Cliff Friend
Encyclopedia
Cliff Friend was an accomplished songwriter
and pianist
. A member of Tin Pan Alley
, Friend co-wrote several hits including "Lovesick Blues
," "My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now" and "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
," also known as the theme song to the Looney Tunes
cartoon series.
in 1893. His father was first violin
ist with the Woods Theater Orchestra. Friend studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
with the aim of becoming a concert pianist, until a three-year bout of tuberculosis. Friend met Harry Richman
while working on vaudeville
shows, and the two moved to Los Angeles, California
where they befriended Buddy De Sylva
and Al Jolson
.
, where they became part of Tin Pan Alley
. Friend collaborated with leading songwriters Abel Baer, Lew Brown
, Irving Caesar
, Sidney Clare
, Billy Rose
and Charles Tobias
, and Jolson assisted Friend by placing songs in the musicals he was acting in, including The Passing Show and Bombo
.
Friend's first hit was in 1923, called "You Tell Her - I Stutter" and co-written with Billy Rose, it was recorded by The Happiness Boys
. Over the next 15 years Friend also co-wrote "Lovesick Blues
," "June Night," "Then I'll Be Happy," "(Oh) If I Only Had You," "A Night in June (Beneath the Moon)," "My Blackbirds are Bluebirds Now," "It Goes Like This," "You're a Real Sweetheart," "Bashful Baby," "I Want to Sing About You," "It's Great to Be In Love," "Let's Have a Party," "The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven," "When My Dream Boat Comes Home," "You've Got Me In the Palm of Your Hand," "Out Where the Blue Begins" and "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
." "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" was used as the theme song in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes
cartoon series.
Cliff Friend died in Las Vegas, Nevada
in 1974.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. A member of Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
, Friend co-wrote several hits including "Lovesick Blues
Lovesick Blues
"Lovesick Blues" is a show tune written by composer Cliff Friend and co-lyricist & producer Irving Mills. It has become a pop standard and an even more popular country song since it helped make Hank Williams famous in the 1940s. Published through Tin Pan Alley in 1922, the song was first recorded...
," "My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now" and "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
"The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" is a song written in 1937 by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin. It is best known as the theme tune for the Looney Tunes cartoon series produced by Warner Bros...
," also known as the theme song to the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
cartoon series.
Early life
Friend was born into in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
in 1893. His father was first violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist with the Woods Theater Orchestra. Friend studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was a conservatory, part of a girls' finishing school, founded in 1867 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It merged with the College of Music of Cincinnati in 1955, forming the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which is now part of the University of Cincinnati.The...
with the aim of becoming a concert pianist, until a three-year bout of tuberculosis. Friend met Harry Richman
Harry Richman
Harry Richman was an American entertainer. He was a singer, actor, dancer, comedian, pianist, songwriter, bandleader, and night club performer, at his most popular in the 1920s and 1930s....
while working on vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
shows, and the two moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
where they befriended Buddy De Sylva
Buddy De Sylva
George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs he founded Capitol Records.-Biography:...
and Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
.
Tin Pan Alley
Jolson encouraged Friend and Richman to move to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where they became part of Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
. Friend collaborated with leading songwriters Abel Baer, Lew Brown
Lew Brown
Lew Brown was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States.Brown was born as Louis Brownstein in Odessa, Russian Empire...
, Irving Caesar
Irving Caesar
Irving Caesar was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for "Swanee," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Tea for Two," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written. He was born and died in New York.Caesar, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew, was...
, Sidney Clare
Sidney Clare
Sidney Clare was an American comedian, dancer and composer. His best known songs include "On the Good Ship Lollipop" , "You’re My Thrill" , and "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" .In 1929, Clare wrote his...
, Billy Rose
Billy Rose
William "Billy" Rose was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. He is credited with many famous songs, notably "Me and My Shadow" , "It Happened in Monterey" and "It's Only a Paper Moon"...
and Charles Tobias
Charles Tobias
-Biography:Born in New York City, Tobias grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts with brothers Harry Tobias and Henry Tobias, also songwriters.He started his musical career in vaudeville. In 1923, he founded his own music publishing firm and worked on Tin Pan Alley...
, and Jolson assisted Friend by placing songs in the musicals he was acting in, including The Passing Show and Bombo
Bombo (musical)
Bombo is a Broadway musical with a book and lyrics by Harold R. Atteridge and music by Sigmund Romberg.Produced by Lee Shubert and J. J. Shubert, the Broadway production, staged by J. C. Huffman, opened on October 6, 1921 at the Jolson Theatre, where it ran for 219 performances...
.
Friend's first hit was in 1923, called "You Tell Her - I Stutter" and co-written with Billy Rose, it was recorded by The Happiness Boys
The Happiness Boys
The Happiness Boys was a popular radio program of the early 1920s. It featured the vocal duo of tenor Billy Jones and bass/baritone Ernie Hare who sang novelty songs.-Career:...
. Over the next 15 years Friend also co-wrote "Lovesick Blues
Lovesick Blues
"Lovesick Blues" is a show tune written by composer Cliff Friend and co-lyricist & producer Irving Mills. It has become a pop standard and an even more popular country song since it helped make Hank Williams famous in the 1940s. Published through Tin Pan Alley in 1922, the song was first recorded...
," "June Night," "Then I'll Be Happy," "(Oh) If I Only Had You," "A Night in June (Beneath the Moon)," "My Blackbirds are Bluebirds Now," "It Goes Like This," "You're a Real Sweetheart," "Bashful Baby," "I Want to Sing About You," "It's Great to Be In Love," "Let's Have a Party," "The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven," "When My Dream Boat Comes Home," "You've Got Me In the Palm of Your Hand," "Out Where the Blue Begins" and "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
"The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" is a song written in 1937 by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin. It is best known as the theme tune for the Looney Tunes cartoon series produced by Warner Bros...
." "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" was used as the theme song in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
cartoon series.
Cliff Friend died in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in 1974.