwell Female vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, and piano lyricist  
Brunswick C2188 10-in. 8/9/1928 In a little two by four for two Melba Caldwell Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C4454 10-in. 4/17/1930 On a blue and moonless night Lloyd Huntley Isle O’ Blues Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) songwriter  
Brunswick C5722 10-in. 5/5/1930 What kinda people are you? Freddie Rose Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
(Results 201-225 of 242 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hoffman, Al," accessed April 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

Hoffman, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280.

"Hoffman, Al." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109280

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