James Frederick Hanley (February 17, 1892 – February 8, 1942) was an American

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

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 ...

. He served with the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

82nd Division in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

and during his military service he wrote an army musical show called ''Toot Sweet''. On his discharge Hanley became a

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

accompanist. He went on to write songs for film and theater including many

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

productions. He worked with numerous artists, most notably

Buddy DeSylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and, along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol Recor ...

Edward Madden Edward Madden (July 17, 1878 – March 11, 1952) was an American lyricist. Early life Madden was born in New York City and graduated from Fordham University. After graduation, he wrote material for many singers including Fanny Brice and fo ...

Eddie Dowling Eddie Dowling (born Joseph Nelson Goucher; December 11, 1889Date and year of birth as per baptismal records of Precious Blood church, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, where Dowling was christened — February 18, 1976) was an American actor, director ...

Percy Wenrich Percy Wenrich (January 23, 1880 – March 17, 1952) was an American composer of ragtime and popular music. Personal life and career Born in Joplin, Missouri to Daniel Wenrich and Mary Ray, he left for Chicago in 1901 where he attended classe ...

, Theodore F. Morse and

Ballard MacDonald Ballard MacDonald (October 15, 1882 – November 17, 1935) was an American lyricist, who was one of the writers of Tin Pan Alley. Born in Portland, Oregon, he was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ...

. 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 perhaps ...

" (1917), " Second Hand Rose" (1921) and "

Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" is a 1935 popular song with words and music by James F. Hanley. It was introduced by Hal Le Roy and Eunice Healey in the Broadway revue '' Thumbs Up!'' The most notable recordings were made by Judy Garland, ...

" (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 The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...

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 Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly '' The Student Prince'' (1924), '' The Desert Song'' (1926) and '' The New Moon'' (1928). E ...

* '' Ziegfeld Follies of 1917'' (1917), featured songwriter * '' The Greenwich Village Follies of 1920'' (1920), featured songwriter * ''Jim Jam Jems'' (1920), composer, lyrics by Harry Cort and

George Stoddard George E. Stoddard (January 7, 1917 – March 30, 2009) was a real estate financier who pioneered the use of the sale-and-leaseback transaction. Stoddard was born in Perry, in Union County, Oregon, in 1917. His family moved east in 1928, li ...

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

and

Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", "Sometimes I'm Happy", " Crazy Rhythm", and " Tea for T ...

* ''Spice of 1922'' (1922), co-composer with J. Fred Coots and

Henry Creamer Henry Sterling Creamer (June 21, 1879 – October 14, 1930) was an African American popular song lyricist and theater producer. He was born in Richmond, Virginia and died in New York. He co-wrote many popular songs in the years from 1900 to 1929, ...

, lyrics by James Stanley and McElbert Moore * '' Big Boy'' (1925), co-composer with Joseph Meyer, lyrics by

* ''No Foolin' '' (1926), featured songwriter, lyrics by

Gene Buck Edward Eugene Buck (August 7, 1885 – February 24, 1957) was an American illustrator of sheet music, musical theater lyricist, and president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Early career Buck was born in De ...

* ''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:

* "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 Walter Donaldson (February 15, 1893 – July 15, 1947) was an American prolific popular songwriter and publishing company founder, composing many hit songs of the 1910s to 1940s, that have become standards and form part of the Great American Song ...

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. ...

and later associated with

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

* "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" * "

" – 1934, made popular by

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

; 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