Joe Greene (American songwriter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Greene
Greene in Jet magazine, May 15, 1952
Born	Joseph Perkins Greene (1915-04-19)19 April 1915 Spokane, Washington, US
Died	16 June 1986(1986-06-16) (aged 71) Pasadena, California, US
Nationality	American
Occupation	Songwriter, composer
Known for	"Across the Alley from the Alamo"

Joseph Perkins Greene (born April 19, 1915 – died June 16, 1986) was an American songwriter. He was famous for writing popular songs. Some of his best-known works include "Across the Alley from the Alamo", "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" (1944), and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'" (1946).

Life of a Songwriter

Joe Greene started his career as a singer and actor. When he was young, he worked with the well-known songwriter Hoagy Carmichael.

Discovering New Talent

Greene is believed to have discovered singer Ernie Andrews in 1945. He helped Andrews record his first songs. Greene also wrote Andrews' biggest hit song, "Soothe Me". Greene's song lyrics were very stylish. They often had a strong emotional message.

Creating Hit Songs

The idea for "Across the Alley from the Alamo" came to Greene in 1946. He was writing songs for the famous singer Nat King Cole at the time. The very next morning, Greene visited Cole's manager. The manager thought the song had great potential.

Mel Tormé made a first recording of the song. Then, the Mills Brothers recorded it, and it became a big hit. Soon after, Woody Herman and his Orchestra released their own version. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra also recorded it, with June Christy singing.

Working with Stan Kenton

Greene worked closely with bandleader and pianist Stan Kenton. He also collaborated with arranger Pete Rugolo. Together, they helped make Kenton's band very popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Greene wrote lyrics for Kenton's songs. These included "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" and "I'm Going Mad for a Pad" in 1946.

Kenton's band had a musical style that led to West Coast jazz. In 1952, Greene worked with pianist Eddie Beal on new music for Kenton's group. Singers like June Christy and Chris Connor performed Greene's hit songs. These included "Across the Alley from the Alamo" and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'".

Other Famous Artists

Many famous artists recorded Joe Greene's songs. These included Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, and Julie London. Other artists like Fats Waller, Ray Charles, and Dinah Washington also sang his songs. Even The Muppets recorded one of his songs!

In 1958, the Russ Garcia orchestra recorded Greene's song "Read My Lips". This song might have inspired the famous phrase "Read my lips—no new taxes". This phrase was used by George H. W. Bush in 1988.

Later Work and Passing

In the 1960s and 1970s, Joe Greene worked on movie scripts and music. He also wrote a novel called House of Pleasure in 1967.

Joe Greene passed away on June 16, 1986. He was 71 years old. He died from kidney failure in a hospital in Pasadena, California. He was survived by his wife, Marthella, his three children, and four grandchildren.

Selected Songs by Joe Greene

Here are some of the well-known songs Joe Greene wrote:

• "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" (1944)
  • He wrote the words for this song. The music was by Stan Kenton and Charles Lawrence.
  • The 1944 version by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, with Anita O'Day singing, reached number 3 on the Billboard music chart.
  • The 1945 version by Ella Fitzgerald reached number 4 on the Billboard chart.
• "Soothe Me" (1945)
  • Greene wrote both the words and music for this song.
  • It was first performed by Ernie Andrews.
• "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'" (1946)
  • He wrote both the words and music.
  • Ernie Andrews first performed it with the Wilbert Baranco Trio.
• "Across the Alley from the Alamo" (1947)
  • Greene wrote both the words and music for this song.
  • The Mills Brothers' version reached number 2 on the Billboard chart.
• "Just Like Two Drops of Water" (1951)
  • This song was first performed by June Barton.
• "All About Ronnie" (1953)
  • Greene wrote both the words and music.
  • It was first performed by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, with Chris Connor singing.
• "Annabelle" (1953)
  • Greene wrote the words; the music was by Nelson Riddle.
• "Come to the Party" (1955)
  • He wrote both the words and music.
• "I'm Lost Without You Tonight" (1955)
  • This song was performed by Dinah Washington.
• "The Tender Touch" (1956)
  • Joe Greene and Nelson Riddle wrote both the words and music.
• "Make Me a Present of You" (1958)
  • This song was performed by Dinah Washington.

Film Appearances of His Songs

Many films have featured songs written by Joe Greene:

• 1944 Artistry in Rhythm (Short film) (lyrics: I'm Going Mad for a Pad)
• 1946 Cowboy Blues (music: I Been Down in Texas)
• 1946 The Big Sleep (lyrics: And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine - not credited)
• 1946 Two Guys from Milwaukee (lyrics: And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine - not credited)
• 1947 Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Short film) (writer: I Been Down in Texas - not credited)
• 1975 Black Lolita (lyrics: "Lolita") / (music: Lolita)
• 1996 Bogart: The Untold Story (TV Movie documentary) (lyrics: And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine (1944) - not credited)
• 1999 Lansky (TV Movie) (writer: All About Ronnie)
• 2001 An American Rhapsody (writer: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' (1946))
• 2003 A Guy Thing (writer: Across The Alley From The Alamo)