Harry D. Kerr
Harry David Kerr was an American songwriter, lyricist, author, and lawyer. Kerr became active in music at age 15. The practice of law had been his prime avocation until 1920, when he decided to focus on songwriting. But he still continued to use his legal training in music. In 1922, while living in New York City, Kerr prepared the incorporation documents for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, of which he had become one of 90 charter members at its founding in 1914.
Copyright activist
From February 1900 to 1903, he had studied law in the law office of George H. Cobb of Watertown, New York. In May 1905, Kerr received an LL.B. from Albany Law School.Beginning in 1907 as a young lawyer, Kerr worked for about 18 months with a coalition in Washington, D.C., for the passage of the Copyright Act of 1909, which secured the rights of composers to charge royalties on the sales of sound recordings. While lobbying for it, Kerr was associated with the New York City law firm Dougherty, Olcott & Tenney.
The U.S. Congregational Committee on Copyrights began hearings Mary 26–28, 1908, at the Library of Congress, to vet the concerns and proposals of authors and managers. Constituent groups giving testimony were the National Association of Theatrical Managers, the Allied Copyright Committee, and the White Rats, an author advocacy group of which Kerr was a member.
In 1909, Kerr also wrote the lyrics to "Get on a Raft With Taft," President William H. Taft's campaign song — a particularly memorable concept given that Taft weighed 300 lbs. Taft signed the Copyright Act into law.
Growing up
Kerr attended Gouverneur High School, Gouverneur, New York, during the 1899–1900 school-year. He moved to Watertown, New York, sometime after that, but before 1901.Career before becoming a lawyer
In June 1901, Kerr moved from Watertown, New York, to Denver to accept an executive and governance position — corporate secretary and director — with The New York Mining and Development Company, of which Ezekiel Hanson Cook, PhD, who from 1994 to 1889 had been the president of Potsdam Normal College, was president. Charles Finding was the Vice President and Charles Love was the Treasurer. The same group of executives simultaneously ran another Denver-based mining company called Mountain Pride Mining Co.Selected songs
;- "Listen to the Rain," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler
- "Send Back Dear Daddy To Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Irving Maslof
- "Sweetheart Days," lyrics by Kerr, music by Homer Tourjée
- "Don't Make Your Sweet Mama Cry Over You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett, arranged by Vern Elliott
- "If I Had a Little Girl Like You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Milton Heinzman
- "Just You, Dear," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Milton Heinzman
- "I'd Love to Know," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan
- "If All The Years Were Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler
- "There's No Other Rose Like You," lyrics by Kerr, music by William Alexander
- "My Rosebud Rosary," lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Charlie Straight & Roy Bargy, arranged by Otto Frey
- "When Love's the Gondolier," lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Henry R. Cohen
- "I Can't Forgive and Forget," lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Joseph Meyer
- "Pep," lyrics by Kerr, music by Elizabeth D. Armer, arranged by Homer Tourjée
- "If Solomon Had a Million Wives Today," lyrics and music by Kerr
- "My Heart is the Harbor to Hold All Your Love," lyrics and music by Kerr
- "That's Where I Love You the Most," lyrics and music by Kerr
- "When Your Love Crept Into My Heart," lyrics by Kerr, music by William D. Alexander
- "Waiting," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Dorothy Waltzes," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Elinore Waltzes," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "May I Call on You?," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Arthur Blumenthal
- "Put Your Shoes in My Trunk," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel
- "When Daddy Sings the Little Ones to Sleep," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel
- "Don't Say Good Bye, Sweet Elinore," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel
- "Blue Eyed Mary," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel
