Customer Reviews

Lyrics on Several Occasions

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Thank heaven this has finally been re-printed! No other lyricist of Gershwin's magnitiude ever took such a detailed and witty song-by-song look at his life's work. Wonderfully entertaining and informative. If you are interested in the craft of lyric writing or in the history of the musical, this book will be as essential as it is delightful.

If you know the lyrics, you know George Gershwin's brother was a witty and warm-hearted writer of verses. His prose paints a self-portrait of a somewhat reserved, witty, erudite, unpretentious man who deeply loves (now, loved) his family, his friends, and his profession of lyric-writing. The stories behind the songs sketch a picture of show-biz life of the 1920s, before everybody had stereo systems; when anybody middle class or richer had a piano in the house; and when parties necessitated a piano recital from anybody willing and able to give one, as Ira's virtuoso brother usually was. Brief snapshots of life with his brother are shot through with almost heartbreaking poignancy as one recalls that George died young. The poignancy and his love for his brother shine the brighter as Ira never explicitly calls attention to them -- he shows, he doesn't tell. A beautiful book, with many droll observations & humorous anecdotes wittily told.

If this book had consisted just in the reprinting of the great lyrics Ira Gershwin wrote then it already would be a treasure. But it also contains his descriptions of how he wrote the songs, and is filled with stories of his long- song- writing career. He comes across as a decent, family- person somewhat reserved but basically a very , fine human being.
There are many trivial and forgettable lyrics here. But these are cancelled out by being among some of the greatest popular song lyrics ever written.
Perhaps the lyricist is almost absolutely dependent on the quality of the ' melody' in order to have his words become memorable as part of a great song.
Ira Gershwin in this was fortunate enough to work with some of the greatest of all writers of popular song, first of course and above all his brother, George.
As I write this I am humming the melody of the Gershwins' classic " Embraceable you".
How much pleasure and delight did these two great brothers give, and how much do they still give, to the world.

Although Ira Gershwin was capable of lyric sloppiness -- you'd have to rate his work a tick lower overall than that of Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Yip Harburg, Alan Jay Lerner and Stephen Sondheim -- at his best his lyrics sparkle. In LYRICS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, Ira wittily sets the conditions that lead to some of his best work. For the most part he wisely allows the words to speak for themselves, grouping his lyrics under charmingly appropriate headings and occasionally describing why one works (or doesn't) and what it took to get there. It's both a delightful compendium of Ira's best songs and a crash course in lyric writing that may make you wish the late Mr. Gershwin had conducted classes to aspiring song-writers.