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Dorothy Fields: A Life in the American Musical Theater

Chandler Ward

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Published in I Can T Give You Anything But Love Baby: Dorothy Fields And Her Life In The American Musical Theater

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Dorothy Fields I Can T Give You Anything But Love Baby: Dorothy Fields And Her Life In The American Musical Theater

I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby: Dorothy Fields and Her Life in the American Musical Theater

4.4 out of 5

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Dorothy Fields was one of the most successful and prolific lyricists in the history of the American musical theater. Her songs, which include "The Way You Look Tonight," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah," have been performed by countless singers and actors and have become part of the Great American Songbook.

Fields was born in 1904 in New York City. Her father was a songwriter, and her mother was a singer. Fields began writing songs as a child, and she published her first song, "I'm Glad I Waited for You," in 1921.

In 1928, Fields married Jimmy McHugh, a composer. The couple collaborated on a number of songs, including "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby." Fields and McHugh divorced in 1940, but they continued to work together on occasion.

In the 1940s, Fields began writing for Broadway. Her first Broadway show, Annie Get Your Gun, was a huge success. Fields went on to write the lyrics for a number of other Broadway shows, including Oklahoma!, South Pacific, and The Pajama Game.

In the 1950s, Fields began writing for Hollywood. She wrote the lyrics for a number of films, including The Jolson Story, Singin' in the Rain, and High Society.

Fields died in 1974 at the age of 69. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.

Legacy

Dorothy Fields was one of the most important and influential lyricists in the history of the American musical theater. Her songs are still performed and enjoyed by people all over the world.

Fields's legacy is not only her songs, but also her mentorship of other lyricists. She helped to launch the careers of a number of young writers, including Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Herman.

Dorothy Fields was a true pioneer in the American musical theater. She was a talented lyricist who wrote some of the most beloved songs in the American songbook.

I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby: Dorothy Fields and Her Life in the American Musical Theater

4.4 out of 5