- All I heard was 'Dance me round again, Bill,' lyrics by Kerr, music by William C. Lindemann ;
- Love Is Only A Dream, lyrics by Kerr, music by William C. Lindemann ;
- "Lull Me To Sleep, That Slumber Melody," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ted S. Barron
- "My Rosy Love Dreams of You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ted S. Barron
- "Drifting Down the Old St. Lawrence," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "The Ebony-Colored Club; Ethiopian Two-Step," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Where Love Alone is King," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ernest R. Ball
- "In a Little Wigwam," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Father Has a Tender Heart," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "I'm Just a Ragged Newsboy, But My Heart's True Blue," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "There's a Sunny Smile Waiting For Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Leo Edwards
- "Won't You Share a Little Home With Me?" lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Tell Me the Story of Love," lyrics by Kerr, music by C Sharpe Minor
- "Some Day the Long Way Will Turn," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler
- "Years," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan
- "Just Keep a Thought For Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Max Fischer, arr. by J. Bodewalt Lampe
- "Two Tiny Hands," lyrics by Kerr, Henry Joseph Tandler
- "Manzanilla", lyrics by Hal Billings, music Henry Joseph Tandler
- "Counting the Days," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Jess Kirkpatrick
- "Guessing," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry R. Cohen, cover artist William Austin Starmer
- "Just Tell Me You Are Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ted S. Barron
- "Get on the Raft With Taft," lyrics by Kerr, music by Abe Holzmann
- "Blue Moon," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Louis Marcasie
- "Keep All Your Love For Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan, arranged by Arthur Lange
- "Whenever I Think of You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler ;
- "While You are Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by W G Powell
- "While Love and Life Shall Last," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Ride Me in a Big Balloon," lyrics and music by Kerr
- "When You Marry a Girl For Looks," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Your Love is My Guiding Star," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Playin' Honeymoon," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Sweetest Mem'ries of Courting Days," lyrics and music by Kerr
- "I'd Love to Have You Love Me:," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "We're Ready for Teddy Again," lyrics by Kerr, music by Alfred Solman
- "My Rose in a World of Tears," lyrics by Kerr, music by Jerome Heller
- "Down Deep in a Submarine," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Wonderful Love of My Dreams," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler
- "My Yukon Rose," lyrics by Kerr, music by William D Alexander
- "I'm an American, That's All," lyrics by Kerr, music by Johann C. Schmid
- "When Lola Pedals on the Pianola"
- "You've Certainly Opened My Eyes,"
- "When My Alimony Ship Comes In," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "She's a Rose in the World of Smiles and Tears," lyrics by Kerr, music by Alfred Baldwin Sloane
- "I've Had Many a Sweetheart But None Like You," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Make Me a Boy Again Just for Tonight," by music & lyrics by Kerr
- "Your Heart is in the Rose," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "You Can Always Come Back to Me," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "In My Garden of Eden," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "In A Rosy Cosy Arbor," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "That's Why Heaven Sent Me You," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Uncle Sammy, Keep the Family Cellar Full," by Kerr; Anna Chandler, Dave Dreyer
- "Yokohama Love," lyrics by Kerr, music by Billy Alexander
- "Sweet Little Bon-Bon," lyrics by Kerr, music by Sid Grauman
- "The Song the Sunny Southland Sings," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "Two Big Brown Eyes," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan
