James F. Hanley

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James Frederick Hanley Hist. Marker in Rensselaer, Indiana

James Frederick Hanley (February 17, 1892 – February 8, 1942) was an American songwriter and author.

Biography[edit]

Hanley was born in Rensselaer, Indiana on February 17, 1892. He attended Champion College and the Chicago Musical College.[1]

He served with the United States Army 82nd Division in World War I and during his military service he wrote an army musical show called Toot Sweet.

On his discharge Hanley became a vaudeville accompanist. He went on to write songs for film and theater including many Broadway productions. He worked with numerous artists, most notably Buddy DeSylva, Edward Madden, Eddie Dowling, Percy Wenrich, Theodore F. Morse and Ballard MacDonald.

Hanley is best remembered for the hit songs "(Back Home Again in) Indiana" (1917), "Second Hand Rose" (1921) and "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (1934). For the latter song, Hanley contributed both music and lyrics but for most of his songs he wrote the music alone.

He died of a heart attack at his home in Douglaston, Queens, on February 8, 1942, leaving a widow and five children.[1] Hanley was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Musical theatre credits[edit]

  • Toot Sweet

Broadway[edit]

Also contributed songs to:

Selected songs[edit]

  • "A Cabaret 'Neath the Old Egyptian Moon"
  • "(Back Home Again in) Indiana"
  • "Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)"
  • "Dig a Little Deeper"
  • "Dreaming of Home Sweet Home" – 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald[2]
  • "Dreams for Sale"
  • "Gee, but I Hate to Go Home Alone"
  • "Good-Bye, My Little Lady" – 1917. L: Joe Goodwin[2]
  • "Half a Moon"
  • "I'm a Lonesome Little Raindrop (Looking for a Place to Fall)" – 1920
  • "I Wonder What He's Doing To-Night" – 1917. L: Joe Goodwin[2]
  • "I've Got a Ten Day Pass for a Honeymoon (With the Girl I Left Behind)" – 1918. L: Walter Donaldson and Ballard MacDonald[2]
  • "Jersey Walk"
  • "Just a Cottage Small by a Waterfall"
  • "Last Long Flight" – 1920[2]
  • "Little Bit of Sunshine (From Home)" – 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald and Joe Goodwin[2]
  • "Little Log Cabin of Dreams"
  • "The Little White House (At the End of Honeymoon Lane)"
  • "Mary Dear"
  • "No Foolin'"
  • "Never Forget to Write Home" – 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald[2]
  • "Ragtime Volunteers Are Off to War" – 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald[3]
  • "Rose of Washington Square"
  • "Second Hand Rose" – 1921, made popular by Fanny Brice and later associated with Barbra Streisand
  • "Sleepy Valley"
  • "Three Wonderful Letters from Home" – 1918. L: Ballard MacDonald and Joe Goodwin[3]
  • "War Babies" – 1916. L: Ballard MacDonald and Edward Madden[3]
  • "We'll Be There, on the Land, on the Sea, in the Air" – 1917. L: Ballard MacDonald[3]
  • "Wherever You Are"
  • "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" – 1934, made popular by Judy Garland; reprised throughout her career.

Selected filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "JAMES HANLEY, 49; WROTE SONG HITS; 2,000,000 Copies of His 'Back Home in Indiana' Soldls $tr. lcken in Queens HE DID TUNES FOR SHOWS i'll You Knew Susie,' Rose of Washington Square" and 'Just a Cottage Small' His Work". The New York Times. February 9, 1942. p. 15. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music. Vol. 1. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 115, 201, 261, 321, 351, 378, 451. ISBN 0-7864-2798-1.
  3. ^ a b c d Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music. Vol. 2. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 549, 698, 747, 760. ISBN 0-7864-2799-X.
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External links[edit]

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