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'''Harold Campbell Adamson''' (December 10, 1906 – August 17, 1980)<ref name="LarkinGE">Larkin, pp. 41-42</ref> was an American [[lyricist]] during the 1930s and 1940s.
'''Harold Campbell Adamson''' (December 10, 1906 – August 17, 1980)<ref name="LarkinGE">Larkin, pp. 41-42</ref> was an American [[lyricist]] from the 1930s through the 1960s.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Adamson, the son of [[building contractor]] Harold Adamson and Marion "Minnie" Campbell Adamson, was born and raised in [[Greenville, New Jersey]], United States.<ref name=Jasen>Jasen, p. 2</ref>
Adamson, the son of [[building contractor]] Harold Adamson and Marion "Minnie" Campbell Adamson, was born in [[Greenville, New Jersey]], United States.<ref name="Jasen">Jasen, p. 2</ref> He was raised in [[Brooklyn]], New York, where he went to public schools. He later attended the [[Hackley School|Hackley prep school]] in [[Tarrytown, New York]].<ref name="ewen">Ewen</ref>


Adamson suffered from [[polio]] as a child which limited the use of his right hand. Initially, Adamson was interested in acting, but he began writing songs and poetry as a teenager.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
Adamson suffered from [[polio]] as a child which limited the use of his right hand. Initially, Adamson was interested in acting, but he began writing songs and poetry as a teenager.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>


He went on to study acting at the [[University of Kansas]] and [[Harvard]].<ref name="Jasen"/>
He went on to study acting at the [[University of Kansas]] and [[Harvard]],<ref name="Jasen"/> where he wrote the book and lyrics for ''Close-Up'', the first musical produced by the [[Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club|Harvard Dramatic Club]].<ref name="ewen"/>


==Career==
==Career==
Adamson was the lyricist for the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] musicals ''Smiles'' (1930),<ref>Suskin, p. 83</ref> ''[[The Earl Carroll Vanities|The Earl Carroll Vanities of 1931]]'',<ref>Green & Ginell, p. 76</ref> ''Singin' the Blues'' (1931), ''[[Banjo Eyes]]'' (1941),<ref>Mordden, p. 26</ref> and ''[[As the Girls Go]]'' (1948).<ref>Green & Ginell, p. 1948</ref>
Vincent Youmans had noticed Adamson's work at Harvard and, after Adamson graduated, recruited him to write lyrics for his 1930 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] musical ''Smiles''.<ref name="ewen"/> Adamson then began working with composer [[Burton Lane]], contributing the song "Say the Word" to ''[[The Second Little Show#Third Little Show|The Third Little Show]]''<ref>Bloom, p. 1114</ref> and "Crazy Street" to ''Singin' the Blues''<ref>Bloom, p. 1026</ref>, and writing the songs for ''[[Earl Carroll's Vanities]]'',<ref>Green & Ginell, p. 76</ref> all in 1931. In the same year, Adamson, with lyricist [[Mack Gordon]] and composer [[Harry Revel]], also placed "(I'm) All Wrapped Up in You" in the revue ''[[Everybody's Welcome]]''<ref>Bloom, p. 298</ref> and "Where's My Happy Ending?" in Revel and Gordon's musical ''Fast and Furious''.<ref>Bloom, p. 310</ref> In 1932 Adamson collaborated with Revel and Gordon on "Do Say You Do" for their musical ''[[Smiling Faces]]''.<ref>Bloom, p. 1036</ref>


He entered into a songwriting contract with [[MGM]] in 1933. During his stint with [[MGM]], he was nominated for five [[Academy Awards]].
Adamson and Lane both entered into songwriting contracts with [[MGM]] in 1933.<ref name="ewen"/> Their first film was ''[[Dancing Lady]]'', for which they wrote the hit song "[[Everything I Have Is Yours (song)|Everything I Have Is Yours]]". Adamson went on to write lyrics for original songs for [[:Category:Films with songs by Harold Adamson|more than 60 films]]. After Lane he worked with [[Walter Donaldson (songwriter)|Walter Donaldson]], then, on many films, with [[Jimmy McHugh]], and later with [[Jule Styne]], [[Hoagy Carmichael]], [[Harry Warren]], [[Sammy Fain]] and others.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burton |first1=Jack |title=The Blue Book of Hollywood Musicals |date=1953 |publisher=Century House |location=Watkins Glen, N.Y. |page=40 |url=https://archive.org/details/bluebookofhollyw00burt/page/40/mode/2up |access-date=8 June 2025}}</ref>


