Welcome to the official home of the lyricist par excellence who penned many Popular Standards -- "Blue Hawaii," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "Easy Living," "If I Should Lose You," "Love Is Just around the Corner," "Prisoner of Love," "Thanks for the Memory" -- just to name seven.
In the early years, Leo Robin wrote songs for The Greenwich Village Follies. These little revues were very important in showcasing new talent and giving artists their start. Leo and Richard Myers co-wrote “Whistle Away Your Blues,” which was used in the Follies of 1925. Then, Leo met the Gershwins and Leo’s attention turned to the Broadway stage and Leo worked on numerous Broadway shows between the years of 1926 and 1928. The spectacular score, with music by Vincent Youmans, from the 1927 smash hit, Hit the Deck, debuted the song, “Hallelujah!” that went on to become a popular standard. We have many gems from these Broadway shows when Leo started out for your pleasure.
Leo and Richard Myers, who collaborated frequently together on Broadway shows, wrote the catchy tune "I'm a One-Man Girl" which debuted in the show Bubbling Over in 1926 and later used in the stage musical production of Mister Cinders. They wrote, with Philip Charig, the charmers "Pull Yourself Together" and "Where Have You Been (All My Life)?" that were introduced in the Broadway show Allez-Oop! at the Earl Carroll Theatre on August 2, 1927 and later recorded by Nat Shilkret and The Victor Orchestra. They wrote the gems "I Want the World to Know" and "Say That You Love Me" for the Broadway show Hello Yourself in 1928 and these songs were subsequently recorded by Waring's Pennsylvanians.
Leo Robin would meet composer Rallph Rainger and they wrote their first hit together "I'll Take an Option on You" for the 1933 musical revue Tattle Tales by Betty Doree at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway and the song became a hit recorded by many including Dorothy Lamour. For your enjoyment, here are the many magical musical moments of songs Leo Robin wrote during the early years for these Broadway shows, revues and more.
A 1933 recording by Freddie Martin and his Orchestra, with vocals by Terry Shand who had deep jazz connections, performing "In a One-Room Flat," originally from a Maurice Chevalier 1933 musical film called The Way to Love (with Ann Dvorak, Edward Everett Horton, and Douglas Dumbrille)
A classic World War II savings bond song introduced by Bing Crosby with a chorus ensemble — “I’m Saving A Dime (Out Of Every Dollar)
A scene from the movie based on the novel The Ebb-Tide by Robert Louis Stevenson with the song of the same name
Bernie Cummins anh His New Yorkers performing "It's Oh, It's Ah, It's Wonderful," originally from a Maurice Chevalier 1933 musical film called The Way to Love
Bing Crosby singing "What Is Love?, " originally introduced in the 1936 film Hideaway Girl
Dana Suesse first hit song -- "Have You Forgotten" (Her first composition "Syncopated Love Song" bridged this gap between "serious" and "jazz" forms. It was originally written in 1928 as an instrumental called "Syncopated Love Song" and it wasn't popularized until Nathaniel Shilkret recorded it in 1929, and once Leo Robin created lyrics in 1931, it soon became the hit song "Have You Forgotten.")
David Rose And His Orchestra performing "Dreams Do Come True"
David Rose And His Orchestra performing "The Mask Waltz," originally introduced in the film Red, White and Blue
Dorothy Lamour singing "I'll Take an Option on You," originally introduced in the 1933 musical revue Tattle Tales by Betty Doree at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway
Geoffrey Gelder and his Kettner's Five performed "Where Have You Been (All My Life)?," originally introduced in Lucky Girl which opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London on November 14, 1928
Gracie Allen performing a hilarious version of “Vamp of the Pampas” in the 1935 comedy film Here Comes Cookie
Lawrence Welk performs with Lois Best singing "I Fell up to Heaven" from The Champagne Music of Lawrence Welk album and originally introduced in the 1939 short film A Song Is Born
Leo Robin's first song, “Whistle Away Your Blues," written with Richard Myers, which debuted in the Greenwich Village Follies in 1925
Lester Cortes with Ben Selvin and His Orchestra performing the song "Celia," originally introduced in the 1929 film The Man I Love (directed by William A. Wellman, produced by David O. Selznick and starred Richard Arlen)
Mildred Bailey performing "I've Gone Off the Deep End," which was written for Nice Goin'in 1939
Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra perform a medley from the 1927 Broadway show Judy (including "Wear Your Sunday Smile" and "Judy, Who D'Ya Love?") with Johnny Marvin singing the vocal refrain (Recorded April 14, 1927)
Nat Shilkret and The Victor Orchestra performing "Pull Yourself Together," originally introduced in the 1927 Broadway show Allez-Oop!
Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra with vocal refrain by Johnny Marvin performing "Where Have You Been (All My Life)?," debuting in Allez-Oop! at the Earl Carroll Theatre on August 2, 1927
Scene from the 1934 One Hour Late where Joe Morrison singing "I Can't Imagine Me Without You"
Scene where Robert Cummings singing and Eleanor Whitney tap dancing to the cute number "Laughin' at the Weather Man" in the 1935 film Millions in the Air
Sol K. Bright and his Hollywaiians performing "In a Little Bamboo Bungalow" (aka "Papio, little bamboo bungalow")
The catchy tune "I'm a One-Man Girl" from the stage musical production of Mister Cinders, originally introduced in the Broadway show Bubbling Over in 1926
The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, a very Disneyesque animated 1933 film, has kitchen tools frolicking & dancing to Leo Robin's theme song sung in the opening and later includes his ballad "I'll Take an Option on You"
Vic Damone singing "One Love"
Waring's Pennsylvanians perform "I Want the World to Know," originally introduced in the Broadway show Hello Yourself
Waring's Pennsylvanians perform "Say That You Love Me," originally introduced in the Broadway show Hello Yourself
* To go back to select another movie to view at Easy Living Theatre, click here Favorite Music Films
* To go back to the Leo Robin Songbook to select another Popular Song to listen to and/or view, click here The Popular Songs
In the early years, Leo Robin wrote songs for The Greenwich Village Follies. These little revues were very important in showcasing new talent and giving artists their start. Leo and Richard Myers co-wrote “Whistle Away Your Blues,” which was used in the Follies of 1925. Then, Leo met the Gershwins and Leo’s attention turned to the Broadway stage and Leo worked on numerous Broadway shows between the years of 1926 and 1928. The spectacular score, with music by Vincent Youmans, from the 1927 smash hit, Hit the Deck, debuted the song, “Hallelujah!” that went on to become a popular standard. We have many gems from these Broadway shows when Leo started out for your pleasure.