Days to Be Happy, Years to Be Sad: The Life and Music of Vincent Youmans

This biography chronicles the life and career of Broadway composer Vincent Youmans, from his early days in New York through his successes and struggles in musical theater. The book covers his major works including "No, No, Nanette," "Hit the Deck," and other influential shows of the 1920s and 1930s. The narrative traces Youmans' relationships with collaborators, performers, and industry figures during the Golden Age of Broadway. Bordman documents both the creative and business aspects of Youmans' career, including his innovative musical approaches and his challenges with producers and critics. The book reconstructs Youmans' personal life through letters, interviews, and contemporary accounts from those who knew him. Key sections examine his creative process, working methods, and the development of his signature style. This biography reveals the complex intersection of art and commerce in early Broadway, while exploring themes of artistic integrity and the toll of pursuing creative excellence in commercial theater.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Gerald Bordman's overall work: Readers value Bordman's books primarily as detailed reference sources for theater research and historical documentation. Reviews highlight the encyclopedic scope and chronological organization of his works, particularly The American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle. What readers liked: - Comprehensive coverage of both famous and obscure productions - Clear chronological structure - Detailed production information and cast lists - Usefulness for academic research What readers disliked: - Dense, dry writing style - Limited analysis or interpretation - Focus on facts over storytelling - Some factual errors in early editions Ratings average 4.2/5 on Goodreads and 4.4/5 on Amazon across his titles. Multiple reader reviews describe the books as "exhaustive" and "thorough." One Amazon reviewer notes they are "better as reference works than reading cover-to-cover." Several academic reviewers praise the bibliographic detail while critiquing the lack of cultural context. Library Journal called his writing "authoritative but sometimes tedious."

Irving Berlin: A Life in Song by Philip Furia This biography examines Berlin's journey from immigrant songwriter to Broadway legend through detailed analysis of his composition methods and creative process.

Dancing in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great Depression by Morris Dickstein The text connects American popular music of the 1930s to the social conditions that shaped composers like Youmans and their contemporaries.

George Gershwin: His Life and Work by Howard Pollack This chronicle documents Gershwin's rise in musical theater and his influence on American popular music during the same era as Youmans.

Jerome Kern: His Life and Music by Gerald Bordman The same author's examination of Kern reveals parallel career paths and musical innovations in early twentieth-century theater music.

The B&O to Broadway: American Theater and the Railroad by Dawn Larsen This historical study explores how transportation networks influenced theater touring and music distribution during the golden age of American musical theater.

🎵 Vincent Youmans composed "Tea for Two," one of the most recorded songs in history, with over 500 different versions by 1950 alone. 📚 Author Gerald Bordman was a renowned theater historian who wrote multiple definitive references on American musical theater, including "American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle." 🎭 Despite his relatively short career of only about 10 years, Youmans wrote four Broadway shows that ran for more than 200 performances each, a remarkable achievement for the 1920s. 🎬 The book reveals how Youmans served in the U.S. Navy during WWI, where he organized shows for the troops—an experience that influenced his later musical style. 🏆 This biography details how Youmans became the youngest member ever admitted to ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) at the time of his joining.