A leading Broadway composer of his day, Youmans collaborated with virtually all the greatest lyricists on Broadway: Ira Gershwin, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Irving Caesar, Anne Caldwell, Leo Robin, Howard Dietz, Clifford Grey, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu, Edward Heyman, Harold Adamson, Buddy De Sylva and Gus Kahn. Youmans' early songs are remarkable for their economy of melodic material: two-, three- or four-note phrases are constantly repeated and varied by subtle harmonic or rhythmic changes. In later years, however, apparently influenced by Jerome Kern, he turned to longer musical sentences and more free-flowing melodic lines. Youmans published fewer than 100 songs, but 18 of these were considered standards by ASCAP, a remarkably high percentage.
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Biography
Youmans was born in New York City into a prosperous family of hat makers. When he was two, his father moved the family to upper-class Larchmont, New York. Youmans attended the Trinity School in Mamaroneck, New York, and Heathcote Hall in Rye, New York. His ambition was initially to become an engineer, and he attended Yale University for a short time. He dropped out to become a runner for a Wall Street brokerage firm, but was soon drafted in the Navy during World War I, although he saw no combat. While stationed in Illinois, he took an interest in the theatre and began producing troop shows for the Navy.
After the war, Youmans was a Tin Pan Alley song-plugger for Jerome H. Remick Music Publishers, and then a rehearsal pianist for composer Victor Herbert’s operettas. In 1921 he collaborated with lyricist Ira Gershwin on the score for Two Little Girls in Blue, which brought him his first Broadway composing credit, and his first hit song "Oh Me! Oh My!", and a contract with TB Harms Company. His next show was Wildflower (1923), with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II, which was a major success. His most enduring success was No, No, Nanette, with lyrics by Irving Caesar, which reached Broadway in 1925 after an unprecedented try-out in Chicago and subsequent national and international tours. No, No Nanette was the biggest musical-comedy success of the 1920s in both Europe and the USA and his two songs "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy" were worldwide hits. Both are considered standards. "Tea For Two" was consistently ranked among the most recorded popular songs for decades.
In 1927, Youmans began producing his own Broadway shows. He also left his publisher TB Harms Company and began publishing his own songs. He had a major success with Hit the Deck! (1927), which included the hit songs "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Hallelujah". After 1927, his subsequent productions were failures, despite the song hits they featured ("Great Day and "Without a Song" from Great Day (1929), "Time On My Hands" from Smiles (1930), and the title song from Through the Years). His last contributions to Broadway were additional songs for Take a Chance (1932).
In 1933, Youmans wrote the songs for Flying Down to Rio, the first film to feature Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as a featured dancing pair. His score contained "Orchids in the Moonlight", "The Carioca", "Music Makes Me", and the title song. The film was a tremendous hit, and it revived the composer's professional prospects, though he never again wrote for Astaire/Rogers.
After a professional career of only 13 years, Youmans was forced into retirement in 1934 after contracting tuberculosis. He spent the remainder of his life battling the disease. His only return to Broadway was to mount an ill-fated extravaganza entitled Vincent Youmans' Ballet Revue (1943), an ambitious mix of Latin-American and classical music, including Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé. Choreographed by Leonide Massine. It lost some $4 million.
He died of tuberculosis at age 47, in Denver, Colorado. At the time of his death, Youmans left behind a large quantity of unpublished material. In 1970, Youmans was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1971, No, No Nanette enjoyed a notable Broadway revival starring Ruby Keeler, and choreographed by legendary Hollywood choreographer Busby Berkeley, which was widely credited with beginning the nostalgia era on Broadway. In 1983, he was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
Broadway musicals with music by Vincent Youmans
Two Little Girls in Blue (1921)
Wildflower (1923)
Mary Jane McKane (1923)
Lollipop (1924)
No, No, Nanette (1925, revived 1971)
Oh, Please! (1926)
Hit the Deck (1927)
Rainbow (1928)
A Night in Venice (1929)
Great Day! (1929)
Smiles (1930)
Through the Years (1932)
Take a Chance (1932); additional songs only
The Vincent Youmans Ballet Revue (1943)
Films with music by Vincent Youmans
No, No, Nanette (1930)
Hit the Deck (1930)
Song of the West (1930)
What a Widow! (1930)
Take a Chance (1933)
Flying Down to Rio (1933)
No, No, Nanette (1940)
Tea for Two (1950)
Hit the Deck (1955)
Songs
"An Invitation" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"An Orphan Is the Girl for Me" with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
"Anyway, We Had Fun" with lyrics by Ring Lardner
"April Blossoms" with help from Herbert Stothart and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
"Armful of You" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
"Bambalina" with help from Herbert Stothart and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
"Be Good to Me" with lyrics by Ring Lardner
"Blue Bowery" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
"Bo Koo" with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
"The Boy next Door" with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Schuyler Greene
"The Bride Was Dressed in White" with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
"The Call of the Sea" with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
"Carioca" with lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu: Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Song
"Carry on Keep Smiling" with lyrics by Harold Adamson
"The Chinese Party" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
"Come on and Pet Me" with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach
"Course I Will" with help from Herbert Stothart and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
"Crystal Lady"
"Dancing Wedding" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
"The Deep Blue Sea" with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
"Deep in My Heart" with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
"Diamond in the Rough" with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
"Dolly" with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Schuyler Greene
"Does It Pay to Be a Lady?" with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
"Dress Parade" with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
"Drums in My Heart" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"Fight Over Me" with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
"Flappers Are We" with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
"Flying Down to Rio" with lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
"Going Rowing" with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
"Goodbye Little Rosebud" with help from Herbert Stothart and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
