Harry Warren

by Joslyn LayneAmerican songwriter and publisher Harry Warren was responsible for hits spanning over 30 years, starting with his first successful tune, "Rose of the Rio Grande," in 1922. Born Salvatore Guaragna in 1893 in Brooklyn, NY, the composer wrote hundreds of popular songs and show tunes, including three for which he received Oscars: "Lullaby of Broadway," "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe," and "You'll Never Know," which was also his biggest seller in sheet music. Other well-known tunes penned by Warren include "I Only Have Eyes for You" (1934), "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" (1938), "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (1941), "That's Amore," and many more. He teamed up with numerous lyricists over the years, including Sam M. Lewis, Mort Dixon, Bud Green, and even Johnny Mercer for a brief period, but Warren collaborated more with Mack Gordon than any other lyricist. His last hit came in 1957 with "An Affair to Remember."