One Tune Wonders

[Peter Friedman]

Kaper had two tunes that made it big. There must be a lengthy list of song writers who had only one tune that made it into the Great American Songbook????

[JSngry]

Ram Ramirez (officially a co-writer).

Bart Howard

[JSngry]

Joseph Kosma

Morgan Lewis? 

[JSngry]

Dean Kaye/Kelley Gordon

[Justin V]

Sergio Mihanovich?

[danasgoodstuff]

Depending on how restrictive your definition of the GAS is, Ann Ronell wrote Willow Weep For Me, but nothing else that's played much.

Edited September 25, 2022 by danasgoodstuff

[Teasing the Korean]

Brooks Bowman, "East of the Sun."  Brooks died very young.  I think this is the only song he wrote that is regularly played.  Are there others?

[Larry Kart]

2 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

Depending on how restrictive your definition of the GAS is, Ann Ronell wrote Willow Weep For Me, but nothing else that's played much.

"Willow Weep For Me" (music and lyric) certainly qualifies Ronnell. Also, it's a gorgeous song.  She also co-wrote "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" Her parents were Morris and Mollie Rosenblatt. Score one for our team. George Gershwin suggested that she change her last name. He ought to know.

[danasgoodstuff]

50 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

"Willow Weep For Me" (music and lyric) certainly qualifies Ronnell. Also, it's a gorgeous song.  She also co-wrote "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" Her parents were Morris and Mollie Rosenblatt. Score one for our team. George Gershwin suggested that she change her last name. He ought to know.

Willow is lovely, are there hidden gems in her catalog?

[JSngry]

55 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

"Willow Weep For Me" (music and lyric) certainly qualifies Ronnell. Also, it's a gorgeous song.  She also co-wrote "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" Her parents were Morris and Mollie Rosenblatt. Score one for our team. George Gershwin suggested that she change her last name. He ought to know.

Team? As in there is a game going on?Please explain? She should have changed her last name to Gershwin? 

[Larry Kart]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Team? As in there is a game going on?Please explain? She should have changed her last name to Gershwin? 

Rosenblatt is a Jewish name. In terms of ethnicity that's my "team,"so to speak. Gershowitz, likewise.  Harold Arlen (Hyman Arluck), likewise too. Cole Porter, no.  But Mel Brooks was originally Melvin Kaminsky.

BTW, I just found the other day that Mel fought in the Battle of the Bulge, as did Henry Kissinger.

Also BTW, Ronnell and Gershwin were a romantic item at one time, and some claim that he wrote "Williow Weep for Me" and gave it to her as a gift. I prefer to believe otherwise.

[Larry Kart]

17 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Rosenblatt is a Jewish name. In terms of ethnicity that's my "team,"so to speak. Gershowitz, likewise.  Harold Arlen (Hyman Arluck), likewise too. Cole Porter, no.  But Mel Brooks was originally Melvin Kaminsky.

BTW, I just found the other day that Mel fought in the Battle of the Bulge, as did Henry Kissinger.

 

[JSngry]

Teams ain't what they used to be. 

[miles65]

Laura by David Raksin. Music only. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by miles65
corrected typo Raskin to Raksin

[Larry Kart]

Don't forget Raksin's The Bad and the Beautiful -- gorgeous. (BTW it is Raksin, not Raskin.)

 BTW, Re: "Laura:
"The film's director, Otto Preminger, had originally wanted to use Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" as the theme, but Raksin was not convinced that it was suitable. Angered, Preminger gave Raksin one weekend to compose an alternative melody. Raksin later said, and maintained for the rest of his days, that when, over that weekend, his wife sent him a "Dear John" letter, the haunting theme seemed to write itself.^[1]

[mhatta]

"All or Nothing at All" is one of my favorite tunes, sung by numerous greats including Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Bob Dylan.  It was composed by Arthur Altman (lyrics by Jack Lawrence).  Altman composed over 400 songs, but seems only this stands.

[Teasing the Korean]

Miklos Rozsa's Spellbound theme was recorded by jazz and pop artists for a while.  Not sure it ever attained "standard" status.  I don't think there were lyrics.  

Trying to think if Rozsa wrote anything else that reached a similar level of popularity.  

[jazztrain]

How about George Bassman?