Al Piantadosi


Al Piantadosi was an American composer of popular music during the of Tin Pan Alley. He started out as a saloon and vaudeville pianist and rapidly flourished as a songwriter. For about ten years he was an independent music publisher.

Career

Piantadosi was born August 18, 1882, in the Italian Quarter of Manhattan, New York. Early in his career '', Piantadosi gained recognition as "Ragtime Al," playing piano at Callahan's Dance Hall on Manhattan's at Chatham Square and Doyers Street in Chinatown, where he wrote the briefly popular "My Mariucci Take a Steamboat" with lyricist George Ronklyn, the bouncer at Callahan's known as "Big Jerry."
Piantadosi's compositions include "I'm Awfully Glad I'm Irish" and "That's How I Need You". "The Curse of an Aching Heart" became his most famous tearjerker. He also composed "Mississippi Days" and "If You Had All the World and Its Gold."

War protest and subsequent controversy

His composition, "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" became a controversial protest song. It sold 650,000 copies in the first three months, which helped establish American World War I pacifism as a quantifiable political reality. The song continued to sell well until the United States entered the World War I in 1917. Then it was pretty much discarded. However, a few pro-war writers modified the lyrics in new melodies, including "I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Coward," by Charles Clinton Case and Franklin G. McCauley and "I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Slacker," a march by Theodore Baker.

Copyright lawsuit

Harry Haas brought a plagiarism suit against Leo Feist, Incorporated, claiming that the melody was from a song he composed in 1914, "You'll Never Know How Much I Really Cared" – Bill Cahalin '', lyricist. The plaintiffs won. And, although credit was never changed, Cahalin won a large settlement. Adolph Deutsch, a raincoat maker, was a one-third partner on the song with Haas and Cahalin.

Market successes

Five of his compositions exceeded sales of one million copies.

Industry advocacy

In 1914, Piantadosi became a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

Music publishing

In 1918, Al Piantadosi and his brother, George, founded Al. Piantadosi & Company, Inc. Personnel that year included:
  • Himself, Al Piantadosi, as President
  • Herbert Inman Avery, General Manager
  • Jack Glogau, Professional Manager
  • George Piantadosi, Western Manager at 113 North Dearborn Street, Chicago; in February 1920, he left the firm to work for McCarthy & Fisher, Inc.
By 1920, the firm suffered financial duress, owing $40,708.87 with only $7,521.26 in the. After reaching an agreement to pay creditors 10% in lieu of filing for protection under bankruptcy, Frank Goodman, an employee, paid it and took over the company.
From early 1923 to mid 1924, Piantadosi tried his hand at selling real estate lots in Hollywood.

Performing

He was a piano accompanist for several variety artist, including Anna Chandler.

Collaborators

Collaborators throughout his career included Alfred Bryan, Joe Goodwin, Edgar Leslie, Joseph McCarthy, and Irving Berlin. Ted Fiorito worked for him as a demonstrator, playing piano.

Later life and death

In 1931, with debt of $17,717 and assets of $500, Piantadosi filed for bankruptcy in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Piantadosi eventually moved to California, settling in Encino and worked in semi-retirement, operating Piantadosi Music Publications and Society Records. He died in Encino, California, in 1955.

Selected works

  • "My Mariuccia" "She's Gone Away"
  • "I'm A Yiddish Cowboy"
  • "Good-Bye Mister Caruso"
  • "Just Like The Rose"
  • "Good Luck Mary"
  • "Skidamarink"
  • "Think It Over, Mary"
  • "The Vampire Love Song"
  • "That Dreamy Italian Waltz"
  • "In All My Dreams, I Dream of You"
  • "I'm Awfully Glad I'm Irish"
  • "That Italian Serenade"
  • "Somehow I Can't Forget You"
  • "I Just Met The Fellow That Married The Girl That I Was Going To Get"
  • "Honey Man"
  • "When Broadway Was A Pasture"
  • "That's How I Need You"
  • "The Curse of an Aching Heart"
  • "Any Boy Could Love a Girl Like You"
  • "Melinda's Wedding Day"
  • "Then I'll Stop Loving You"
  • "At The Yiddish Wedding Jubilee"
  • "I've Only One Idea About The Girls And That's To Love 'Em"
  • "On The Shores of Italy"
  • "I've Loved You Since You Were a Baby"
  • "What a Wonderful Mother You'd Be"
  • "My Own Venetian Rose"
  • "When You're In Love With Someone"
  • "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier"
  • "How Could Washington Be A Married Man?"
  • "Mississippi Days"
  • "On The Same Old Road"
  • "If You Had All The World And Its Gold"
  • "Baby Shoes"
  • "Send Me Away with a Smile"
  • "Someone Is Waiting For You"
  • "For France and Liberty"
  • "Wild, Wild Women Are Making a Wild Man of Me"
  • "All Aboard for Home Sweet Home"
  • From the 1918 musical farce Who Stole The Hat
  • "Belgium Dry Your Tears"
  • "I'm Making a Study of Beautiful Girls"
  • "What An Army Of Men We'd Have If They Ever Drafted The Girls"
  • "The Woman Thou Gavest Me"
  • "Rose of the Evening"
  • "Pal of My Cradle Days"
  • "Behind These Gray Walls"
  • "I've Got The Stock Market Blues"
  • "My Stormy Weather Pal"
  • "A Whistle Girl At A Whistle Stop"

Selected recordings

Sinatra Swings ''''
  • "Pal of My Cradle Days"

Pseudonyms of Piantadosi

Family

Al Piantadosi's nephew, Arthur Piantadosi, was a sound engineer, notably for motion pictures in Hollywood.