Al Hoffman facts for kids

Al Hoffman (born September 25, 1902 – died July 21, 1960) was a famous American songwriter. He wrote many popular songs in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He often worked with other songwriters. Many of his songs became number-one hits and are still loved today.

After he passed away, Al Hoffman was honored in 1984. He became a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. One of his most famous songs was "Mairzy Doats". He wrote it with Jerry Livingston and Milton Drake. This song was so popular that newspapers and magazines wrote about how much everyone loved it!

Many famous singers recorded Al Hoffman's songs. These include Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, and Perry Como. Even Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Nat "King" Cole sang his tunes. Later, in 2007, his song "I'm Gonna Live Til I Die" was a hit for Queen Latifah.

Al Hoffman also wrote the fight song for the Chicago Bears football team. It's called "Bear Down, Chicago Bears". He wrote it in 1941 using the name Jerry Downs.

Life and Career of Al Hoffman

Al Hoffman was born in Minsk, which was part of Russia at the time. Today, Minsk is in Belarus. His family was Jewish. When he was six years old, his parents moved to Seattle, Washington, in the United States.

After finishing high school, Al started his own band. He played the drums. In 1928, he moved to New York City to become a professional musician. He kept playing drums in nightclubs. He also sold bagels door-to-door on Broadway. But his main goal was to write songs.

He worked with many other talented songwriters. Some of his partners included Leon Carr, Mack David, and Jerry Livingston. He also wrote with Milton Drake, Al Goodhart, and Dick Manning.

In 1934, Al Hoffman moved to London, England. There, he worked on stage shows and movies. He helped write hit songs like "She Shall Have Music" and "Everything Stops for Tea." After three years, he came back to the U.S.

Al Hoffman wrote over 1,500 songs during his career. In 1984, he was recognized for his amazing work. He was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He passed away in New York City and was buried in New Jersey.

Famous Songs by Al Hoffman

Al Hoffman wrote many popular songs. He often worked with different co-writers. Here are some of his well-known songs:

Songs with Dick Manning

• "Allegheny Moon" (1956)
• "Hot Diggity" (1956)
• "Takes Two to Tango" (1952)

Songs with Dick Manning and Others

• "Papa Loves Mambo" (1954) (with Bix Reichner)
• "Secretly" (1958) (with Mark Markwell)

Songs with Mack David and Jerry Livingston

• "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" (1948)
• "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (1949)
• "So This Is Love" (1950)
• "Trick or Treat for Halloween" (1952)

These songs were all featured in famous Disney movies like Cinderella.

Songs with Maurice Sigler and Al Goodhart

• "Everything Stops for Tea" (1935)
• "I Saw Stars" (1934)
• "Why Don’t You Practice What You Preach?"

Other Notable Songs

• "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" (1941)
• "Close to You" (with Jerry Livingston and Carl Lampl)
• "Fit as a Fiddle" (1932) (with Arthur Freed and Al Goodhart)
• "Heartaches" (1931) (lyrics by John Klenner)
• "I Apologize" (1931) (lyrics by Al Goodhart)
• "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" (1950) (with Bob Merrill and Clem Watts)
• "I’m Gonna Live Till I Die" (1955) (with Walter Kent and Mann Curtis)
• "Mairzy Doats" (1943) (with Jerry Livingston and Milton Drake)
• "A Whale of a Tale" (1954) (with Norman Gimbel)
• "Who Walks in When I Walk Out?" (1933) (with Ralph Freed and Al Goodhart)