Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

CAHN, Sammy

(b 18 June 1913 NYC; d 13 January 1993, LA) Lyricist. Worked with three main composers. Playing violin part-time in a band, he met pianist Saul Chaplin (b 19 February 1912, Brooklyn; d 15 November 1997), and they began writing songs for record producers; their first hit was 'Rhythm Is Our Business' for the Jimmie Lunceford band '35, then 'Until The Real Thing Comes Along' for Andy Kirk, also recorded by the Ink Spots, Fats Waller, many others. 'Shoe Shine Boy' the same year was used by Louis Armstrong, the Mills Brothers, Bing Crosby, and became a jazz classic when recorded by Lester Young '36. They adapted the Yiddish song 'Bei Mir Bistu Shein' for one of the biggest hits of '30s (see the Andrews Sisters). Cahn went to Hollywood and reached even greater heights (see Jule Styne, Jimmy Van Heusen).