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 226-250 of 272 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E36917 10-in. 7/9/1931 Hikin’ down the highway Art Kahn Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E37001 10-in. 8/4/1931 A little less of moonlight (A little more of you) Dick Robertson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E3523-E3525 10-in. 7/23/1926 Seville Tuxedo Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo translator  
Brunswick E4290-E4291 10-in. 12/23/1926 If my baby cooks as good as she looks Arthur Brown Male vocal solo, with piano and effects lyricist  
Brunswick E4860-E4862 10-in. 4/27/1927 Baltimore Clarence Williams’ Blue Five Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E21748-E21749 10-in. 3/5/1927 If you can’t tell the world she’s a good little girl (Just say nothing at all) Enoch Light's Blue Jay Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E22595-E22597 10-in. 4/22/1927 If you can’t tell the world she’s a good little girl (Just say nothing at all) Prince Piotti Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick E24316-E24319 10-in. 8/25/1927 Roam on, my little Gypsy sweetheart Harry Archer Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E24319) lyricist  
Brunswick E24565-E24568 10-in. 9/27/1927 I left my sugar standing in the rain (And she melted away) Esther Walker Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick E24599-E24601 10-in. 9/29/1927 I ain’t that kind of a baby! Esther Walker Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E25048-E25051 10-in. 11/4/1927 It was only a sunshower Kenn Sisson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo; without vocal (take E25051) lyricist  
Brunswick E27082-E27084 10-in. 3/20/1928 The beggar A. & P. Gypsies ; Harry Horlick ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E27084) lyricist  
Brunswick E30348-E30349 10-in. July 1929 Sweetheart’s holiday Tom Clines and his Music Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C3112 10-in. 3/13/1929 Wedding bells (Are breaking up that old gang of mine) Frank Sylvano Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C3962 10-in. 7/29/1929 Sweetheart’s holiday Elmo Tanner Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C4689 10-in. 10/22/1929 That’s where you come in Freddie Rose Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick C4703 10-in. 11/5/1929 That’s where you come in Freddie Rose Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick C4714 10-in. 11/11/1929 That’s where you come in Ray Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C5010 10-in. 12/9/1929 That’s where you come in Ray Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C1274-C1275 10-in. 10/10/1927 Nothin does does Kay Ronayne Female vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Brunswick C1800-C1801 10-in. 3/26/1928 That’s how I know I love you Elmo Tanner Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick C7900-C7901 10-in. 7/9/1931 Hikin’ down the highway Ben Bernie Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) songwriter  
Brunswick LAE46 10-in. Jan. 1928 Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day Herb Wiedoeft Orchestra ; Leon Lucas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick 1289W-1291W 10-in. 9/2/1925 Valeska The Ambassadors ; Louis Katzman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick TC2513 10-in. 11/3/1928 Baltimore Eva Mandel Female vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 226-250 of 272 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kahal, Irving," accessed May 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

Kahal, Irving. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116675.

"Kahal, Irving." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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