"Great Day" with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
"Hallelujah" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
"Happy Because I'm In Love" with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
The Harbor of My Heart with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Hay Straw with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Here, Steward with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Here's a Day to Be Happy with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
Honey Bun with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
"Hotcha Ma Chotch" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
"How Happy Is the Bride" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"I Know That You Know" with lyrics by Anne Caldwell
"I Like What You Like" with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
"I Like You As You Are" with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
"I Want a Man" with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
"I Want to Be Happy" with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
"I Want to Be With You" with lyrics by Buddy De Sylva
"If I Told You" with help from Herbert Stothart and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
"If I Were You" with lyrics by Ring Lardner
"I'm Glad I Waited" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
"I'll Come Back to You" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"It Must Be Love" with lyrics by Zelda Sears
"It's Every Girl's Ambition" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"I've Confessed to the Breeze I Love You" with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
"Join the Navy" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
"Kathleen Mine" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"Keepin' Myself for You" with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
"Kinda Like You" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
"Kiss Or Two" with lyrics by Leo Robin
Lady From The Bayou with lyrics by Leo Robin
Let Me Give All My Love to Thee with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Like He Loves Me with lyrics by Anne Caldwell
Loo Loo with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Love in a Cottage with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
Love Is Like A Song with lyrics by J. Russel Robinson and George Waggner
Lucky Bird with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Mary Jane Mckane with lyrics by William Carey Duncan and Oscar Hammerstein II
More Than You Know with lyrics by Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu
Music Makes Me with lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
My Doctor with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
My Lover with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
My Mother Told Me Not to Trust a Soldier with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Nicodemus with lyrics by Anne Caldwell
No, No Nanette with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
Nothing Could Be Sweeter with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Oh, How I Long To Belong To You with lyrics by Buddy De Sylva
Oh Me, Oh My, Oh You with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
On the Golden Trail with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
One Girl, The with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
One Love" with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
Only a Moment Ago with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
Open Up Your Heart with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
Orchids in the Moonlight with lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Orienta with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
"Pay Day Pauline" with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach
Peach on the Beach with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
Play the Game with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
Rally 'Round Me with lyrics by Ring Lardner
Rice and Shoes with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Schulyer Greene
Rise N' Shine with lyrics by Buddy De Sylva
"The Road to Home" with lyrics by Edward Heyman
Santa Claus with lyrics by Otto Harbach
Say Oui Cheri with lyrics by J. Russel Robinson and George Waggner
Say Young Man Of Manhattan with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
Scarecrows with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
She's Innocent with help from Paul Lannin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Shore Leave with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Should I Be Sweet with lyrics by Buddy De Sylva
Si, Si, Si Senor with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
The Silly Season with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Soliloguy with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Something to Sing About with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
Sometimes I'm Happy (Sometimes I'm Blue) with lyrics by Irving Caesar
Sweet as Sugar Cane with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
Take a Little One Step with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
Tea for Two with lyrics by Irving Caesar
Telephone Girlie with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
There's Something About Me They Like with lyrics by Arthur Francis and Fred Jackson
Through the Years with lyrics by Edward Heyman
Tie a String Around Your Finger with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
Time and a Half for Overtime with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
Time on My Hands with lyrics by Mack Gordon and Harold Adamson
Tom, Dick and Harry with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Harold Adamson
Too Many Rings Around Rosie with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
The Trumpeteer and the Lover with lyrics by Edward Heyman
Utopia with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Virginia with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Waiting for You with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
Wedding Bells Ring On with lyrics by William Rose and Edward Eliscu
(We're Off) On A Wonderful Trip with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
We're Off to India with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
What Can I Say? with lyrics by Ring Lardner
What's a Kiss Among Friends? with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
When I'm With the Girls with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
When We Are Married with lyrics by Zelda Sears and Walter De Leon
Where Has My Hubby Gone? with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
Who Wants to Love Spanish Ladies? with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
"Who's Who With You" with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Why Ain't I Home with lyrics by Ring Lardner
Why Oh Why with lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin
Wildflower with help from Herbert Stothart and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
"Without a Song" with lyrics by Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu
"You Can Dance with Any Girl" with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Irving Caesar
"You Started Something When You Came Along" with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
You're Everywhere with lyrics by Edward Heyman
You're The One with lyrics by J. Russel Robinson and George Waggner
