James Frederick Hanley (February 17, 1892 – February 8, 1942) was an American songwriter and author.

Biography

Hanley was born in

Rensselaer, Indiana Rensselaer is a city located along the Iroquois River in Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,859 at the 2010 census, up from 5,294 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jasper County. Saint ...

on February 17, 1892. He attended Champion College and the

Chicago Musical College Chicago Musical College is a division of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. History Founding Dr. Florenz Ziegfeld Sr (1841–1923), founded the college in 1867 as the Chicago Academy of Music. The institution h ...

. He served with the United States Army 82nd Division in World War I and during his military service he wrote an army musical show called ''Toot Sweet''. On his discharge Hanley became a vaudeville accompanist. He went on to write songs for film and theater including many Broadway productions. He worked with numerous artists, most notably Buddy DeSylva,

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and Ballard MacDonald. Hanley is best remembered for the hit songs "

(Back Home Again in) Indiana "(Back Home Again in) Indiana" is a song composed by James F. Hanley with lyrics by Ballard MacDonald that was published in January 1917. Although it is not the state song of Indiana (which is " On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away"), it is perhap ...

" (1917), " Second Hand Rose" (1921) and " Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (1934). For the latter song, Hanley contributed both music and lyrics but for most of his songs he wrote the music alone. He died of a heart attack at his home in Douglaston, Queens, on February 8, 1942, leaving a widow and five children. Hanley was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Musical theatre credits

* ''Toot Sweet''

Broadway

* ''

Robinson Crusoe, Jr. ''Robinson Crusoe, Jr.'' is a musical with a book by Edgar Smith, lyrics by Harold R. Atteridge, and music by Sigmund Romberg and James Hanley. Production ''Robinson Crusoe, Jr.'' was an extravaganza that opened at the Winter Garden Theatre ...

'' (1916), co-composer with Sigmund Romberg * '' Ziegfeld Follies of 1917'' (1917), featured songwriter * '' The Greenwich Village Follies of 1920'' (1920), featured songwriter * ''Jim Jam Jems'' (1920), composer, lyrics by

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and

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* ''Ziegfeld Follies of 1921'' (1921), featured songwriter * ''Pins and Needles of 1922'' (1922), co-composer with Frederick Chappelle, lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Irving Caesar * ''Spice of 1922'' (1922), co-composer with

J. Fred Coots John Frederick Coots (May 2, 1897 – April 8, 1985) was an American songwriter. He composed over 700 popular songs and over a dozen Broadway shows. In 1934, Coots wrote the melody with his then chief collaborator, lyricist Haven Gillespie, for t ...

and Henry Creamer, lyrics by James Stanley and

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* '' Big Boy'' (1925), co-composer with Joseph Meyer, lyrics by Buddy DeSylva * ''No Foolin' '' (1926), featured songwriter, lyrics by

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* ''Honeymoon Lane'' (1926), composer, lyrics by

* ''Sidewalks of New York'' (1927), co-composer, co-author with Eddie Dowling * ''Keep It Clean'' (1929), co-composer * ''Ziegfeld Follies of 1934'' (1934), featured songwriter * '' Thumbs Up!'' (1934), co-composer with Henry Sullivan Also contributed songs to: * ''Ziegfeld Follies of 1922'' (1922) * '' George White's Scandals of 1923'' (1923) * ''Innocent Eyes'' (1924) * ''Gay Paree of 1925'' (1925) * ''High Queen'' (1926) * ''Take the Air'' (1927)

Selected songs

* "A Cabaret 'Neath the Old Egyptian Moon" * "

" * "Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)" * "Dig a Little Deeper" * "Dreaming of Home Sweet Home" – 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald * "Dreams for Sale" * "Gee, but I Hate to Go Home Alone" * "Good-Bye, My Little Lady" – 1917. L: Joe Goodwin * "Half a Moon" * " I'm a Lonesome Little Raindrop (Looking for a Place to Fall)" – 1920 * "I Wonder What He's Doing To-Night" – 1917. L: Joe Goodwin * "I've Got a Ten Day Pass for a Honeymoon (With the Girl I Left Behind)" – 1918. L: Walter Donaldson and Ballard MacDonald * "Jersey Walk" * "Just a Cottage Small by a Waterfall" * "Last Long Flight" – 1920 * "Little Bit of Sunshine (From Home)" – 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald and Joe Goodwin * "Little Log Cabin of Dreams" * "The Little White House (At the End of Honeymoon Lane)" * "Mary Dear" * "No Foolin * "Never Forget to Write Home" – 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald * "Ragtime Volunteers Are Off to War" – 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald * "Rose of Washington Square" * " Second Hand Rose" – 1921, made popular by

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...

and later associated with Barbra Streisand * "Sleepy Valley" * " Three Wonderful Letters from Home" – 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald and Joe Goodwin * "War Babies" – 1916. L: Ballard MacDonald and

* "We'll Be There, on the Land, on the Sea, in the Air" – 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald * "Wherever You Are" * " Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" – 1934, made popular by Judy Garland; reprised throughout her career.

Selected filmography

* '' So This Is London'' (1930) * '' Under Suspicion'' (1930)

References

External links

*
James F. Hanley recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanley, James F. 1892 births 1942 deaths 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American male writers American male songwriters People from Rensselaer, Indiana Songwriters from Indiana United States Army personnel of World War I