The Life of Irving Berlin In His Own Words and Music
Performed by Jason Paul

The Young Izzy Revue

"Russian Lullaby" is a deeply evocative song composed by Irving Berlin in 1927, capturing a profound sense of nostalgia and longing. With its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, the song serves as a poignant tribute to Berlin’s Eastern European heritage. Born in Russia, Berlin immigrated to the United States to escape the pervasive anti-Semitism of the region. "Russian Lullaby" often is seen as a nod to his early life experiences, reflecting the emotional landscape of an immigrant yearning for the past yet embracing new beginnings in a land of opportunity. This song resonates with listeners for its beautiful composition and the emotional depth of its narrative, reflecting both personal and collective memories of displacement.

Russian Lullaby

"When I Lost You" is a song with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. It was written in 1912 after his wife of five months, the former Dorothy Goetz, died of typhoid fever. In it he poured out the grief of his loss; it was the only song that he ever admitted had such a connection to his own life. The song, a ballad, was unlike any of Berlin's previous songs, which were upbeat tunes written to take advantage of the dance craze. The song is in a slow waltz tempo. It became Berlin's first hit ballad.

Berlin had published 130 songs by this point, none of which previously had revealed his ability to write with moving sentiment about his own personal pain.

When I Lost You

"All by Myself" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin, published in 1921.

It was introduced in The Music Box Revue of 1922. Popular recordings in 1921 were by Ted Lewis, Frank Crumit, Aileen Stanley, Benny Krueger's Orchestra, Vaughn De Leath and by Ben Selvin (vocal by Ernest Hare).

All by Myself

"Say It with Music" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin. It was introduced in the Music Box Revue of 1921, where it was the de facto theme song and sung as a duet. The song was popularised by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra on 30 August 1921; this recording debuted on the charts on 12 November of that year, remained there for 14 weeks and peaked at number 1. Other popular versions in 1921/22 were by John Steel and by Ben Selvin.

Say It with Music

"Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon," written by Irving Berlin in 1910, marks his first hit where he crafted both lyrics and music. This playful and slightly risqué song showcases Berlin's early humor and talent, created on his custom piano that could change keys to accommodate his unique playing style, as he could only play on the black keys. It reflects his light-hearted approach to songwriting before the tragic death of his first wife, establishing his reputation as a versatile and innovative composer.

Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon

"Puttin' On the Ritz" is a song written by Irving Berlin. He wrote it in May 1927 and first published it on December 2, 1929. It was registered as an unpublished song on August 24, 1927 and again on July 27, 1928. It was introduced by Harry Richman and chorus in the musical film Puttin' On the Ritz (1930). According to The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin, this was the first song in film to be sung by an interracial ensemble. The title derives from the slang expression "to put on the Ritz", meaning to dress very fashionably. This expression was inspired by the opulent Ritz Hotel in London.

Hit phonograph records of the tune in its original period of popularity of 1929–1930 were recorded by Harry Richman and by Fred Astaire, with whom the song is particularly associated. Every other record label had their own version of this popular song (Columbia, Brunswick, Victor, and all of the dime store labels). Richman's Brunswick version of the song became the number-one selling record in America.