- "Love Is Like a Precious Pearl," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan
- "Down by the Millside Alongside the Hillside," lyrics by Lew Brown, music by Kerr
- "Dinah Lee," lyrics by Kerr, music by George J. Hayes
- "Gypsy rose," lyrics by Kerr, music by Constance Loeser
- "Only to Live In Your Heart," lyrics by Kerr, music by James Francis Cooke
- "My Dream of Paradise Came True," lyrics by Kerr, music by Homer Tourjée
- "While the Stars in the Heavens Shine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry W. Petrie
- "Comrade O' Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Elizabeth Thomas
- "Sailing Down Manila Bay," lyrics by Kerr, music by C. Arthur Fifer
- "When You're Lonely, So Lonely, Just Drifting," lyrics by Kerr, music by C. Arthur Fifer
- "Wonderlove," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler
- "I've Got a Little Home in the Country," lyrics by Kerr, music by C. Arthur Fifer
- "Happy Days," lyrics by Kerr, music by C Arthur Fifer
- "Just For a Place In Your Heart," lyrics & music by Kerr
- "When Love and the World are in Tune," lyrics by Kerr, music by William D. Alexander; Harry D Kerr
- "If Tears Could Tell You All," lyrics by Kerr, music by Evans Lloyd
- "Colleen O'Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Gerald McDonald
- "Manila Memories," lyrics by Kerr, music by Leo F. Forbstein
- "Tenderly" lyrics by Kerr, music by George A Little, Jack Stanley, & Harold A Dellon; orchestrated by Mornay D Helm
- "Somebody's Heart Is So Lonely," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan
- "Love To Think of You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Nacio Herb Brown & Gene Rose
- "Heathen Lullaby," lyrics by Kerr, music by Nacio Herb Brown
- "Persian Nights," lyrics by Kerr, music by Nacio Herb Brown, arranged by Vern Elliott
- "The Sneak," lyrics by Kerr, music by Nacio Herb Brown, arranged by Vern Elliott
- "Kind Words," lyrics by Randal Moreland, music by Lou Traveller
- "Who Loves You Most of All?," lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Henry R. Cohen
- "Love is Just a Flower," lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Chris Schonberg & Abe Lyman
- "Little Thoughts", lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Charley Straight & Roy Bargy; arranged by Arthur Lange
- "G'wan With It," lyrics by Kerr, music by Art Hickman & Earl Burtnett
- "Jealous Moon," lyrics by Kerr, music by John Stepan Zamecnik
- "Me-ow," lyrics by Kerr, music by Mel B. Kaufman
- "Kisses," lyrics by Kerr, music by John Stepan Zamecnik
- "Your Heart," lyrics by Kerr, music by John Stepan Zamecnik
- "Taxi," lyrics by Kerr, music by Mel B. Kaufman
- "Love Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by J.S. Zamecnik
- "My Cairo Love", lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "One Sweet Day," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "Dear Old Dixie Moon," lyrics by Kerr, music by George J. Hayes
- "Blue Jeans," lyrics by Kerr, music by Lou Traveller
- "Amorita,", lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "Chu-Chu-San", lyrics by Kerr, music by Joseph Samuels
- "Stop it!", lyrics by Kerr, music by Mel B. Kaufman
- "Biddy," lyrics by Kerr, music by J.S. Zamecnik
- "Wonderland of Dreams," lyrics by Kerr, music by L W Abbott
- "Somewhere in Naples," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "What the Little Stars Tell," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "Roaming Away From Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Eddie Janis & Chris Schonberg
- "Hurdy-Gurdy Blues,", lyrics by Kerr, music by Gene Scott, arranged by J S Zamecnik
- "Neapolitan Nights," lyrics by Kerr, music by John Stepan Zamecnik
- "Broken Dreams," lyrics by Kerr, music by Maurice Spitalny
- "My Heaven Is Home", lyrics by Kerr, music by Errol Collins, symphonic orchestration by Joseph Nussbaum
- "Paradise," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik, film score by May Singhi Breen
- "Your Love Is All," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik, arranged by May Singhi Breen
- "Venetia", lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "Southern Moon," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik
- "Adios My Senorita", lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik, arranged for band by Floyd J St Clair
- "Baby Curls," lyrics by Kerr, music by John Cooper
