Mack Gordon facts for kids

Mack Gordon (born Morris Gittler; June 21, 1904 – February 28, 1959) was a very talented American songwriter. He wrote the words (lyrics) for many famous songs used in movies and stage shows. He was nominated for an Oscar nine times for "Best Original Song." He even won the award once for his song "You'll Never Know." This song, along with "At Last," is still very popular today and can be heard in films and commercials.

About Mack Gordon's Life

Mack Gordon was born in a place called Grodno, which was part of the Russian Empire at the time. In May 1907, when he was a small child, he moved to New York City with his mother and older brother. They sailed on a ship called the S/S Bremen to join his father in Guttenberg, New Jersey.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Gordon performed in vaudeville. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with different acts like singing, dancing, and comedy. Even though he performed, his main talent was always writing songs.

His Songwriting Partnerships

Mack Gordon often worked with other talented musicians to create his songs. For many years in the 1930s, he partnered with an English pianist named Harry Revel. Later, in the 1940s, he worked with other composers, including Harry Warren.

His Impact on Music

Mack Gordon wrote songs for over 50 movies, and his music has been featured in more than 100 films. He wrote over 120 songs that were sung by some of the world's most famous performers. These included stars like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Etta James, Barbra Streisand, and Christina Aguilera.

He was good friends with many of the artists who sang his songs, like Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. His ability to write lyrics that felt timeless made him a very famous and important lyricist in music history. The Songwriters Hall of Fame says he was "arguably one of the most successful lyricists to write for the screen." Mack Gordon passed away in 1959.

Famous Songs by Mack Gordon

1942 sheet music cover for "At Last," a famous song by Mack Gordon.

Here are some of the well-known songs that Mack Gordon wrote the lyrics for:

• "A Lady Loves"
• "A Star Fell Out of Heaven"
• "A Tree Was a Tree"
• "All About Love"
• "An Old Straw Hat"
• "An Orchid to You"
• "At Last"
• "Baby, Won't You Say You Love Me"
• "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" – This song was nominated for an Oscar in 1941!
• "Cigarettes, Cigars"
• "Danger, Love at Work"
• "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?"
• "Doin' the Uptown Lowdown"
• "Down Argentine Way" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1940.
• "From the Top of Your Head to the Tip of Your Toes"
• "Goodnight My Love"
• "Help Yourself to Happiness"
• "I Can't Begin to Tell You" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1946.
• "I Feel Like a Feather in the Breeze"
• "I Had the Craziest Dream"
• "I Played Fiddle for the Czar"
• "I'm Making Believe" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1944.
• "I've Got a Date With a Dream"
• "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1942.
• "If You Feel Like Singing, Sing"
• "In Old Chicago"
• "It Happened In Sun Valley"
• "It Happens Every Spring"
• "It Was a Night in June"
• "It's Swell of You"
• "Listen to the German Band"
• "Lookie, Lookie, Lookie, Here Comes Cookie"
• "Love Thy Neighbor"
• "Mam'selle"
• "May I?"
• "My Heart is an Open Book"
• "My Heart Tells Me"
• "Never in a Million Years"
• "On the Boardwalk at Atlantic City"
• "Once in a Blue Moon"
• "Once Too Often"
• "Paris in the Spring"
• "Serenade in Blue"
• "She Reminds Me of You"
• "Somebody Soon"
• "Somewhere in the Night"
• "Stay As Sweet As You Are"
• "Sunny Southern Smile"
• "Takes Two to Make a Bargain"
• "Thanks for Everything"
• "The More I See You"
• "There Will Never Be Another You"
• "There's a Lull in My Life"
• "Through a Long and Sleepless Night" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1949.
• "Time on My Hands"
• "Underneath the Harlem Moon"
• "What Did I Do"
• "When I'm With You"
• "Wilhelmina" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1950.
• "Without a Word of Warning"
• "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming"
• "You Do" – Nominated for an Oscar in 1947.
• "You Make Me Feel So Young"
• "You Say the Sweetest Things Baby"
• "You'll Never Know" – This song won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1943!

Mack Gordon's Broadway Shows

Mack Gordon also wrote for shows on Broadway, which is famous for its live theater performances in New York City.

• Fast and Furious (1931) – This was a type of show called a revue, which has different acts and songs. Mack Gordon was the main lyricist.
• Smiling Faces (1932) – This was a musical show, and Mack Gordon wrote the lyrics for it.
• Strike Me Pink (1933) – Another revue where he helped write the dialogue.

See also

In Spanish: Mack Gordon para niños