Joseph Meyer
b. 12 March 1894, Modesto, California, USA, d. 22 June 1987, New York, USA. Meyer was a composer of popular songs, from the early '20s through the '40s. He studied the violin in Paris, and served as a cafe violinist when he returned to the USA in 1908. After military service in World War I, he spent some time in the shipping business before taking up songwriting. In 1922, with Harry Ruby, he wrote My Honey's Lovin Arms’, which became a hit for Benny Goodman, Isham Jones and the California Ramblers, and was successfully revived on Barbra Streisand's debut album in 1963. During the '20s and '30s, Meyer contributed songs to several stage shows, including BATTLING BUTLER (You're So Sweet and As We Leave The Years Behind) and BIG BOY (starring Al Jolson singing California, Here I Come). Another song from BIG BOY, If You Knew Susie, was recorded by Eddie Cantor. Meyer also contributed to GAY PAREE (Bamboo Babies), ANDRE CHARLOTE'S REVUE OF 1925 (A Cup Of Coffee, A Sandwich, And You), SWEETHEART TIME (Who Loves You As I Do?), JUST FANCY (You Came Along), HERE'S HOWE (Crazy Rhythm and Imagination), LADY FINGERS (There's Something In That, An Open Book and I Love You More Then Yesterday), WAKE UP AND DREAM, JONICA, SHOOT THE WORKS (Chirp, Chirp), the ZIEGFELD FOLLIES OF 1934 and NEW FACES OF 1936(It's High Time I Got The Low-Down On You). His film songs included I Love You, I Hate You ( DANCING SWEETIES), Can It Be Possible? ( THE LIFE OF THE PARTY), Oh, I Didn't Know, It's An Old Southern Custom, It's Time To Say Goodnight, I Got Shoes, You Got Shoesies and According To The Moonlight (Georg eWhite's 1935 SCANDALS). His other popular numbers included Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley (the signature tune of pianist, Charlie Kunz), Sweet So And So, Just A Little Closer, How Long Will It Last? (used in the 1931 Joan Crawford-Clark Gable drama POSSESSED), Isn't It Heavenly?, I Wish I Were Twins, And Then They Called It Love, Hurry Home, Love Lies, Let's Give Love A Chance, Passe, But I Did, Fancy Our Meeting, I've Got A Heart Filled With Love, There's No Fool Like An Old Fool, Idle Gossip and Watching The Clock. His collaborators included Billy Moll, Billy Rose, Al Dubin, Jack Yellen, Cliff Friend, Buddy De Sylva, Herb Magidson, Al Jolson, Phil Charig, Irving Caesar, Carl Sigman, Frank Loesser, Eddie De Lange, and Douglas Furber. Meyer died, after a long illness, in June 1987, at the age of 93.