Sammy Cahn is considered to be one of the best American lyricists of the 20th century. A versatile man with a talent for melody, witty phrasing, and sincere emotion, he is known as a lyricist of a number of well-known songs used in Hollywood musicals. The author of dozens of well-written lyrics, he was Samuel Cohen, born on June 18, 1913. His career was connected not only with lyrics but also with plays, screenwriting, and work in radio broadcasts and night clubs. Unfortunately, the great man died on January 15, 1993. But the lyrics of Sammy Cahn are considered to be an invaluable part of the American songbook.

Early life in New York

As a native New Yorker, Cahn lived in a Jewish family in a city that was full of arts and entertainment in the early 20th century. Being attracted to Broadway shows and to popular at that time vaudeville, the future songwriter entered the world of arts. At the very beginning of his career, he chose the surname Cahn to form his professional identity.

Being a young writer of lyrics, Sammy knew that a song should not only be written but also performed and sound well. In order to make a good impression, he tried to write witty lines that would be appropriate for singing. Besides, his talent for adaptation made him move from witty rhymes to being a real professional of lyrics. To tell the truth, Cahn was known as a very flexible person who could create both light and sentimental songs.

By the 1940s, the songwriter realized that Americans needed songs reflecting their feelings in wartime and post-war periods. There were many emotions experienced by Americans in that period, including longing, loneliness, hopefulness, optimism, and happiness of being in love. The ability to portray vividly these feelings using language not full of unnecessary words was one of the distinctive features of the songwriter.

Hits across Hollywood

The period of Sammy Cahn's career that made him really famous is related to his work in Hollywood. Working together with such excellent composers as Jule Styne and Jimmy Van Heusen, he created numerous standards of American popular music of the 20th century. Moreover, the songs written by him in collaboration with different composers have become widely recognized due to the efforts of famous pop stars of that age. One such singer who performed the songs of Sammy Cahn was Frank Sinatra.

Some of the most famous songs of Sammy Cahn include:

  • Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week) (the 1944 standard)
  • Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (the 1945 holiday classic)
  • Time After Time (the 1947 favorite)
  • Three Coins in the Fountain (the 1954 Oscar winner)
  • All the Way (the 1957 Oscar winner)
  • Call Me Irresponsible (the 1963 Oscar winner)

Besides, he is known as a co-author of the famous song "Love and Marriage." Another feature which should be highlighted here is the fact that Cahn managed to write a tune for a scene in a movie or for the whole song that could become a standard afterwards. It was especially easy to work with Van Heusen because of similar views on frugality.

Being an excellent lyricist, Sammy Cahn was able not only to invent witty phrases but to build a good structure of a song, to develop its plot and organize it properly. In fact, every song written by Sammy Cahn resembles a short story. For this reason, these songs stay popular for several decades after their premiere because they can be successfully performed not only by big bands but also by singers performing jazz and contemporary songs.

Style and legacy

Sammy Cahn was different from other songwriters of that time because he managed to merge sophistication of the lyrics with simplicity of speech. Using rhymes, rhythm of speech, and good punch lines, he did not try to draw attention to the method of writing itself. The listener hears first a witty phrase and then understands that the lyrics are well written. It is not an easy task, and that is why Cahn was such a popular writer in those days.

Besides, he contributed much to the creation of an image of a witty and knowledgeable songwriter in his public appearances and interviews. Moreover, he is one of the representatives of that generation of songwriters who regarded popular songs seriously despite the fact that these songs were written to be performed by the masses. Since he succeeded in his work with composers creating good melodies, he became a part of the Hollywood songwriting dream team.

Cahn's influence can be seen in the approach to the relation between speech and song of later songwriters. He proved that a song does not have to be full of literary devices but to be written in the perfect rhythm and to describe true feelings.

Sammy Cahn's contribution to American popular music is characterized by two components – quantity and quality. However, as in many cases, memorability is the main criterion of success. He wrote memorable phrases, melodies, and songs for movies that later turned into standards. From his early work in New York to his work in Hollywood, he created a great number of memorable and well-written lyrics.