In 1941 he collaborated with Pierce Norman and [[baseball]]'s [[Joe DiMaggio]] to write "In the Beauty of Tahoe", published by [[Memory Lane Music Group|Larry Spier, Inc.]]<ref>[https://huntauctions.com/live/imageviewer_online.cfm?auction_num=27&lot_num=911&lot_qual= "Joe DiMaggio Auction, Lot Number: 911"] ''Hunt Auctions'' June 14, 2017</ref> In 1953 he added lyrics to [[Eliot Daniel]]'s theme for the [[sitcom]] ''[[I Love Lucy]]''.
Later in his career, Adamson periodically returned to Broadway, writing lyrics for ''[[Banjo Eyes]]'' (1941)<ref>Mordden, p. 26</ref> and ''[[As the Girls Go]]'' (1948).<ref>Green & Ginell, p. 1948</ref> In 1963 he added words to [[Victor Young]]'s music for the 1956 film ''[[Around the World in 80 Days (1956 film)|Around the World in 80 Days]]'' (he had written lyrics for the film's theme, "[[Around the World (1956 song)|Around the World]]", though they were not used in the film<ref name="ewen"/>), and also wrote new songs with Sammy Fain, for a stage adaptation presented at the [[Jones Beach Theater]] in [[Wantagh, New York]].<ref>Bloom, p. 49-50.</ref> His shows ''Hi Ya, Gentlemen'', with [[Johnny Green]] (1940),<ref>Bloom, p. 477</ref> and ''Strip for Action'', with [[Jimmy McHugh]] (1956),<ref>Bloom, pp. 1074-1075</ref> closed out of town.


He retired from songwriting in the early 1960s,<ref name="Jasen"/> and was inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 1972.
In 1941 Adamson collaborated with Pierce Norman and [[baseball]]'s [[Joe DiMaggio]] to write "In the Beauty of Tahoe", published by [[Memory Lane Music Group|Larry Spier, Inc.]]<ref>[https://huntauctions.com/live/imageviewer_online.cfm?auction_num=27&lot_num=911&lot_qual= "Joe DiMaggio Auction, Lot Number: 911"] ''Hunt Auctions'' June 14, 2017</ref>


==Songs or lyrics by Harold Adamson==
Adamson also occasionally worked in television. In 1953 he added lyrics to [[Eliot Daniel]]'s theme for the [[sitcom]] ''[[I Love Lucy]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=I Love Lucy: An American Legend |url=https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/i-love-lucy/theme-songs.html |website=LoC.gov |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=3 June 2025}}</ref> He and Harry Warren wrote the themes for two Western series: [[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp]], which aired from 1955 to 1961, and [[The Californians (TV series)|The Californians]], which aired from 1957 to 1959.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burlingame |first1=Jon |title=Music for Prime Time: A History of American Television Themes and Scoring |date=2023 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-061830-8 |page=88 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DGqEAAAQBAJ&dq=Californians+NBC&pg=PA88 |access-date=December 20, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
* "[[An Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair)]]"
* "[[Around the World (1956 song)|Around the World]]"
* "[[Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer]]"
* "Daybreak"
* "[[Everything I Have Is Yours (song)|Everything I Have Is Yours]]" (with [[Burton Lane]])
* "Eighty Miles Outside of Atlanta". From the 1944 film ''[[Something for the Boys (film)|Something for the Boys]]'' starring [[Carmen Miranda]], [[Michael O'Shea (actor)|Michael O'Shea]], and [[Vivian Blaine]]
* "Ferry-Boat Serenade" (with E. Di Lazzaro)
* "How Blue the Night" (music by [[Jimmy McHugh]], recorded by [[Dick Haymes]] March 5, 1944)
* "[[I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night]]" nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Song|Oscar]] for Best Song, also featured in the 1943 film ''Higher and Higher'', sung by Frank Sinatra
* "I Love Lucy (And She Loves Me)"
* "I Wish I Were a Fish", from the 1964 film ''[[The Incredible Mr. Limpet]]'', sung by [[Don Knotts]]
* "It's a Wonderful World"
* "It's a Most Unusual Day"
* "I've Come to California", [[theme song]] for the [[NBC]] [[television series]] ''[[The Californians (TV series)|The Californians]]''
* "[[A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening]]" from the 1943 film ''[[Higher and Higher (film)|Higher and Higher]]'', sung by [[Frank Sinatra]]
* "[[Manhattan Serenade]]"
* "[[My Resistance Is Low]]"
* "[[Antigonish (poem)|The Little Man Who Wasn't There]]"
* "There's Something in the Air"
* "[[Time on My Hands (song)|Time on My Hands]]" (with [[Mack Gordon]] and [[Vincent Youmans]])
* "We're Having a Baby (My Baby and Me)" 1941. Music by [[Vernon Duke]]. Sung by [[Desi Arnaz]]
* "When Love Goes Wrong" with [[Howard Hoagland Carmichael]] for [[Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film)|''Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'']].
* "[[Where Are You? (1937 song)|Where Are You?]]". Music by [[Jimmy McHugh]]
* "Winter Moon" . Music by [[Hoagy Carmichael]] 
* "You're a Sweetheart" (1937) Music by Jimmy McHugh<ref name="LarkinGE"/>


