It is strange to think that you can be one of the most influential singer songwriters of all time and still have people shrug when they hear your name. As the talent behind iconic American tracks like ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea,’ ‘Songwriters on Parade,’ and ‘All or Nothing at All,’ Jack Lawrence should be one of the most recognizable names in US musical history. Yet, most people are unaware that Lawrence was responsible for some of the biggest hits ever sung by ‘Old Blue Eyes’ himself.
Jack Lawrence was born in 1912, in Brooklyn, New York, to Orthodox Jewish parents. He was the third of four sons and the family, though loving and supportive, often struggled with money. This was compounded by the fact that his mother and father were first cousins, who had fled their home in the Ukraine to be together.
Starting Out as a Hopeful Musician
Throughout his childhood, Lawrence showed remarkable talent – he wrote a number of songs during his time at school, but was coaxed into registering with the First Institute of Podiatry by his parents. In 1932, he left the school with a doctoral degree. However, in this same year, he also released his first commercial attempt at a hit song.
It was only a matter of time before the young star decided to pack in podiatry for music. Fortunately, his first track Play, Fiddle, Play soared to the top of the charts and he became a member of ASCAP at the tender age of 20. During the early forties, he started to collaborate with other artists – together with a group of talented songwriters, he create a remarkable review called Songwriters on Parade.
Making a Name on the Showbiz Stage
The troupe played all across America, but the jovialities were to be short-lived. The Second World War broke out and Lawrence enlisted with the United States Maritime Service. Whilst serving as band leader, in 1943, he penned the official song of the Maritime Service and Merchant Marines – Heave Ho! My Lads, Heave Ho!
After his departure from the forces, the plucky New York native would go on to write a rash of popular tunes; from Yes, My Darling Daughter to If I Didn’t Care and All or Nothing at All.’ Yet, he was never really known as the face behind any of them – rather, Jack Lawrence penned the hits and ended up introducing the world to iconic artists like The Ink Spots, Dinah Shore, and, of course, Frank Sinatra.
A Great Legacy and an Ever Greater Love
The jazz inspired tune Beyond the Sea, which was created as a response to the Charles Trenet hit La Mer, is arguably the biggest hit that Frank Lawrence ever had. Yet, he followed it in 1954 with the Academy Award nominated Hold My Hand. Plus, one of the most interesting things about Lawrence is the fact that he had an intimate relationship with long-time friend and one true love Dr. Walter David Myden.
This was a very unusual situation for any gay couple, never mind one so intimately acquainted with the bright lights of Hollywood, to be in during the years before Stonewall. Whilst Lawrence and Myden were careful about how they discussed their relationship in public, it was widely known that the two were long time lovers. When Myden passed away of a heart attack, in 1975, it hit Lawrence hard.
Yet, Lawrence himself would go on to live a long and happy life. He died at the grand old age of 96, after suffering a fall at his home, in 2009. Even if his name is not always instantly recognizable to American music fans, his playful lyrics and deft way with words certainly are.
