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"Lullaby of Broadway"
Song
Published1935 by M. Witmark & Sons
Composer(s)Harry Warren
Lyricist(s)Al Dubin

"Lullaby of Broadway" is a popular song with music written by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, published in 1935.[1] The lyrics salute the nightlife of Broadway and its denizens, who "don't sleep tight until the dawn."

The song was introduced by Wini Shaw in the musical film Gold Diggers of 1935,[1] and, in an unusual move, it was used as background music in a sequence in the Bette Davis film Special Agent that same year. Furthermore, again that year, it was sung by Jeane Cowan in a night club scene in the James Cagney film G Men. In three Warner Bros. films, it won the 1935 Academy Award for Best Original Song.[1]

Lyrics

Unlike the song "Manhattan" and many others, "Lullaby of Broadway" does not name-check any Broadway locations. The line, "The daffydils who entertain / At Angelo's and Maxie's" references a fictitious place (or places), presumably within the context of the film. "Daffydils" — often sung as "daffodils" — was a slang term for chorus girls (or indeed boys, depending on the venue).[2] Since the song was written, several real establishments have opened on or around Broadway, adopting the name from the song, rather than vice versa.

Popular recordings

Hit versions in 1935 were by:[3]

Other versions have been recorded by:

Film appearances

In popular culture

It is also featured in an episode of Taxi (performed by Marilu Henner) and the Broadway musical 42nd Street, originated by Jerry Orbach playing Julian Marsh in the 1980 original cast.

In 1976, Wini Shaw's original recorded version of the song was released as a 45rpm single and made No. 42 in the UK Charts.[11] Subsequently, the BBC interviewed Wini Shaw O'Malley in New York about her new success with it. She could not believe it.

The song was used in a commercial for the Milford Plaza Hotel, where it was called the "Lullabuy of Broadway".

The song was performed by a group of Muppet eskimos in the Gilda Radner episode of The Muppet Show.

In Lisa Stansfield's 1990 music video for her cover of Cole Porter's Down in the Depths, the beginning and ending are both references to the song. The video begins with her disembodied head zooming in, while singing the opening to the song, and ends with it zooming out, while singing the outro.

Linda Lavin and Martha Raye sang this song in the 1970s TV show Alice in the episode [Sharples vs Sharples]

In 2005, Idina Menzel recorded a pop/hip-hop version of the song for the end credits of ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway.

The song appears on the dancing game Dance on Broadway.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 134. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ Kannapell, et al (1999) The Curious New Yorker, New York Times, ISBN 0-8129-3002-9, p. 245
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 545. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  4. ^ Sforza, John (2000). Swing It!. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. p. 228. ISBN 0-8131-2136-1.
  5. ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  6. ^ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  7. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1977. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  8. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1979. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  9. ^ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  10. ^ Janet Maslin, "Reviews/Film; A Former Child Star Managing Stars-to-Be", The New York Times, June 4, 1993
  11. ^ Roberts, David (2005). British Hit Singles & Albums (18 ed.). London: Guinness World Records. ISBN 978-1904994008.
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