==Citations==
Adamson was adept at adding lyrics to previously written melodies. In addition to "Around the World" and the ''I Love Lucy'' theme, in 1942 he added lyrics to [[Louis Alter]]'s "[[Manhattan Serenade]]" and to "Mardi Gras" from [[Ferde Grofé]]'s 1926 ''[[Mississippi Suite]]'', which became "Daybreak". Both adaptations were commercial successes.<ref name="ewen"/> He also wrote "[[The Woodpecker Song]]" to [[Eldo Di Lazzaro]]'s music for "Reginella campagnola" and "Ferry-Boat Serenade" to Di Lazzaro's "La piccinina", both hits in 1940.<ref>{{cite web |title=Songs from the Year 1940 |url=https://tsort.info/music/yr1940.htm |website=tsort.info |access-date=3 June 2025 |ref=2.9.0001}}</ref>
 
His last projects, along with ''Around the World in 80 Days'', were the films ''[[A Ticklish Affair]]'' and ''[[Island of Love (1963 film)|Island of Love]]'' in 1963 and ''[[The Incredible Mr. Limpet]]'' in 1964.<ref name="ewen"/>
 
==Personal life==
Adamson married Judy Crisfeld in 1935. They had a daughter, Eve, who later founded the [[Jean Cocteau Repertory]] in New York City. Harold and Judy divorced in 1941. In 1947 he married Gretchen Davidson, a Broadway actress.<ref name="ewen"/>
 
==Awards and nominations==
Five of Adamson's songs written for films were nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Song]] (see [[#Notable songs|Notable songs]]).
 
He was inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prodigious Hollywood composer gave us score to "Around the World in 80 Days" and dozens more. |url=https://www.songhall.org/profile/Harold_Adamson |website=SongHall.org |publisher=Songwriters Hall of Fame |access-date=3 June 2025}}</ref>
 
In 2007, [[ASCAP]] and Adamson's heirs established the annual Harold Adamson Lyric Award, given to aspiring lyricists who "demonstrate talent and an intelligent and sensitive use of language".<ref>{{cite web |title=The ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Awards |url=https://www.ascapfoundation.org/programs/awards/award-recipients/adamson.aspx |website=ascapfoundation.org |publisher=The ASCAP Foundation |access-date=3 June 2025}}</ref> In 2024, [[ASCAP]] awarded the first Harold Adamson Prize for Mid-Career Concert Music Composers and Performers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mary Kouyoumdjian Selected to Receive Inaugural ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Prize for a Mid-Career Concert Music Composer and Performer |url=https://www.ascap.com/press/2024/01/inaugural-harold-adamson-prize |website=ascapfoundation.org |publisher=The ASCAP Foundation |access-date=3 June 2025}}</ref>
 
==Films==
Harold Adamson wrote several original songs for each of these films:<ref name="craig">{{cite book |last1=Craig |first1=Warren |title=The Great Songwriters of Hollywood |date=1980 |publisher=A.S. Barnes |location=San Diego |isbn=0498024393 |pages=140-142 |url=https://archive.org/details/greatsongwriters0000crai/ |access-date=8 June 2025}}</ref>
 
