Al Dubin
Suiza (1891 - 1945)
Si alguna vez te pusiste a tararear ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ o suspiraste con ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’, debes agradecer al maestro de las letras Al Dubin. Fue un letrista que, con ironía y emoción, definió melodías que han resistido el paso del tiempo. Su importancia no está solo en canciones: es el arquitecto literario de la música popular cinematográfica de los años dorados de Hollywood.
Alexander “Al” Dubin nació en Suiza. Pero con dos años emigró a Estados Unidos. Dubin era un buen deportista, pero sus excesos nocturnos lo expulsaron tanto del seminario Perkiomen como, más tarde, de la facultad de medicina alrededor de 1911. Fue después de probar suerte como cantante-mesero y tras su servicio en la Primera Guerra Mundial cuando se lanzó de lleno a escribir canciones.
De regreso a la vida civil, Dubin encontró su entrada en el mundo musical como letrista para editoras de música en Nueva York. Y en 1926 ya estaba colaborando con productores de cine mudo, rápidamente convirtiéndose en uno de los primeros letristas contratados por estudios sonoros. Su primer gran éxito: “’Twas Only an Irishman’s Dream” (1916), seguido de numerosos números con compositores como Joseph Burke, encabezando canciones como “Tiptoe Through the Tulips”, “Painting the Clouds with Sunshine” y “The Kiss Waltz”.
Pero la chispa real prendió cuando en 1932 el estudio Warner Brothers los emparejó con Harry Warren, el compositor ideal para su ingenio lírico. Juntos, inauguraron 42nd Street (1933)—una verdadera catapulta—con canciones como “42nd Street”, “You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me”, “Young and Healthy” y “Shuffle Off to Buffalo”.
| Año | Película | Canción |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Agente confidencial | "Tip-Toe thru' the Tulips with Me" |
| 1945 | Alma en suplicio | "South American Way" |
| 1945 | Mi novio está loco | "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" |
| 1945 | Roughly Speaking | "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" |
| 1943 | Murder on the Waterfront | "I'd Love to Take Orders from You" |
| 1943 | Tres días de amor y de fe | "A Rookie and His Rhythm" "She's a Bombshell from Brooklyn" "We Mustn't Say Goodbye" "Sleep Baby Sleep (in Your Jeep)" "Don't Worry Island" "Quick Sands" "You're Pretty Terrific Yourself" |
| 1943 | La comedia humana | "All the World Will Be Jealous of Me" |
| 1943 | The Hard Way | "Tip-Toe thru' the Tulips with Me""I'll String Along with You" "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" "She's a Latin from Manhattan" "With Plenty of Money and You" |
| 1942 | Por mi chica y por mí | "Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo (Mad'moiselle from Armentieres)" |
| 1941 | The People vs. Dr. Kildare | "Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo (Mad'moiselle from Armentieres)" |
| 1941 | A Shot in the Dark | "For You" |
| 1941 | Knockout | "Many Happy Returns of the Day" |
| 1940 | She Couldn't Say No | "Watching My Dreams Go By" |
| 1940 | Serenata argentina | "South American Way" |
| 1940 | Viaje sin retorno | "Where Was I?" |
| 1940 | King of the Lumberjacks | "For You" |
| 1939 | Kid Nightingale | "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" |
| 1939 | Secret Service of the Air | "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" |
| 1939 | Yes My Darling Daughter | "The Girl Friend of the Whirling Dervish" |
| 1939 | Nancy Drew... Reporter | "Lullaby of Broadway" |
| 1938 | Garden of the Moon | "Garden of the Moon" "Love Is Where You Find It" "The Lady on the Two Cent Stamp" "Confidentially" "The Girl Friend of the Whirling Dervish" "I'll String Along With You" |
| 1938 | Cowboy from Brooklyn | "With Plenty of Money and You" |
| 1938 | Men Are Such Fools | "I'll String Along with You" |
| 1938 | Gold Diggers in Paris | "The Latin Quarter" "I Wanna Go Back to Bali" "A Stranger in Paree" |
| 1938 | A Slight Case of Murder | "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" |
| 1937 | Wine Women and Horses | "With Plenty of Money and You" |
| 1937 | The Footloose Heiress | "I'll Sing You a Thousand Love Songs" |
| 1937 | Mr. Dodd Takes the Air | "Am I in Love?" "Remember Me?" "If I Were a Little Pond Lily" "Here Comes the Sandman" "The Girl You Used to Be" |
| 1937 | The Singing Marine | "The Song of the Marines" "The Lady Who Couldn't Be Kissed" "Stolen Holiday" "'Cause My Baby Says It's So" "I Know Now" "You Can't Run Away from Love Tonight" |
| 1937 | San Quintín | "How Could You?" |
| 1937 | Melody for Two | "September in the Rain" "Melody for Two" |
| 1937 | La mujer marcada | "My Silver Dollar Man" "Mister and Missus Doakes" |
| 1937 | Don't Get Me Wrong | "Honeymoon Hotel" "Shanghai Lil" |
