Alfred Bryan (September 15, 1871 – April 1, 1958) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

lyricist A lyricist is a writer who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income derives ...

. Bryan was born in

Brantford Brantford ( 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by Brant County but is politically separate with a municipal government of its own that is fully indep ...

, Ontario. He worked as an arranger in New York and wrote lyrics for many Broadway shows in the late 1910s and early 1920s; often collaborating with composer

Jean Schwartz Jean Schwartz (November 4, 1878 – November 30, 1956) was a Hungarian-born Jewish American composer and pianist. He is best known for his work writing the scores for more than 30 Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals, and for his creation of more t ...

. In the 1920s he moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

to write lyrics for screen musicals. Bryan worked with several composers during his career. Among his collaborators were Henriette Blanke-Belcher,

Fred Fischer Fred Fisher (born Alfred Breitenbach; September 30, 1875 – January 14, 1942) was a German-born American songwriter and Tin Pan Alley music publisher. Biography Fisher was born in Cologne, Germany. His parents were Max and Theodora Breitenbach ...

Al Sherman Avrum Sherman (September 7, 1897 – September 16, 1973), pen name Al Sherman, was an American songwriter and composer active during the Tin Pan Alley era in American music history. Some of his most recognizable song titles include " You Gotta B ...

Larry Stock Larry Stock (born Lazarus Goldberger; December 4, 1896 – May 4, 1984) was an American songwriter. He is most known for being a songwriter and composer for many songs including " Blueberry Hill" which was later recorded by Fats Domino. Early li ...

and

Joe McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death at age 48 in 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the mo ...

. Perhaps his most successful song was " I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" (1915), with music by

Al Piantadosi Al Piantadosi (born John Alberto Joseph Piantadosi; August 18, 1882 in New York City – April 8, 1955 in Encino, Los Angeles, Encino, California) was an American composer of popular music during the of Tin Pan Alley. He started out as a saloon ...

. The song sold 650,000 copies during the first three months and became one of 1915's top-selling songs in the United States. Although Bryan himself was not a committed pacifist, he described the American public's anti-war sentiments in his lyrics. He died in

Gladstone, New Jersey Gladstone is an unincorporated community located within Peapack-Gladstone in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07934.The Century Revue'' (1920) *''The Midnight Rounders of 1920'' *''The Midnight Rounders of 1921'' *'' Make It Snappy'' (1922) *''A Night in Spain'' (1927)

Songs

*1904 '' We'll Be Together When the Clouds Roll By'' (music by

Kerry Mills Kerry Mills ''(né'' Frederick Allen Mills; 1 February 1869 in Philadelphia – 5 December 1948 in Hawthorne, California), publishing also as F.A. Mills, was an American ragtime composer and music publishing executive of popular music during the ...

) *1906 '' Everybody Gives Me Good Advice'' (music by James Kendis and Herman Paley) *1909 ''I'll Do Anything But'' (music by Henriette Blanke-Belcher) *1910 ''Put Your Head Upon my Shoulder'' (music by Henriette Blanke-Belcher) *1910 ''

Come Josephine in My Flying Machine ''Come Josephine in My Flying Machine'' is a popular song with music by Fred Fisher and lyrics by Alfred Bryan. First published in 1910, the composition was originally recorded by Blanche Ring and was, for a time, her signature song. Ada Jones an ...

'' (music by

Fred Fisher Fred Fisher (born Alfred Breitenbach; September 30, 1875 – January 14, 1942) was a German-born American songwriter and Tin Pan Alley music publisher. Biography Fisher was born in Cologne, Germany. His parents were Max and Theodora Breitenbach ...

) *1911 ''My Irish Girl'' (music by Henriette Blanke-Belcher) *1913 ''

Peg o' My Heart "Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan (lyricist), Alfred Bryan (words) and Fred Fisher (music). It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The song was first performed publ ...

'' (music by Fred Fisher) *1913 '' I'm On My Way to Mandalay'' (music by Fred Fisher) *1914 '' Who Paid The Rent For Mrs. Rip Van Winkle?'' (music by Fred Fischer) *1914 ''Down in Waterloo''. (m: Albert Gumble & Jack Wells) *1914 ''When It's Night-Time Down in Burgundy''. (m: Herman Paley) *1915 '' I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier''. (m: Al. Piantadosi) *1915 ''When Our Mothers Rule the World''. (m: Jack Wells) *1916 ''Don't Cry Dolly Grey''. (m: Herman Paley) *1916 ''I Wouldn't Steal the Sweetheart of a Soldier Boy''. (m: Herman Paley) *1917 ''Buy a Red Cross Rossie''. (m:

Harry Tierney Harry Austin Tierney (May 21, 1890 – March 22, 1965) was an American composer of musical theatre, best known for long-running hits such as ''Irene (musical), Irene'' (1919), Broadway's longest-running show of the era (620 performances), ''Kid B ...