* ''[[Dancing Lady]]'' (1933, music by [[Burton Lane]]{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=49}})
* ''[[Bottoms Up (1934 film)|Bottoms Up]]'' (1934, music by Burton Lane{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=57}})
* ''[[Reckless (1935 film)|Reckless]]'' (1935, with [[Edwin Knopf]], music by Burton Lane and Jack King{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=74}})
* ''[[Here Comes the Band (film)|Here Comes the Band]]'' (1935, music by Burton Lane and [[Walter Donaldson (songwriter)|Walter Donaldson]]{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=72}})
* ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' (1936, music by Walter Donaldson{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=84}})
* ''[[Banjo on My Knee (film)|Banjo on My Knee]]'' (1936, music by [[Jimmy McHugh]]{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=88}})
* ''[[Hitting a New High]]'' (1937, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=95}})
* ''[[You're a Sweetheart]]'' (1937, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=99}})
* ''[[Top of the Town (film)|Top of the Town]]'' (1937, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=98}})
* ''[[Merry-Go-Round of 1938]]'' (1937, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=96}})
* ''[[Mad About Music]]'' (1938, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=110}})
* ''[[The Road to Reno (1938 film)|The Road to Reno]]'' (1938, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=115}})
* ''[[That Certain Age]]'' (1938, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=112}})
* ''[[Around the World (1943 film)|Around the World]]'' (1943, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=179}})
* ''[[Higher and Higher (film)|Higher and Higher]]'' (1943, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=182}})
* ''[[Hit Parade of 1943]]'' (1943, music by [[Jule Styne]]{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=183}})
* ''[[Four Jills in a Jeep]]'' (1944, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=195}})
* ''[[Something for the Boys (film)|Something for the Boys]]'' (1944, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=200}})
* ''[[Bring On the Girls (film)]]'' (1945, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=208}})
* ''[[Doll Face]]'' (1945, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=208}})
* ''[[Nob Hill (film)|Nob Hill]]'' (1945, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=214}})
* ''[[Calendar Girl (1947 film)|Calendar Girl]]'' (1947, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=229}})
* ''[[Hit Parade of 1947]]'' (1947, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=230}})
* ''[[Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman]]'' (1947, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=235}})
* ''[[If You Knew Susie (film)|If You Knew Susie]]'' (1948, music by Jimmy McHugh{{sfn|Burton|1953|p=240}})
* ''[[Jupiter's Darling]]'' (1955, music by Burton Lane{{sfn|Craig|1980|p=164}})
* ''[[An Affair to Remember]]'' (1957, music by [[Harry Warren]]{{sfn|Craig|1980|p=109}})
* ''[[The Incredible Mr. Limpet]]'' (1964, music by [[Sammy Fain]]{{sfn|Craig|1980|p=86}})
 
He contributed original songs to [[:Category:Films with songs by Harold Adamson|many other films]].<ref name="craig"/>
 
