Ira Gershwin: The Art of the Lyricist
Few lyricists have matched Ira Gershwin's ability to stretch "I love you" ingeniously throughout 32 bars of music. Despite his brilliant verses, his contributions to popular song have been somewhat underrated compared to the accolades bestowed upon his brother and collaborator, George. Furia's cogent critical biography is an important study of Ira's career that argues how important his work was in shaping what has become the quintessentially American language. He proceeds through detailed analyses of Gershwin hits; for example, Furia parses "The Man I Love" --in which the tension, he maintains, is strengthened by choosing "I love" instead of "I'll love" --to show how Ira managed to "weave witty sentiments out of the simplest of vernacular phrases." Furia also recounts the Gershwin brothers' process of collaboration and champions the underperformed Ira Gershwin^-Kurt Weill production,Lady in the Dark. Stories of glamorous Broadway musicals and MGM movie extravaganzas also inform the book. Moreover, Furia looks at Ira's retiring personality, which made him satisfied throughout his life with letting the legends around him take center stage.Aaron Cohen--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.