Louis C. Singer

Songwriter.
b. February 26, 1912 in The Bronx, New York City.
d. December 28, 1966

Child prodigy. Studied music theory, harmony, and counterpoint at Julliard School of Music.

Mr. Singer’s first job was with W. C. Handy. He then worked as an arranger in the Duke Ellington office, where he helped write “Lost in Meditation” (with Irving Mills, Duke Ellington, and Juan Tizol in 1938, and recorded by Duke Ellington), and "Gypsy Without a Song" (with Irving Gordon, Duke Ellington, and Juan Tizol in 1938 and recorded by McCoy Tyner).

During the 1940s, Mr. Singer worked extensively in radio, including the show “Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm” with John Kirby and Maxine Sullivan. He wrote “If I Had a Ribbon Bow” (with Hughie Prince and recorded by Fairport Convention). In 1947, he was named to the New York Times Honor Roll for Radio, and the Radio and Television Critics Circle. He also earned the Billboard and Variety Awards for contribution to radio.

During the 1940s, he also worked as staff arranger for Lou Levy (Leeds Music). This work inspired changes in his musical style and new collaborations. He wrote “Keep Smilin’ Keep Laughin’ Be Happy” (recorded by Doris Day); wrote “Sleepy Serenade” with Mort Greene (recorded by The Andrews Sisters); wrote “I Will be Home Again” with Raymond Leveen and Bennie Benjamin (recorded by the Golden Gate Quartet and later recorded by Elvis Presley, before he went into the army, and released on the album Elvis is Back!); and wrote “Bugler’s Dilemma” (recorded by John Kirby and his orchestra), and “Tic Tac Toe” (recorded by Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra).

Collaborated for many years with Hy Zaret. “Song of the Army Nurse Corps” was formally adopted as the official anthem of the Army Nurse Corps during World War II. Their first hit was "One Meatball". In 1944, The Andrews Sisters had a hit recording, Josh White's recording sold a million copies, Zaret and Singer also wrote "Young and Warm and Wonderful" (recorded by Gene Pitney, Tony Bennett, James Darren, and Eddie Adams Jr.) , "Atom and Evil" (recorded by The Golden Gate Quartet), "Listen to the Green Grass Growing", "I Spoke to Jefferson at Guadalcanal", "Israel's Freedom Ballad", "My Lily and My Rose", "The Lass with the Delicate Air" (recorded by Josh White, and a variation on an old English song by Michael Arne), and hundreds of Little Songs, including Ballads for the Age of Science and It Could be a Wonderful World.

Singer collaborated with Paul Glass on a series of books about the history of folk music, published by Grosset and Dunlap.