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
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
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/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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