“Gershwin's melodic gift was phenomenal. His songs contain the essence of New York in the 1920s and have deservedly become classics of their kind, part of the 20th-century folk-song tradition in the sense that they are popular music which has been spread by oral tradition (for many must have sung a Gershwin song without having any idea who wrote it).” KindHas BeensIdeasSongCenturyNew YorkTraditionEssenceFolksSpread20th CenturyPhenomenalPopular MusicGershwinFolk SongsOral Tradition Author:George Gershwin
“Out of my entire annual output of songs, perhaps two, or at the most three, came as a result of inspiration. We can never rely on inspiration. When we most want it, it does not come.” WantDoeTwoInspirationSongThreeResultsRelySongwritingSongwritersWriting SongsAnnualsOutputGershwin Author:George Gershwin
“I want to say at once that I frankly believe that Irving Berlin is the greatest songwriter that has ever lived.... His songs are exquisite cameos of perfection, and each one of them is as beautiful as its neighbor. Irving Berlin remains, I think, America's Schubert.” ThinkingWantBelieveAmericaBeautifulSongPerfectionRemainsNeighborSongwritersExquisiteBerlinGershwinCameosSchubert Author:George Gershwin