==Notable songs==
* "[[Time on My Hands (song)|Time on My Hands]]". With [[Mack Gordon]]. Music by [[Vincent Youmans]]. From the 1930 musical ''[[Smiles (musical)|Smiles]]''.<ref>Hischak 1995, p. 348-349</ref>
* "[[Everything I Have Is Yours (song)|Everything I Have Is Yours]]". Music by [[Burton Lane]]. From the 1933 film ''[[Dancing Lady]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 70</ref>
* "Your Head on My Shoulder". Music by Burton Lane. From the 1934 film ''[[Kid Millions]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 361</ref>
* "Did I Remember". Music by [[Walter Donaldson (songwriter)|Walter Donaldson]]. From the 1936 film ''[[Suzy (film)|Suzy]]''. Nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Song]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The 9th Academy Awards - 1937 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1937 |website=oscars.org |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>
* "There's Something in the Air". Music by [[Jimmy McHugh]]. From the 1936 film ''[[Banjo on My Knee (film)|Banjo on My Knee]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 303</ref>
* "Where the Lazy River Goes By". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1936 film ''Banjo on My Knee''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 338</ref>
* "[[Where Are You? (1937 song)|Where Are You?]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1937 film ''[[Top of the Town (film)|Top of the Town]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 336-337</ref>
* "You're a Sweetheart". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1937 [[You're a Sweetheart|film of the same name]].<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 362</ref>
* "My Own". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1938 film ''[[That Certain Age]]''. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 11th Academy Awards - 1939 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1939 |website=oscars.org |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>
* "[[You're as Pretty as a Picture]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1938 film ''[[That Certain Age]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 362-363</ref>
* "It's a Wonderful World". Music by [[Jan Savitt]] and John K. Watson. 1939.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 186</ref>
* "Ferry-Boat Serenade". Music by [[Eldo Di Lazzaro]]. 1940.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 104</ref>
* "[[The Woodpecker Song]]". Music by Eldo Di Lazzaro. 1940.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 409-410</ref>
* "[[Manhattan Serenade]]". Music by [[Louis Alter]]. 1942.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 229</ref>
* "[[Mississippi Suite#Daybreak|Daybreak]]". Music by [[Ferde Grofé]]. 1942.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 78-79</ref>
* "[[Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. 1943.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 67</ref>
* "Change of Heart". Music by [[Jule Styne]]. From the 1943 film ''[[Hit Parade of 1943]]''. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 16th Academy Awards - 1944 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1944 |website=oscars.org |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>
* "[[A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. 1943.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 191</ref>
* "[[I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1944 film ''[[Higher and Higher (film)|Higher and Higher]]''. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 17th Academy Awards - 1945 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1945 |website=oscars.org |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>
* "[[Dig You Later (A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba)]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1945 film ''[[Doll Face]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 107</ref>
* "[[It's a Most Unusual Day]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1948 film ''[[A Date with Judy (film)|A Date with Judy]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 152-153</ref>
* "You Say the Nicest Things, Baby". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1948 musical ''[[As the Girls Go]]''.<ref>Hischak 1995, p. 403</ref>
* "[[My Resistance Is Low]]". Music by [[Hoagy Carmichael]]. From the 1952 film ''[[The Las Vegas Story (film)]]''.<ref>Hischak 1999, p. 212</ref>
* "[[Around the World (1956 song)|Around the World]]". Music by [[Victor Young]]. 1956.<ref>Hischak 2002, p. 21</ref>
* "[[I Just Found Out About Love]]". Music by Jimmy McHugh. From the 1956 musical ''Strip for Action''.<ref>Bloom, p. 1074-1075</ref>
* "[[An Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair)]]". With [[Leo McCarey]]. Music by [[Harry Warren]]. From the 1957 film ''[[An Affair to Remember]]''. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 30th Academy Awards - 1958 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1958 |website=oscars.org |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>
 
See also [[:Category:Songs with lyrics by Harold Adamson|Songs with lyrics by Harold Adamson]] and [[:Category:Films with songs by Harold Adamson|Films with songs by Harold Adamson]].
 
