[Dixielandjazz] Re: Lyrics / Rodgers & Hart Etc.

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Al,
The correct title for the 1962 Rodgers song from 'No Strings' was "Loads Of
Love".
Sorry to be picky.   8>)
Other songs from the show were "The Sweetest Sounds", "Nobody Told Me" and "Look
No Further".
The answer to "Did he (Rodgers) write any lyrics early on in his career?" seems
to be yes and is mentioned in several reference works. 
Unfortunately these do not refer to the song titles. ("Angel" Audrey Van Dyke
may know.)
In my search, I came across an interesting piece of trivia.
"Blue Moon" was (probably) the only Rodgers-Hart hit NOT to be associated with a
show/film.
It started out as a song for Jean Harlow ("Prayer") for the 1934 film 'Hollywood
Party'. but was shelved when she did not do the film. It reappeared (with new
lyrics) as "The Bad In Every Man" in the 1934 film 'Manhattan Melodrama". When
R&H discussed publishing it, the publisher Jack Robbins said the tune was OK but
the lyrics were not commercial enough, to which Hart responded with, "I suppose
it should be something corny like "Blue Moon"? Robbins agreed, Hart reworked the
lyrics and it was published as an independent number and became their
largest-selling hit up to that time. It is said that Hart always hated it.  
More trivia: 'Manhattan Melodrama' is supposed to have been the film that
gangster, John Dillinger, saw just prior to being gunned down at the Biograph
theatre on 22 July 1934.
Kind regards,
Bill.

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