) *1917 ''Chimes of Normandy''. (m: Jack Wells) *1917 ''Cleopatra''. (m:

) *1917 ''Don't Try to Steal the Sweetheart of a Soldier''. (m: Van and Schenack) *1917 ''For One Sweet Day''. (m:

) *1917 ''Get a Girl to Lead the Army''. (m:

) *1917 ''God Save Us all''. (m:

) *1917 ''I Want a Good Girl and I Want Her Bad''. (m:

) *1917 ''If You'll Be a Soldier I'll Be a Red Cross Nurse''. (m:

) *1917 '' I'm Crazy Over Every Girl in France''. (m:

Pete Wendling Pete Wendling (June 6, 1888 – April 7, 1974) was an American composer and pianist, born in New York City to German immigrants. He often collaborated with fellow QRS pianist and composer, Max Kortlander. He started his working life as a ca ...

& Jack Wells) *1917 ''It's Time for Every Boy to Be a Soldier''. (m:

) *1917 ''

Lorraine (My Beautiful Alsace Lorraine) "Lorraine (My Beautiful Alsace Lorraine)" is a World War I era song released in 1917. Al Bryan wrote the lyrics. Fred Fisher composed the music. It was published by McCarthy and Fisher, Inc.. André De Takacs designed the sheet music cover. It fea ...

''. (m:

) *1917 ''My Yokohama Girl''. (m:

) *1917 ''Over the Top'' with Jack Wells and

*1917 ''Sweet Little Buttercup''. (m: Herman Paley) *1917 ''There's a Vacant Chair in Every Home Tonight''. (m: Ernest Breuer) *1917 ''Universal Peace Song God Save Us All''. (m:

) *1917 ''Vegetable Song''. (m:

) *1918 ''Big Chief Killahun'' with

Edgar Leslie Edgar Leslie (December 31, 1885 – January 22, 1976) was an American songwriter. Biography Edgar Leslie was born in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1885. He studied at the Cooper Union in New York. He published his first song in 1909, starting a ...

. (m:

Maurice Abrahams Maurice Abrahams (March 18, 1883 – April 13, 1931) was an American songwriter and music publisher, who was successful in the early years of the 20th century. Biography Abrahams was born in Odessa, Russian Empire, and emigrated to the US as a c ...

) *1918 ''Cheer Up Father, Cheer Up Mother''. (m: Herman Paley) *1918 ''Come Across, Yankee Boy, Come Across''. (m:

) *1918 ''Comprenez-Vous Papa''. (m: Ray Lawrence) *1918 ''

Girls of France "Girls of France" is a World War I era song released in 1917. Al Bryan and Edgar Leslie wrote the lyrics. Harry Ruby composed the music. The song was published by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co. of New York, New York. Artist Albert Wilfred Barbell ...

'' with

Harry Ruby Harry Rubenstein (January 27, 1895 – February 23, 1974), known professionally as Harry Ruby, was an American pianist, composer, songwriter and screenwriter, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. *1918 '' Joan of Arc They Are Calling You'' with Willie Weston. (m: Jack Wells) *1918 ''Mister McAdoo'' with

Joseph McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was an American politician who served as a Republican Party (United States), Republican United States Senate, U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death at age ...

. (m:

) *1918 ''

Oui, Oui, Marie Oui, Oui, Marie is a 1918 song composed by Fred Fisher with lyrics written by Alfred Bryan (lyricist), Alfred Bryan and Joseph McCarthy (lyricist), Joe McCarthy. It was published by McCarthy & Fisher Inc. The sheet music cover featured an illustra ...

'' with Joe McCarthy. (m:

) *1918 ''Wee, Wee, Marie (Will You Do Zis for Me)'' with Joe McCarrthy. (m:

) *1918 '' When Alexander Takes His Ragtime Band to France'' with Cliff Hess &

*1918 ''When the Boys from Dixie Eat the Melon on the Rhine''. (m: Ernest Breuer) *1918 ''When They Do the Hula Hula on the Boulevard''. (m: Ray Lawrence) *1918 ''White House Is the Light House of the World'' with

Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 17, 1996) was an American lyricist and composer primarily for theater who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", " Sometimes I'm Happy", " Crazy Rhythm", ...

*1919 ''I'm Going to Break That Mason-Dixie Line Until I Get to That Gal of Mine''. (m:

) *1919 '' On the Road to Calais''. (m:

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, ; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. Self-billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Jolson was one of the United States' most famous and ...

)

Notes

References

External links

*
Sheet music for his song "We'll Be Together When the Clouds Roll By"
from the collection at University of Oregon Libraries
Alfred Bryan recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database catalog of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The 78rpm era was the time period in which any flat disc records were being played at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bryan, Alfred 1871 births 1958 deaths Canadian male songwriters Musicians from Brantford Canadian anti-war activists American anti-war activists Activists from New Jersey