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==References==
==References==
* {{cite book|title=American Song: Songwriters, The complete companion to Tin Pan Alley Song|chapter=Harold Adamson|first1=Ken|last1=Bloom|year=1996|pages=5–6|publisher=Schirmer Books|isbn=9780028654782}}
* {{cite book |last1=Bloom |first1=Ken |author-link1=Ken Bloom (writer) |title=American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion |date=1996 |publisher=Schirmer Books |location=New York |isbn=0-02-870484-3 |page=53 |edition=2nd}}
* {{cite encyclopedia|title=Adamson, Harold Campbell (10 December 1906–17 August 1980)|encyclopedia=[[American National Biography]]|volume=1|pages=135–136|doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1801376|year=1999|first1=James |last1=Fisher}}
* {{cite book |title=American Songwriters |last1=Ewen |first1=David |author-link1=David Ewen (writer) |year=1987 |pages=3-5 |publisher=H.W. Wilson |location=New York |isbn=0-8242-0744-0}}
* {{cite book|title=Broadway Musicals: Show by Show|first1=Stanley |last1=Green|author-link1=Stanley Green (historian)|first2=Cary |last2=Ginell|publisher=Applause, [[Rowman & Littlefield]]|isbn=9781493050710|year=2019}}
* {{cite book|title=Broadway Musicals: Show by Show|first1=Stanley |last1=Green|author-link1=Stanley Green (historian)|first2=Cary |last2=Ginell|publisher=Applause, [[Rowman & Littlefield]]|isbn=9781493050710|year=2019}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hischak |first1=Thomas |title=The American Musical Theatre Film Song Encyclopedia |date=1995 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Conn. |isbn=0-313-29407-0}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hischak |first1=Thomas |title=The American Musical Film Song Encyclopedia |date=1999 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Conn. |isbn=0-313-30737-7}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hischak |first1=Thomas |title=The TIn Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia |date=2002 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Conn. |isbn=0-313-31992-8}}
* {{cite book|last1=Jasen|first1=David A.|title=Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song|url=https://archive.org/details/tinpanalleyencyc00jase|url-access=limited|date=2003|publisher=Routledge|location=New York and London|isbn=0415938775|page=[https://archive.org/details/tinpanalleyencyc00jase/page/n19 2]}}
* {{cite book|last1=Jasen|first1=David A.|title=Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song|url=https://archive.org/details/tinpanalleyencyc00jase|url-access=limited|date=2003|publisher=Routledge|location=New York and London|isbn=0415938775|page=[https://archive.org/details/tinpanalleyencyc00jase/page/n19 2]}}
* {{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Larkin, Colin.]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|pages=41–42}}
* {{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Larkin, Colin.]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|pages=41–42}}
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zF7nCwAAQBAJ&dq=Banjo+Eyes+1941+Harold+Adamson&pg=PA26|title=Beautiful Mornin': The Broadway Musical in the 1940s|first1=Ethan |last1=Mordden|year=1999|isbn=9780195128512|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zF7nCwAAQBAJ&dq=Banjo+Eyes+1941+Harold+Adamson&pg=PA26|title=Beautiful Mornin': The Broadway Musical in the 1940s|first1=Ethan |last1=Mordden|author-link1=Ethan Mordden|year=1999|isbn=9780195128512|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_usBBxC_TQC&dq=Smiles+1930+%C2%A0Harold+Adamson&pg=PA83|title=Show Tunes: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway's Major Composers|page=83|first1=Steven |last1=Suskin|year=2000|isbn=9780195125993|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{cite web |title=Harold Adamson |url=http://www.ciajfk.com/harold.html |website=his nephew Bruce Campbell Anderson's website |access-date=4 June 2025}} Includes lists of single songs and films with Harold Adamson's songs.
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* [http://www.ciajfk.com/harold.html Additional information on Harold Adamson]
*[https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/103077/Adamson_Harold Harold Adamson] at the [[Discography of American Historical Recordings]]
* Bio on [https://web.archive.org/web/20051119125446/http://www.mtishows.com/bio.asp?bID=3312 Music Theater International] site
* {{Shof|id=38|name=Harold Adamson}}
* {{MusicBrainz artist|id=a3243e28-dc60-4d91-8bd4-5e2cfff9b181|name=Harold Adamson}}
* {{MusicBrainz artist|id=a3243e28-dc60-4d91-8bd4-5e2cfff9b181|name=Harold Adamson}}
* [http://ciajfk.com/harold.html - Bruce Adamson on website has free video]


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Revision as of 09:55, 9 June 2025

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Harold Campbell Adamson (December 10, 1906 – August 17, 1980)[1] was an American lyricist from the 1930s through the 1960s.

Early life

Adamson, the son of building contractor Harold Adamson and Marion "Minnie" Campbell Adamson, was born in Greenville, New Jersey, United States.[2] He was raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he went to public schools. He later attended the Hackley prep school in Tarrytown, New York.[3]

Adamson suffered from polio as a child which limited the use of his right hand. Initially, Adamson was interested in acting, but he began writing songs and poetry as a teenager.[1]

He went on to study acting at the University of Kansas and Harvard,[2] where he wrote the book and lyrics for Close-Up, the first musical produced by the Harvard Dramatic Club.[3]

Career

Vincent Youmans had noticed Adamson's work at Harvard and, after Adamson graduated, recruited him to write lyrics for his 1930 Broadway musical Smiles.[3] Adamson then began working with composer Burton Lane, contributing the song "Say the Word" to The Third Little Show[4] and "Crazy Street" to Singin' the Blues[5], and writing the songs for Earl Carroll's Vanities,[6] all in 1931. In the same year, Adamson, with lyricist Mack Gordon and composer Harry Revel, also placed "(I'm) All Wrapped Up in You" in the revue Everybody's Welcome[7] and "Where's My Happy Ending?" in Revel and Gordon's musical Fast and Furious.[8] In 1932 Adamson collaborated with Revel and Gordon on "Do Say You Do" for their musical Smiling Faces.[9]

