Ira Gershwin
He gave the Gershwin brothers' indelible melodies their witty, tender, and sophisticated words, defining the American songbook.
1896–1983 (age 87)·American lyricist·Birthday: December 6·The Lost Generation
Biography
Ira Gershwin began his career in the shadow of his younger brother George's musical genius, writing light verse and jokes for vaudeville acts under the pseudonym 'Arthur Francis.' His true calling emerged when he started crafting lyrics for George's compositions, a partnership that fused seamlessly. Together, they elevated the Broadway musical, creating scores for shows like 'Lady, Be Good!' and 'Funny Face' that were brimming with urbanity and heart. After George's sudden death in 1937, Ira's profound grief led to a three-year hiatus, but he returned to collaborate with composers like Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen, proving his lyrical brilliance was his own. A master of internal rhyme and conversational elegance, he turned everyday emotions into timeless poetry, ensuring songs like 'They Can't Take That Away from Me' and 'A Foggy Day' became permanent fixtures of cultural memory.
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.
Ira was born in 1896, 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 Ira Was Born
The biggest hits of 1896
Ira's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1896Born
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1901Started school
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Became a teenager
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Could drive
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1914Could vote
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Turned 21
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 30
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 40
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 50
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 60
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 70
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 80
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1983Died at 87
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
Key Achievements
- Wrote the lyrics for the groundbreaking American opera 'Porgy and Bess' in collaboration with DuBose Heyward.
- Created the songbook for over a dozen Broadway musicals with his brother George, including 'Girl Crazy' and 'Of Thee I Sing.'
- Won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1932 for the musical 'Of Thee I Sing.'
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for 'They Can't Take That Away from Me' from the film 'Shall We Dance.'
Did You Know?
He was famously meticulous, keeping a 'Rhyme Book' of potential lyric pairs for future use.
His chosen pen name, Arthur Francis, was derived from the names of his other brother and sister.
He was the first lyricist to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
He donated his extensive collection of manuscripts and scrapbooks to the Library of Congress.
“Life's a kick, a giggle, a chuckle, a smile, a laugh, a yell, a scream, a shriek, a howl, a roar, a snort, a gasp, a sigh, a sob, a tear, a moan, a groan, a wail, a whimper, a whine, a bleat, a bellow, a bawl, a squall, a yelp, a yap, a bark, a growl, a grunt, a snarl, a hiss, a spit, a curse, a prayer.”
