Al Dubin
A lyricist who poured the hustle and heart of 1930s New York into the words for some of Hollywood's most enduring melodies.
1891–1945 (age 54)·Swiss-American lyricist·Birthday: June 10·The Lost Generation
Biography
Al Dubin's life was a turbulent Broadway melodrama that produced the sunniest of Hollywood songs. A Swiss immigrant who grew up in Philadelphia and New York, he was drawn to the flash and grit of Tin Pan Alley and the Great White Way. His lyrics, often penned for composer Harry Warren, possessed a street-smart simplicity and a deep, sometimes wistful, sentimentality. They captured the essence of Depression-era America—the longing for escape in 'We're in the Money' and the romanticized nostalgia of 'Lullaby of Broadway'. Dubin's work for Warner Bros. musicals, particularly the Busby Berkeley spectacles, provided the verbal heartbeat to some of cinema's most elaborate dance sequences. His personal struggles with health and addiction were an open secret, adding a layer of poignant reality to his celebrations of joy and romance. Though his career was relatively brief, his words became embedded in the American songbook, a testament to his ability to translate everyday yearning into timeless verse.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Al was born in 1891, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Al Was Born
The biggest hits of 1891
Al's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1891Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1896Started school
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1904Became a teenager
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Could drive
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could vote
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Turned 21
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1921Turned 30
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1931Turned 40
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1941Turned 50
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1945Died at 54
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'Lullaby of Broadway' from the 1935 film 'Gold Diggers of 1935'.
- Wrote the lyrics for the standard '42nd Street', the title song for the seminal 1933 film musical.
- Collaborated with composer Harry Warren on over 100 songs for Warner Bros. film musicals in the 1930s.
- His song 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips', though written earlier, became a massive hit in 1929 and a cultural touchstone.
Did You Know?
He was so large later in life that a special desk had to be built for him at Warner Bros. to accommodate his size.
He often wrote lyrics on whatever was handy, including shirt cuffs and napkins.
He briefly studied to be a doctor at the University of Pennsylvania before dropping out to pursue songwriting.
Despite writing 'Lullaby of Broadway', he reportedly hated New York City and preferred living in Los Angeles.
“I'm for anything that gets the needle off 'moon' and 'June'.”