| 1937 | Ready Willing and Able | "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" |
| 1936 | Vampiresas 1937 | "With Plenty of Money and You" "All's Fair in Love and War" |
| 1936 | Sing Me a Love Song | "That's the Least You Can Do for the Lady" "The Little House That Love Built" "Summer Night" |
| 1936 | Cain and Mabel | "Coney Island" "Shadow Waltz" "The Rose in Her Hair" "I'll Sing You a Thousand Love Songs" "Here Comes Chiquita" |
| 1936 | The Big Noise | "At Your Service Madame" |
| 1936 | Hearts Divided | "My Kingdom for a Kiss" "Two Hearts Divided" |
| 1936 | Sons o' Guns | "For a Buck and a Quarter a Day" "In the Arms of an Army Man” |
| 1936 | The Singing Kid | "About a Quarter to Nine" |
| 1936 | Colleen | "Boulevardier from the Bronx" "An Evening with You" "I Don't Have to Dream Again" "Summer Night" "You Gotta Know How to Dance" |
| 1936 | Road Gang | "Lullaby of Broadway" |
| 1936 | El bosque petrificado | "I'd Rather Listen to Your Eyes" |
| 1935 | Broadway Hostess | "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" "Sweet and Slow" |
| 1935 | Stars Over Broadway | "At Your Service Madame" "Where Am I? (Am I in Heaven?)" "Where the Sweet Sweet Cactus Grows" "You Let Me Down" "Sweet and Slow" "I'd Love to Take Orders from You" "Coney Island" "Brownstone Baby (I've Got the Blues for You)" "By Yonder Moon" |
| 1935 | Su vida privada | "The Pig and the Cow (and the Dog and Cat)" |
| 1935 | Viva la marina | "Don't Give Up the Ship" "I'd Love to Take Orders from You" "I'd Rather Listen to Your Eyes" |
| 1935 | Man of the Moment | "Tip-Toe thru' the Tulips with Me" |
| 1935 | Stormy Weather | "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" |
| 1935 | La divina gloria | "Page Miss Glory" |
| 1935 | We're in the Money | "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" |
| 1935 | A las ocho en punto | "Don't Say Good-Night" |
| 1935 | El gondolero de Broadway | "Flagenheim's Odorless Cheese" "Lonely Gondolier" "Lulu's Back in Town" "Outside of You" "The Pig and the Cow (and the Dog and Cat)" "The Rose in Her Hair" "You Can Be Kissed" |
| 1935 | La chica de la Décima Avenida | "I'll String Along with You" |
| 1935 | Por unos ojos negros | "Muchacha" |
| 1935 | Mary Jane's Pa | "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" |
| 1935 | Casino de París | "Go Into Your Dance" "A Good Old Fashioned Cocktail (With a Good Old Fashioned Gal)" "Mammy I'll Sing About You" "About a Quarter to Nine" "The Little Things You Used to Do" "Casino De Paree" "She's a Latin from Manhattan" |
| 1935 | Contra el imperio del crimen | "Lullaby of Broadway" |
| 1935 | Vampiresas 1935 | "I'm Goin' Shoppin' with You" "The Words Are in My Heart" "Dagger Dance" "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" "Lullaby of Broadway" |
| 1935 | La vida es sabrosa | "Living on Velvet" |
| 1935 | Sweet Music | "Sweet Music" |
| 1935 | La vestida de rojo | "I Only Have Eyes for You" |
| 1935 | Diablos del aire | "Shadow Waltz" "I Only Have Eyes for You" |
| 1935 | Red Hot Tires | "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" |
| 1934 | Kansas City Princess | "The Girl at the Ironing Board" "I'll String Along with You" |
| 1934 | Música y mujeres | "Dames" "I Only Have Eyes for You" "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" "The Girl at the Ironing Board" |
| 1934 | The Personality Kid | "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" |
| 1934 | Veinte millones de enamoradas | "Fair and Warmer" "I'll String Along with You" "Out for No Good" "What Are Your Intentions?" |
| 1934 | Wonder Bar | "Don't Say Good-Night" "Goin' to Heaven on a Mule" "Vive La France" "Why Do I Dream Those Dreams?" "Wonder Bar" |
| 1934 | La estrella del Moulin Rouge | "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams" "Coffee in the Morning and Kisses in the Night" "Song of Surrender" |
| 1933 | ¡Que semana! | "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" |
| 1933 | Escándalos romanos | "Build a Little Home" "No More Love" "Keep Young and Beautiful" "Put a Tax on Love" |
| 1933 | Hembra | "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me" "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" |
| 1933 | Meet the Baron | "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song" |
| 1933 | Desfile de candilejas | "Shanghai Lil" "Honeymoon Hotel" |
| 1933 | Vampiresas 1933 | "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)" "Shadow Waltz" "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song" "Pettin' in the Park" "Remember My Forgotten Man" "Forgive Me for Loving You" |
| 1933 | La calle 42 | "Forty-Second Street" "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me" "It Must Be June" "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" "Young and Healthy" |
