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Dave Franklin

1895 – 1970

American songwriter and pianist

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About Dave Franklin

Lived 1895 – 1970 (aged 74). Dave Franklin was an American composer and songwriter.

Dave Franklin (September 28, 1895 – February 2, 1970) was an accomplished American songwriter and pianist. A member of Tin Pan Alley, Franklin co-wrote "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down", which was adopted as the theme song to the Looney Tunes cartoon series. His primary collaborator was lyricist Cliff Friend. His other collaborators included Al Dubin, Isham Jones, Irving Taylor. Franklin worked in vaudeville and night clubs in the U.S. and Europe. According to The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz, 1900–1950, by Roger Kinkle, he left school at 13 to work as a pianist in a publishing house. Some of his songs were recorded by Glen Gray, Isham Jones, Guy Lombardo and Frankie Trumbauer.

Shows and films Paramount on Parade That's Right—You're Wrong

Songs

Unknown date Cincinnati Rag If I Had a Magic Carpet Rhythm of the Tambourine (in 1929 Broadway Scandals)

1930 I'm Isidore the Toreador

1934 Blue Lament I Ain't Lazy, I'm Just Dreaming It's Funny to Everyone But Me

1935 Give a Broken Heart a Break I Woke Up Too Soon

1936 Breakin' in a New Pair of Shoes I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music When My Dreamboat Comes Home

1937 Everything You Said Came True Never Should Have Told You The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down Two Dreams Got Together You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming

1938 I Come From a Musical Family I Must See Annie Tonight There's a Brand New Picture in My Picture Frame Who Do You Think I Saw Last Night?

1939 Happy Birthday to Love I'm Building a Sailboat of Dreams The Concert in the Park You Don't Know How Much You Can Suffer

1941 El vals del aniversario

1942 The Penny Arcade

1943 It's Like Old Times

1944 By The Old Corral

1945 Lily Belle

1946 One-zy Two-zy

1947 Dreamer's Holiday Lone Star Moon

1949 California Orange Blossom The Golden Sands of Hawaii

1950 A Good Time Was Had By All A Man Wrote a Song You Are My Love

1954 Still You'd Break My Heart

1958 The Voice in My Heart

Audio recordings of songs

1956– John Serry Sr. recorded When My Dreamboat Comes Home for Dot Records (See Squeeze Play (album))

1956 Fats Domino recorded When My Dreamboat Comes Home for Imperial Records (See Fats Domino Rock and Rollin')

1965 Fats Domino re-recorded When My Dreamboat Comes Home for ABC-Paramount Records

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality

People in Dave Franklin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Dave Franklin's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Dave Franklin?

American songwriter and pianist

When was Dave Franklin born?

Dave Franklin was born on 28 September 1895.

When did Dave Franklin die?

Dave Franklin died on 2 February 1970.

What was Dave Franklin's occupation?

Dave Franklin was a composer and songwriter.

What nationality was Dave Franklin?

Dave Franklin was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Dave Franklin

· Wikidata: Q5228786

· DBpedia: Dave Franklin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dave Franklin. https://biography.guide/dave-franklin/

MLA: "Dave Franklin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dave-franklin/.

Chicago: "Dave Franklin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dave-franklin/.

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