James Frederick "Jimmy" Hanley (Rensselaer, Indiana February 17, 1892 – Douglaston, Long Island February 8, 1942) was an American songwriter and author. He attended Champion College and the Chicago Musical College.
Hanley served with the United States Army 82nd Division in World War I. During his military service he wrote an army musical show called Toot Sweet.
On discharge Hanley became a vaudeville accompanist. He went on to write songs for film and theater including many Broadway productions. He worked with numerous artists, most notably B.G. DeSylva, Edward Madden, Eddie Dowling, Percy Wenrich, Theodore Morse and Ballard MacDonald.
Hanley is best remembered for the hit songs "(Back Home Again in) Indiana" (1917), "Second Hand Rose" (1921) and "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (1934). For the latter song, Hanley contributed both music and lyrics but for most of his songs he wrote the music alone.
Hanley died of a heart attack at his home in Douglaston, Queens, on February 8, 1942, leaving a widow and five children.
Hanley was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
Toot Sweet
Robinson Crusoe, Jr. (1916), co-composer with Sigmund Romberg
Ziegfeld Follies of 1917 (1917), featured songwriter
The Greenwich Village Follies of 1920 (1920), featured songwriter
Jim Jam Jems (1920), composer, lyrics by Harry Cort and George Stoddard
Ziegfeld Follies of 1921 (1921), featured songwriter
Pins and Needles of 1922 (1922), co-composer with Frederick Chappelle, lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Irving Caesar
Spice of 1922 (1922), co-composer with J. Fred Coots and Henry Creamer, lyrics by James Stanley and McElbert Moore
Big Boy (1925), co-composer with Joseph Meyer, lyrics by Buddy DeSylva
No Foolin' (1926), featured songwriter, lyrics by Gene Buck
Honeymoon Lane (1926), composer, lyrics by Eddie Dowling
Sidewalks of New York (1927), co-composer, co-author with Eddie Dowling
Keep It Clean (1929), co-composer
Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 (1934), featured songwriter
Thumbs Up! (1934), co-composer with Henry Sullivan
Also contributed songs to:
Ziegfeld Follies of 1922 (1922)
George White's Scandals of 1923 (1923)
Innocent Eyes (1924)
Gay Paree of 1925 (1925)
High Queen (1926)
Take the Air (1927)
"Back Home Again in Indiana"
"Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)"
"Dig a Little Deeper"
"Dreaming of Home Sweet Home" - 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald
"Dreams for Sale"
"Gee, But I Hate to Go Home Alone"
"Good-Bye, My Little Lady" - 1917. L: Joe Goodwin
"Half a Moon"
"I’m a Lonesome Little Raindrop (Looking for a Place To Fall)"
"I Wonder What He's Doing To-Night" - 1917. L: Joe Goodwin
"I've Got a Ten Day Pass for a Honeymoon (With the Girl I left Behind)" - 1918. L: Walter Donaldson and Ballard MacDonald
"Jersey Walk"
"Just a Cottage Small by a Waterfall"
"Last Long Flight" - 1920
"Little Bit of Sunshine (From Home)" - 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald and Joe Goodwin
"Little Log Cabin of Dreams"
"The Little White House (At the End of Honeymoon Lane)"
"Mary Dear"
"No Foolin’"
"Never Forget to Write Home" - 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald
"Ragtime Volunteers Are Off to War" - 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald
"Rose of Washington Square"
"Second Hand Rose"
"Sleepy Valley"
"Three Wonderful Letters from Home" - 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald and Joe Goodwin
"War Babies" - 1916. L: Ballard MacDonald and Edward Madden
"We'll Be There, on the Land, on the Sea, in the Air" - 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald
"Wherever You Are"
"Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart"
So This Is London (1930)
Under Suspicion (1930)