Adamson and Lane both entered into songwriting contracts with MGM in 1933.[3] Their first film was Dancing Lady, for which they wrote the hit song "Everything I Have Is Yours". Adamson went on to write lyrics for original songs for more than 60 films. After Lane he worked with Walter Donaldson, then, on many films, with Jimmy McHugh, and later with Jule Styne, Hoagy Carmichael, Harry Warren, Sammy Fain and others.[10]

Later in his career, Adamson periodically returned to Broadway, writing lyrics for Banjo Eyes (1941)[11] and As the Girls Go (1948).[12] In 1963 he added words to Victor Young's music for the 1956 film Around the World in 80 Days (he had written lyrics for the film's theme, "Around the World", though they were not used in the film[3]), and also wrote new songs with Sammy Fain, for a stage adaptation presented at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.[13] His shows Hi Ya, Gentlemen, with Johnny Green (1940),[14] and Strip for Action, with Jimmy McHugh (1956),[15] closed out of town.

In 1941 Adamson collaborated with Pierce Norman and baseball's Joe DiMaggio to write "In the Beauty of Tahoe", published by Larry Spier, Inc.[16]

Adamson also occasionally worked in television. In 1953 he added lyrics to Eliot Daniel's theme for the sitcom I Love Lucy.[17] He and Harry Warren wrote the themes for two Western series: The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, which aired from 1955 to 1961, and The Californians, which aired from 1957 to 1959.[18]

Adamson was adept at adding lyrics to previously written melodies. In addition to "Around the World" and the I Love Lucy theme, in 1942 he added lyrics to Louis Alter's "Manhattan Serenade" and to "Mardi Gras" from Ferde Grofé's 1926 Mississippi Suite, which became "Daybreak". Both adaptations were commercial successes.[3] He also wrote "The Woodpecker Song" to Eldo Di Lazzaro's music for "Reginella campagnola" and "Ferry-Boat Serenade" to Di Lazzaro's "La piccinina", both hits in 1940.[19]

His last projects, along with Around the World in 80 Days, were the films A Ticklish Affair and Island of Love in 1963 and The Incredible Mr. Limpet in 1964.[3]

Personal life

Adamson married Judy Crisfeld in 1935. They had a daughter, Eve, who later founded the Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York City. Harold and Judy divorced in 1941. In 1947 he married Gretchen Davidson, a Broadway actress.[3]

Awards and nominations

Five of Adamson's songs written for films were nominated for Academy Award for Best Song (see Notable songs).

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.[20]

In 2007, ASCAP and Adamson's heirs established the annual Harold Adamson Lyric Award, given to aspiring lyricists who "demonstrate talent and an intelligent and sensitive use of language".[21] In 2024, ASCAP awarded the first Harold Adamson Prize for Mid-Career Concert Music Composers and Performers.[22]

Films

Harold Adamson wrote several original songs for each of these films:[23]

He contributed original songs to many other films.[23]

Notable songs

See also Songs with lyrics by Harold Adamson and Films with songs by Harold Adamson.

Notes

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  1. ↑ a b Larkin, pp. 41-42
  2. ↑ a b Jasen, p. 2
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h Ewen
  4. ↑ Bloom, p. 1114
  5. ↑ Bloom, p. 1026
  6. ↑ Green & Ginell, p. 76
  7. ↑ Bloom, p. 298
  8. ↑ Bloom, p. 310
  9. ↑ Bloom, p. 1036
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Mordden, p. 26
  12. ↑ Green & Ginell, p. 1948
  13. ↑ Bloom, p. 49-50.
  14. ↑ Bloom, p. 477
  15. ↑ Bloom, pp. 1074-1075
  16. ↑ "Joe DiMaggio Auction, Lot Number: 911" Hunt Auctions June 14, 2017
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Hischak 1995, p. 348-349
  25. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 70
  26. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 361
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 303
  29. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 338
  30. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 336-337
  31. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 362
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 362-363
  34. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 186
  35. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 104
  36. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 409-410
  37. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 229
  38. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 78-79
  39. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 67
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 191
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 107
  44. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 152-153
  45. ↑ Hischak 1995, p. 403
  46. ↑ Hischak 1999, p. 212
  47. ↑ Hischak 2002, p. 21
  48. ↑ Bloom, p. 1074-1075
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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References

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External links

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