| 1933 | Duro de pelar | "Grapefruit Acres" |
| 1933 | Cabalgata | "Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo (Mad'moiselle from Armentieres)" |
| 1932 | Grata compañía | "How Can You Say No (When All the World Is Saying Yes)?" "Shapiro Shoes" "Too Many Tears" "Too Many Tears" |
| 1932 | A media voz | "Three's a Crowd" |
| 1932 | Diplomacia femenina | "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" |
| 1932 | Veiled Aristocrats | "Many Happy Returns of the Day" |
| 1931 | Su Majestad El Amor | "You're Baby-Minded Now" "Don't Ever Be Blue" "Because of You" "Though You're Not the First One" |
| 1931 | El temerario | "For You" |
| 1931 | Dinero fácil | "When You Were the Blossom of Buttercup Lane" |
| 1931 | Sweepstakes | "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" |
| 1931 | El halcón | "For You" |
| 1931 | Hampa dorada | "If I'm Dreaming Don't Wake Me Too Soon" |
| 1930 | Escuela de amantes | "The Kiss Waltz" |
| 1930 | Big Boy | "What Will I Do Without You?" |
| 1930 | Top Speed | "As Long as I Have You" "If You Were a Traveling Salesman and I Were a Chambermaid" "Knock Knees" "Looking for the Lovelight in the Dark" |
| 1930 | Oh Sailor Behave! | "Leave a Little Smile" "When Love Comes in the Moonlight" "Highway to Heaven" "Tell Us Which One Do You Love" |
| 1930 | Dancing Sweeties | "The Kiss Waltz" |
| 1930 | La novia del regimiento | "Cook's Song" "Dream Away" "Heart of Heaven" "I'd Like To Be a Happy Bride" "One Kiss Sweetheart Then Goodbye" "Through the Miracle of Love" "You Still Retain Your Girlish Figure" |
| 1930 | Venga mecha | "When The Little Red Roses Get the Blues For You" "Take it on the Chin" "Physically Fit" "Sing A Little Theme Song" ("All Alone Together") "Isn't This A Cock-Eyed World?" |
| 1930 | She Couldn't Say No | "Bouncing the Baby Around" "A Darn Fool Woman Like Me" "Ping Pongo" "The Poison Kiss of That Spaniard" "Watching My Dreams Go By" |
| 1929 | Sally | "If I'm Dreaming (Don't Wake Me Too Soon)" "All I Want to Do Do Do Is Dance" "After Busines Hours" "Walking Off Those Balkan Blues" "What Will I Do Without You" |
| 1929 | Arriba el telón | "Ping Pongo" "If Your Best Friend Won't Tell You" "Your Love Is All I Crave" |
| 1929 | Little Johnny Jones | "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" |
| 1929 | Evidence | "Little Cavalier" |
| 1929 | Corazones en el destierro | "Like a Breath of Springtime" |
| 1929 | In the Headlines | "Love Will Find A Way" |
| 1929 | Las castigadoras de Broadway | "And Still They Fall in Love" "Go to Bed" "Keeping the Wolf from the Door" "Song of the Gold Diggers" "What Will I Do Without You" "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" "Tip-Toe thru' the Tulips with Me" "In a Kitchenette" "Mechanical Man" |
| 1928 | El arca de Noé | "What Has Become of Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo?" |
Obras más destacadas
- ‘42nd Street’ (1933). Canciones del despertar de Broadway que actúan como personaje más: tan dinámicos como el ritmo palpitante de la ciudad.
- ‘Gold Diggers of 1933’ (1933). Incluye inolvidables como “We’re in the Money”, marca sonora de la esperanza en plena Depresión.
- ‘Footlight Parade’ (1933). Con “Shanghai Lil” y el espectáculo visual de Busby Berkeley, canciones que combinan coreografía y lírica en explosiones artísticas.
- ‘Moulin Rouge’ (1934). “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, íntima y melancólica, se alzó como tema sintomático de la vida hollywoodiense.
- ‘Gold Diggers of 1935’. “Lullaby of Broadway” ganó el Oscar a la Mejor Canción en 1936; su letra ilumina la magia nocturna de la Gran Manzana.
- Otros éxitos: “I Only Have Eyes for You”, “September in the Rain”, “I’ll String Along with You”, “Remember Me”, un inventario sonoro de efervescencia emocional.
Dubin tenía una habilidad innata: sus letras eran tan melódicas como las notas. Su estilo era urbano y directo, capaz de capturar desde la euforia hasta la soledad en un par de frases. La colaboración con Warren creó un estilo híbrido: lírica melódica, guion narrativo, y una forma orquestal rica en leitmotivs que acompañaban a los personajes, fusionando el Broadway clásico con la sensibilidad cinematográfica.
Al Dubin recibió el Oscar a la Mejor Canción Original (1936) por “Lullaby of Broadway”. Fue incluido en el Songwriters Hall of Fame en 1970 por sus más de 60 éxitos en música cinematográfica. Su obra ha sido reconocida como pilar del musical estadounidense.
Millones han crecido tarareando sus melodías sin conocer su nombre, y aún hoy, compositores de cine escuchan la forma en que Dubin alineaba emoción y palabra. Su estilo es inconfundible: urbano, nostálgico y con un corazón que late detrás del neón. Su música trasciende las películas: es parte del imaginario popular, parte del sonido romántico de una época irrepetible.