Readers have been in the know that my favorite musical is Gypsy, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim & music by Jule Styne. Before he left us, Styne had written 2,000 songs, published 1,500 & had 200 hits. Styne: "I'm talking about hit hits, the others were popular, but there were 200 hit hits." Those hits included: It's Been a Long, Long Time, It's Magic, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Time After Time, 5 Minutes More.
In Hollywood, he teamed up with Sammy Cahn on romantic ballads: I've Heard That Song Before, I'll Walk Alone & 3 Coins in the Fountain. On Broadway, he shifted from satire- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, with Leo Robin, to drama- Funny Girl, with Bob Merrill, also working with the great Betty Comden & Adolph Green on musical comedies- including 2 on the Aisle & Bells Are Ringing.
Styne: "I had 15 # 1 songs with Sammy Cahn. He loved that big-band sound, so every song had that big-band sound. Then I read lyrics by Yip Harburg & Leo Robin & I thought, 'I'd like to write to those kinds of words.' Yip's syllables & sounds tingle with music. Leo had a wonderful edge, a suave & very sophisticated way of comedy."
His songs often shared the stamp of the singers who introduced them: Carol Channing, Judy Holliday, Doris Day, Mary Martin, Barbra Streisand & Ethel Merman.
Born in London to Russian Jews in 1905, Styne moved to NYC & became a vocal coach & conductor for the Broadway musicals, which led to a job in Hollywood with 20th Century Fox, coaching Shirley Temple & Constance Bennett.
He said he changed his name at the suggestion of an executive of the Music Corporation of America, who told him that "Stein" seemed "too Jewish." He was also being confused with Dr. Jules Stein, the head of the Music Corporation.
Paramount borrowed Styne for the 1942 musical- Sweater Girl. He wrote songs including I Don't Want to Walk Without You, with Frank Loesser. The team turned out hits including: It's Been a Long, Long Time & I've Heard That Song Before. Many of their songs were written for Frank Sinatra, with whom Mr. Styne had a close if uneven relationship over the years.
Styne said he never liked working in the movies, even though he received an Oscar for 3 Coins in the Fountain & 7 nominations. Styne: "I didn't like a director telling me what song goes where. I was not pleased with Hollywood's adaptations of Gypsy & Funny Girl. The movies destroyed every musical they ever made from the stage.”
In 1959, Gypsy, his only collaboration with Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics, the pairing brought out the best in both of them. Frank Rich: "They brought out something in each other's talent that cannot quite be found in their extraordinary separate careers."
Hallelujah, Baby!, his 18th show, finally brought Styne a Tony. He was among the 5 artists honored in 1990 by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington for their cultural contributions to the nation. In 1992, he received the New Dramatists Lifetime Achievement Award. Styne was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the American Theatre Hall of Fame, & he was a recipient of a Drama Desk Special Award.
He was still composing in 1994 when his spotlight was shut off. Styne in 1990: "I've had a goodly life & I'm working as hard as I've ever worked. A sunny day when I can sit down & write, that's what makes life so good. The brain is an amazing thing. I could sit down to write 9 songs right now, & I don't know what would come out. That's the wonder of it all."
My favorite Jule Stein song is Neverland from Pete Pan, lyrics by Comden & Green:
I have a place where dreams are born
& time is never planned
It's not on any chart
You must find it with your heart
Never Never Land.
It might be miles beyond the moon,
Or right there where you stand.
Just keep an open mind
& then suddenly you'll find
Never Never Land
You'll have a treasure if you stay there
More precious far than gold.
For once you have found your way there
You can never, never grow old
& that's my home where dreams are born
& time is never planned
Just think of lovely things
& your heart will fly on wings
Forever in Never Never Land.
You'll have a treasure if you stay there
More precious far than gold
For once you have found your way there
You can never, never grow old
& that's my home where dreams are born
& time is never planned
Just think of lovely things
& your heart will fly on wings
Forever in Never Never Land
Styne/Comden/Green
1960
