During World War II, he wrote 1942's "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition". Formerly a successful lyricist in collaboration with other composers, this was the first song for which Loesser composed the melody in addition to the lyric.
Loesser was awarded a Grammy Award in 1961 for Best Original Cast Show Album for How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.
He wrote the following Broadway musicals:
* Where's Charley? (1948) (starring Ray Bolger)
o "Once in Love With Amy"
* Guys and Dolls (1950)
o "A Bushel and a Peck"
o "Fugue for Tinhorns"
o "I'll Know"
o "If I Were A Bell", a favorite of Miles Davis, featured in recordings with John Coltrane
o "Luck Be a Lady Tonight"
* The Most Happy Fella (1956)
o "Standing on the Corner"
o "Big D"
o "Somebody Somewhere"
o "Joey, Joey"
* Greenwillow (1960)
* How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (1961)
o "I Believe In You"
o "The Brotherhood Of Man"
* Pleasures and Palaces (1965)
Some well-known songs he composed for movies and Tin Pan Alley:
* "Baby, It's Cold Outside" from Neptune's Daughter (1949). This was originally a song which Loesser and his wife Lynn (born Blankenbaker) performed at parties for the private entertainment of friends. They also recorded the song for Mercury Records. Under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to supply a full score for Neptune's Daughter, Loesser included this song which he had created in 1944, originally for their housewarming party.
* "Heart and Soul" (from the Paramount Short Subject A Song is Born) -- lyrics
* "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" (from the Paramount Pictures motion picture Sweater Girl)
* "Inch Worm" (from the motion picture Hans Christian Andersen)
* "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China"
* "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" (from the motion picture Christmas Holiday)
* "Thumbelina" (from Hans Christian Andersen)
* "Two Sleepy People" (music by Hoagy Carmichael, 1938)
* "What are You Doing New Year's Eve?"
* "Wonderful Copenhagen" (from Hans Christian Andersen), which is now the official song of the city of Copenhagen.
He was also the author of "The Ballad of Rodger Young".
2006 saw the release of the PBS documentary, Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser.
I'll Know
Frank Loesser Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the strong moral fiber to the wisdom in his head
To the homey aroma of his pipe
You have wished yourself a Scarsdale Galahad
The breakfast-eating, Brooks-brothers type
And I shall meet him when the time is right
SKY. (spoken) You've got the guy all figured out.
SARAH (spoken) I have.
SKY (spoken) Including what he smokes. All figured out, huh?
SARAH (spoken) All figured out.
I'll know when my love comes along
I won't take a chance
I'll know he'll be just what I need
Not some fly-by-night Broadway romance
And you'll know at a glance
By the two-pair of pants
I'll know by the calm steady voice
Those feet on the ground
I'll know as I run to his arms
That at last I've come home safe and sound
Until then, I shall wait
Until then, I'll be strong
Oh, I'll know, when my love comes along
SKY. (spoken) No, no, no! You are talking about love! You can't dope it like that. What are you picking, a guy or a horse?
SARAH (spoken) I wouldn't expect a gambler to understand.
SKY (spoken) Would you like to hear how a gambler feels about the big heartthrob?
SARAH (spoken) No!
SKY (spoken) Well, I'll tell you.
Mine will come as a surprise to me
Mine I leave to chance and chemistry
SARAH (spoken) Chemistry?
SKY (spoken) Yeah, chemistry.
Suddenly I'll know when my love comes along
I'll know then and there
I'll know at the sight of her face
How I care, how I care, how I care
And I'll stop, and I'll stare
And I'll know long before we can speak
I'll know in my heart
I'll know and I won't ever ask
Am I right, am I wise, am I smart?
And I'll stop, and I'll stare
At that face in the throng
Yes, I'll know when my love comes along
I'll know when my love comes along
I'll know, I won't take a chance
I know he'll be just what I need
Not some fly-by-night Broadway romance
Until then, I shall wait
And till then, I'll be strong
Oh, I'll know when my love comes along
The song "I'll Know" from the musical Guys and Dolls is sung by Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson. The song is performed when Masterson is trying to convince Brown to accompany him to Havana for a bet. Brown tells Masterson about her ideal man, who she has never met, and Masterson warns her about trying to pick a man based on his externalities such as his clothes or pipe. However, Brown insists that she will "know" when the right man comes along, and Masterson disagrees, saying that he will leave it up to chance and "chemistry."
