Harry M. Woods

Harry MacGregor Woods (November 4, 1896 – January 14, 1970) was an American Tin Pan Alley songwriter and pianist. He was a composer of numerous film scores.

Early life Woods was born in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts. (which still had fingers), Woods' mother, a concert singer, encouraged him to play the piano.

Woods earned his bachelor's degree at Harvard University,

Woods' first songwriting success came in 1923 with the song "I'm Goin' South", written with Abner Silver. It became a hit song in 1924 for Al Jolson. The same year, "Paddlin' Madelin Home" was published, with words and music by Woods.

With Mort Dixon and Billy Rose, Woods composed "I Wish't I Was in Peoria", now a Dixieland jazz standard, in 1925.

By 1926, Woods was an established songwriter on Tin Pan Alley and would become legendary with his new song "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)". The song was an instant hit for singers such as "Whispering" Jack Smith and Cliff Edwards. It was Jolson, though, who had the most success with his recording of the song. The song was recorded in 1953 by Doris Day and again achieved considerable success.

In 1929, Woods began contributing songs to Hollywood musicals such as The Vagabond Lover, A Lady's Morals, Artistic Temper, Aunt Sally, Twentieth Century, Road House, Limelight, It's Love Again, Merry Go Round of 1938, and She's For Me. In 1934, he moved to London, where he lived for three years, and worked for the British film studio Gaumont British, contributing to the films Jack Ahoy and Evergreen.

Around 1945, Woods retired. He and his wife relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. Woods died on the night of January 14, 1970, after being struck by a car outside his house. He was 73.

Selected filmography Year Film/Show Song 1931 CBS TV Inaugural Broadcast (TV Movie) "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" 1931 Swanee River "River, Stay 'Way from My Door" 1932 Speaking of Operations (Short) "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye" 1932 Wish I Had Wings (Short) "I Wish I Had Wings" 1932 You're Too Careless with Your Kisses! (Short) "You're Too Careless with Your Kisses" 1932 Rudy Vallee Melodies (Short) "A Little Kiss Each Morning" 1932 Veiled Aristocrats "River, Stay 'Way from My Door" 1932 When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob Bobbin' Along (Short) "When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along" 1932 Battling Bosko (Short) "In the Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives" 1933 Sing with the Street Singer (Short) "River Stay Away From My Door" 1934 Thunder Over Texas "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" 1934 Jack Ahoy "My Hat's on the Side of My Head" 1934 Just an Echo (Short) "Just an Echo in the Valley" 1935 Our Gang Follies of 1936 (Short) "I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again" 1935 Devil Dogs of the Air "Midnight, the Stars and You" 1937 Merry-Go-Round of 1938 "River, Stay 'Way From My Door" 1937 Underworld "I'll Never say 'Never Again' Again " 1937 Backstage "The Whistling Waltz"