Vincent Millie Youmans was born in New York City on September 27, 1898 and grew-up on Central Park West on the site where the Mayflower Hotel once stood. His father, a prosperous hat manufacturer, moved the family to upper-class Larchmont, New York. Youmans attended the Trinity School in Mamaroneck, NY and Heathcote Hall in Rye, New York. Originally, his ambition was to become an engineer and attended Yale for a short time. He dropped out to become a runner for a Wall Street brokerage firm before he was drafted to fight in World War I. He took an interest in the theatre when he produced troop shows for the Navy. After the war, he was a Tin Pan Alley song plugger for the TB Harms Company and then as a rehearsal pianist for famed composer Victor Herbert’s operettas.
No, No, Nanette was the biggest musical-comedy success of the 1920s in both Europe and the USA and his two songs "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy" are considered standards. From 1927, Youmans also produced his own shows. He had another major success with Hit the Deck! (1927; including ‘Hallelujah’), but his subsequent productions were failures, though many of their songs remain popular. His last contributions to Broadway were some songs for Take a Chance (1932).
Youmans collaborated with the greatest songwriters on Broadway: Herbert Stothart, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Irving Caesar, Anne Caldwell, Leo Robin, Clifford Grey, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu, Edward Heyman, Harold Adamson, Mack Gordon, Buddy De Sylva and Gus Kahn. He collaborated with lyricist Ira Gershwin on the score for Two Little Girls in Blue, which won wide acclaim. His next show, with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II, was Wildflower. His most enduring success, however, was No, No, Nanette, with lyrics by Irving Caesar.
Youmans’s early songs are remarkable for their economy of melodic material: two-, three- or four-note phrases are constantly repeated and varied by subtle harmonic or rhythmic changes. In later years, however, apparently influenced by Jerome Kern, he turned to longer musical sentences and more free-flowing melodic lines.
Youmans was forced to retire in 1934, after a professional career of only 13 years, only returning to Broadway to mount the ill-fated extravaganza The Vincent Youmans Ballet Revue (1943), an ambitious mix of Latin-American and classical music, including Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe. Choreographed by Leonide Massine, it lost some $4 million. More than any of his contemporaries, he made constant re-use of a limited number of melodies; he published fewer than 100 songs, but 18 of these were considered standards by ASCAP.
He died of tuberculosis in Denver, Colorado. At his death, Youmans left behind a large quantity of unpublished material.
In 1970, Youmans was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
Without a Song
Vincent Youmans Lyrics
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Without a song the road would never bend
When things go wrong a man ain't got a friend
Without a song
That field of corn would never see a plow
That field of corn would be deserted now
A man is born but he's no good no how
Without a song
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
I'll never know what makes the rain to fall
I'll never know what makes that grass so tall
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without a song
I've-a got my trouble and woe and, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
I'll-a never know what makes that rain to fall
I'll never know what makes the grass so tall
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without a song
Vincent Youmans's song Without a Song is a powerful piece about the importance of music in our lives. The lyrics speak to the idea that without a song, life would be dull, and the road would never bend. Music is seen as a friend, and without it, we would be alone in our struggles. The lyrics remind us that even when we have trouble and sorrow, a strong song in our soul can keep us going. The song is an ode to the way that music can move and inspire us, and how it is often the one thing that can truly bring people together.
The metaphor of the field of corn is particularly striking. The lyrics suggest that without a song, the field of corn would be deserted, as though music is the thing that brings life to the world around us. The song touches on the idea that music is a universal language and that it has the power to uplift even the most downtrodden of spirits. The lyrics are simple, but they are deeply meaningful, reminding us that even in our darkest moments, a song can help us find the way.
The song was first featured in the musical Great Day!, which debuted on Broadway in 1929. Since then, it has been covered by countless artists, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bing Crosby. The song's message has resonated with audiences for decades, and it has become a classic of the American songbook.
Line by Line Meaning
Without a song the day would never end
Music brings joy and meaning to life, without which the day seems never-ending.
Without a song the road would never bend
Music softens the edges of the journey, making the twists and turns of life more bearable.
When things go wrong a man ain't got a friend
In times of trouble, music can be a comforting companion to a man who might otherwise feel alone.
Without a song that field of corn would never see a plow
Music can inspire people to work and create, giving purpose to fields and farms that might otherwise be left barren.
That field of corn would be deserted now
Without the beauty and inspiration of music, even the most fertile fields would remain unused and lifeless.
A man is born but he's no good no how
Without something to strive for or hope in, a person may feel lost and aimless, unable to find value in their own existence.
I got my trouble and woe but, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
Even in times of strife and pain, music can provide hope and reassurance that life will continue to move forward.
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
By holding onto the comfort and inspiration of music, a person can persevere through any hardship.
I'll never know what makes the rain to fall
There are some things in life we can never fully understand or explain, no matter how hard we try.
I'll never know what makes that grass so tall
Just as the growth of nature remains a mystery, so too does the power of music to inspire and move us.
I only know there ain't no love at all without a song
Love and emotion are often expressed most fully and beautifully through the language of music.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Vincent Youmans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind