Credit Where It’s Due

To the Editor:

I enjoyed reading the article about the songwriter Jack Lawrence in your March 13th issue, however the false impression may have been given that he alone created most of the songs referred to.

I’m sure he would be the first to admit that he’s essentially a lyricist and although he also wrote the music for several, the music for some of his most successful ones was written by others. Here are the names of the those who composed the melodies for the following:

“Sleepy Lagoon” — Eric Coates; “Play Fiddle Play” — Emery Deutshe and Arthur Altman; “Tenderly” — Walter Gross; “Beyond The Sea” — the melody was taken from a previously published song by Charles Trenet who called it “La Mer.”

Tom Dwyer

8 Obtuse Road, Newtown                                              March 15, 2009