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Cliff Friend (October 1, 1893 – June 27, 1974) was an accomplished songwriter
Songwriter

File:Beethoven.jpgA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer....
 and pianist
Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an musical ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers....
. A member of Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered History of music publishings and songwriters who dominated the American 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 Cliff Friend and Irving Mills, which has become a popular country song and pop standard. Published through Tin Pan Alley in 1922, the song was first recorded by Jack Shea on Vocalion 14333....
", "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 which ran in many movie theatres from 1930 to 1969. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and is Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series....
 cartoon series.

nd was born into in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County, Ohio. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border....
 in 1893. His father was first violin
Violin

The violin is a Bow string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also 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 University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which is now part of the University of Cincinnati....
 with the aim of becoming a concert pianist, until a three-year bout of tuberculosis.






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Cliff Friend (October 1, 1893 – June 27, 1974) was an accomplished songwriter
Songwriter

File:Beethoven.jpgA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer....
 and pianist
Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an musical ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers....
. A member of Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered History of music publishings and songwriters who dominated the American 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 Cliff Friend and Irving Mills, which has become a popular country song and pop standard. Published through Tin Pan Alley in 1922, the song was first recorded by Jack Shea on Vocalion 14333....
", "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 which ran in many movie theatres from 1930 to 1969. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and is Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series....
 cartoon series.

Early life

Friend was born into in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County, Ohio. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border....
 in 1893. His father was first violin
Violin

The violin is a Bow string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also 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 University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which is now part of the University of Cincinnati....
 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 United States entertainer. He was a singer, actor, dancer, comedian, pianist, songwriter, bandleader, and nightclub performer, at his most popular in the 1920s and 1930s....
 while working on vaudeville
Vaudeville

Vaudeville was a genre of a variety show prevalent on the theatre in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. It developed from many sources, including the concert saloon, minstrel show, freak shows, dime museums, and literary burlesque....
 shows, and the two moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is the largest city in the U.S. state of California and the List of United States cities by population in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles is rated as a beta global city, has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California....
 where they befriended Buddy De Sylva
Buddy De Sylva

George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva was an United States 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....
 and Al Jolson
Al Jolson

Al Jolson , born in Lithuania, Russian Empire, was a highly acclaimed American singer, comedian, and actor, and, according to PBS, the "first openly Jewish man to become an entertainment star in America." His career lasted from 1911 until his death in 1950, during which time he was commonly dubbed "the world's greatest entertainer.? Numerous...
.

Tin Pan Alley

Jolson encouraged Friend and Richman to move to New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
, 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-centered History of music publishings and songwriters who dominated the American 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. His family emigrated to the United States in 1898 and settled in The Bronx of New York City....
, Irving Caesar
Irving Caesar

Irving Caesar , was a prominent United States 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....
, Sidney Clare
Sidney Clare

Sidney Clare was an American comedian, dancer and composer. His best known songs include "On the Good Ship Lollipop" In 1933, Clare wrote his first full film score for Street Girl....
, Billy Rose
Billy Rose

Billy Rose was an United States 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

Charles Tobias was an American songwriter....
, 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 theatre musical theatre with a book by Harry Atteridge, lyrics by Harry Atteridge, and music by Sigmund Romberg.Produced by Lee Shubert and J....
.

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....
. Over the next 15 years, Friend also co-wrote "Lovesick Blues
Lovesick Blues

"Lovesick Blues" is a show tune written by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills, which has become a popular country song and pop standard. Published through Tin Pan Alley in 1922, the song was first recorded by Jack Shea on Vocalion 14333....
", "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 which ran in many movie theatres from 1930 to 1969. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and is Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series....
 cartoon series.

Cliff Friend passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
 in 1974.