The lyrics of the song reveal the contrasting personality traits of the two characters. Sarah Brown is portrayed as a dreamy, whimsical romantic who believes in fate and destiny. In contrast, Sky Masterson is portrayed as a rational gambler who believes in leaving things up to chance. The song highlights how each character views love and relationships differently. Brown believes in finding the perfect partner, while Masterson is more of a risk-taker who believes in seizing the moment.
The ambiguity over whether love is a rational choice or destiny beyond human control is an ongoing theme throughout the musical. The song "I'll Know" reinforces this theme by showing how different characters view love differently.
Line by Line Meaning
For I've imagined every bit of him
I have constructed a detailed picture of my ideal partner in my mind
To the strong moral fiber to the wisdom in his head
From his ethical strength to the intellectual aptitude he possesses
To the homey aroma of his pipe
Even down to the comforting scent of the tobacco he smokes
You have wished yourself a Scarsdale Galahad
You desire a chivalrous and virtuous man like those from the New York suburb Scarsdale
The breakfast-eating, Brooks-brothers type
A man who enjoys a hearty breakfast and dresses in fashionable clothing from the brand Brooks Brothers
And I shall meet him when the time is right
I will encounter this ideal partner when destiny decides it is the perfect moment
I'll know when my love comes along
I will easily recognize when I've discovered the love of my life
I won't take a chance
I don't take risks on potential partners until I feel certain they are right for me
I'll know he'll be just what I need
This person will have all the characteristics that I have sought for so long
Not some fly-by-night Broadway romance
This won't be a fling or a fantasy, but a serious and committed relationship
And you'll know at a glance
It will be apparent to everyone who sees us together
By the two-pair of pants
Even the small detail of owning two pairs of pants instead of one will be a sign of his compatibility with me
I'll know by the calm steady voice
The timbre of his voice and his composed demeanor will provide an indication of his stability
Those feet on the ground
I'll identify his practical and realistic nature by observing how he carries himself
I'll know as I run to his arms
In that moment of embrace, I will clearly see that I'm finally where I'm meant to be
That at last I've come home safe and sound
I'll know that I'm secure and protected by his love for me
Until then, I shall wait
I will patiently hold out for the right person
Until then, I'll be strong
I won't let feelings of loneliness or desperation take control of me
No, no, no! You are talking about love! You can't dope it like that. What are you picking, a guy or a horse?
Sky is criticizing Sarah for her obsessive behavior regarding finding the perfect partner and reducing it to a mere checklist
I wouldn't expect a gambler to understand.
Sarah understands that there is an element of chance in love and that someone as risk-averse as Sky may not comprehend this
Would you like to hear how a gambler feels about the big heartthrob?
Sky attempts to explain his own approach to love, which is less calculated than Sarah's
Mine will come as a surprise to me
Sky believes that love will be an unexpected and unpredictable event for him
Mine I leave to chance and chemistry
He recognizes that there is an element of randomness and physical attraction involved in falling in love
Suddenly I'll know when my love comes along
Unlike Sarah, Sky expects his realization of finding true love to be instantaneous and unexpected
I'll know then and there
He'll immediately be aware that he has found 'the one' from the moment they meet
I'll know at the sight of her face
By only gazing at her features, Sky will realize that he has found the love of his life
How I care, how I care, how I care
Sky knows he'll be overwhelmed with emotions for this person
And I'll stop, and I'll stare
He'll be so fascinated by this new love interest that he'll momentarily forget about everything else
And I'll know long before we can speak
Even before they have spoken a word, Sky will know that he's met his future partner
I'll know in my heart
He'll experience such a strong feeling in his chest that it will provide confirmation of his love for her
I'll know and I won't ever ask
He won't need to verify or question these feelings, as his heart will know for sure
Am I right, am I wise, am I smart?
He won't worry or be concerned about his own intelligence, wisdom or rightness when he encounters the one
Yes, I'll know when my love comes along
Sky is confident that he'll know without question when he has found his true love.
Contributed by Addison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.