American Songbook Blogs

December 10, 1893: Lyricist Lew Brown was born on this date in 1893! Brown was born as Louis Brownstein in Odessa, Russian Empire. His family emigrated to the United States in 1898 and settled in The Bronx of New York City. Brown wrote lyrics for many of the top Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the day, including Albert Von Tilzer, Con Conrad, and Harold Arlen. He was one third of a successful songwriting and music publishing team with Ray Henderson and Buddy DeSylva from 1925 until 1929. Brown also wrote or co-wrote several Broadway shows. He was portrayed by Ernest Borgnine in the 1956 film The Best Things in Life Are Free, about the songwriting team of Brown, De Sylva and Henderson. Lew Brown died in New York City.