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Irving Berlin 1888-1989. Irving Berlin’s Life. Born on May 11, 1888 in Mogilev, which is now the country of Belarus Birth name was Israel Beilin . His family immigrated to the US in 1893. Berlin was 13 when his father died. Irving had to work to survive.
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Irving Berlin’s Life • Born on May 11, 1888 in Mogilev, which is now the country of Belarus • Birth name was Israel Beilin. • His family immigrated to the US in 1893. • Berlin was 13 when his father died. • Irving had to work to survive. • Worked as a singing waiter at Pelham's Cafe in Chinatown
Irving Berlin’s Life • Berlin was asked by the restaurant owner to write an original song for the cafe because a rival tavern had had their own song published. • The song, “Marie from Sunny Italy,” was published when Berlin was 19 years old and it earned him 37 cents. • It gave him a new career and a new name: Israel Beilin was misprinted as "I. Berlin" on the sheet music.
Irving Berlin’s Life • Wrote songs for Broadway & Hollywood • Wrote “White Christmas,” “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “God Bless America,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Blue Skies” • Died on Sept. 22, 1989 at the age of 101
“God Bless America” • Berlin originally wrote the song in 1918 while serving in the U.S. Army but decided that it did not fit in a revue called Yip Tip Yaphank, so he set it aside. • In 1938, with the rise of Hitler, Berlin, who was Jewish, and a first-generation European immigrant, felt it was time to revive it as a "peace song“ • It was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938 sung by Kate Smith, on her radio show.
Armistice Day • The anniversary of the symbolic end of World War I on Nov 11, 1918. • The cease fire took effect at 11 am - the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month." • Now called Veteran’s Day
“Blue Skies” • Published in 1927 • Became a #1 hit • That same year it became one of the first songs to be featured in a “talkie," when Al Jolson performed it in The Jazz Singer.
“There’s No Business Like Show Business” • Introduced in the musical “Annie Get Your Gun” (about Annie Oakley) • The song is sung by members of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in an attempt to persuade Annie Oakley to join the Wild West Show.
Links to Berlin’s Music • “White Christmas” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yg5g_Xl-uU • “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO23WBji_Z0&feature=related • “Puttin’ on the Ritz” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKPMk5_gStk • “God Bless America” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LSarhZpnMs • “There’s No Business Like Show Business” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJvwpufbLyM • “Blue Skies” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB-xqDZbEVQ