- "Mem'ries of Love and You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Geoffrey O'Hara
- "Do You Ever Think of Me?" lyrics by Kerr & John Cooper, music by Earl Burtnett
- "My Dearest Prayer," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler
- "Somebody's Waiting," lyrics by Kerr, music by Chris Schonberg
- "Have You Forgotten?" lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett, John Cooper & Oswald Stevenson
- "You Won't Be Sorry", lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Louis Marcasie, arranged by Harry A. Powell
- "Don't Be Too Sure," lyrics by Hal Billings, music by Henry R. Cohen
- "Bygones," lyrics by Kerr, music by Irving Abrahamson & Don Warner
- "That's My Girl," lyrics by Kerr, music by Joe McKiernan
- "Ships That Pass In the Night," music by W. H. Smith & Earl Burtnett
- "Rest In My Arms," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett
- "Give Me Today," lyrics by Kerr, music Paul Titsworth & Harold Bell
- "Oriental Love Dreams," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Henry Miller, cover artist POM Griffith
- "Croon a Little Lullaby," lyrics by Kerr, music by Chris Schonberg & Clyde Baker
- "Guns," lyrics by Kerr, music by Geoffrey O'Hara
- "Redskin," lyrics by Kerr, music by J S Zamecnik ''
- "My Home is a Trailer," lyrics by Kerr, music by Geoffrey O'Hara
- "When You are Near,", lyrics by Kerr
- "Shepherd's Call,", lyrics by Kerr
- "Shadows of Evening,", lyrics by Kerr
- "A Real Low Down Basso Am I," lyrics by Kerr, music by Geoffrey O'Hara
- "Love Bound," lyrics by Kerr, music by Carl Rupp
Selected recordings
Record labels
; Blue Amberol Records- 1922 — Wonderland of Dreams
- 1922 — Who Loves You Most After All? Harry Baisden and his Bon Ton Orchestra Nordskog 3023B
- 1924 — Bygones
- 19?? — Bygones
- 1924 — Oriental Love Dreams
- 19?? — Oriental Love Dreams
- 1924 — That's My Girl
- 19?? — Rest in My Arms
- 1926 — Memories of Love and You
- 19?? — Ships that Pass in the Night
- 19?? — In the Heart of the Hills
- 1924 — Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine
- 1925 — Croon a Little Lullaby
- 19?? — Croon a Little Lullaby
- 1921 —
- 19?? — Do You Ever Think Of Me?
- 19?? — Do You Ever Think Of Me?
- 19?? — Give Me Today,
- 19?? — Neapolitan Nights,
- 19?? — Neapolitan Nights,
- 19?? — You Won't Be Sorry
- 1922 — Love Dove
- 1924 — My Beautiful Mexican Rose
- 19?? — Monte Carlo Moon
- 1924 — Monte Carlo Moon
- 1929 — Redskin
- 1937 — Rose Room
- 1937 — The Morning After
- 1909 — B-7014: In a Little Wigwam, Harvey W. Hindermeyer with orchestra
- 1917 — B-19876: That's Why My Heart is Calling You, Charles Hart with orchestra
- 1917 — B-19878: That's Why My Heart is Calling You, Emilio de Gogorza with orchestra
- 1921 — B-24785: Blue Jeans, Peerless Quartet with orchestra
- 1922 — B-26415: Wonderland of Dreams, Elsie Baker, Olive Kline with orchestra
- 1924 — B-29518: Counting the Days, male vocal with the International Novelty Orchestra
- 1924 — B-29839: Oriental Love Dreams, vocal duet with the Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra
- 1925 — BVE-33308: Croon a Little Lullaby, male vocal duet with the International Novelty Orchestra
- 1928 — BVE-45681: Neapolitan Nights, male vocal with The Troubadours
- 1928 — BVE-47507: Paradise, Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians
- 1929 — BVE-49921: Redskin, Helen Clark with orchestra
- 1920 — : Was There Ever a Pal Like You?, George Wilton Ballard with piano
- 1928 — : Out of the Dusk to You, Dan Gridley with piano
Song titles
- 19??: Don Clark and His La Monica Ballroom Orchestra
- 1926: Harry Reser's Casino Dance Orchestra
- 1928: James Melton
- 1928: Kjerulf's Mayfair Quintette
- 1928: Jack Denny & His Orch.
- 1929: The Four Synco-Pets
- 1934: Enrico Caruso Jr. -
- 1938: Carlos Sanatana's Accordion Band
- 1948: Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae
- 1949: Mario Lanza
- 1954: Ferrante & Teicher
- 1954: Frankie Yankovic
- 1955: Michel Legrand
- 1958: Robert Alda
- 1962: Willis "Gator" Jackson
Filmography
- Boardwalk Empire
- Bugs Bunny's Easter Special — "Me-ow"
- The Lawrence Welk Show
- Tweety's Circus — "Me-ow"
- That's the Spirit — "Do You Ever Think of Me?"
- You're Next to Closing — "Neapolitan Nights"
- The Lady in Red — "Neapolitan Nights"
- El cantante de Nápoles — "Neapolitan Nights"
- Alibi — "Your Love Is All"
- Whispering Winds — "Whenever I Think of You", "Listen to the Rain"
- One Stolen Night — "My Cairo Love"
- A Musicale Melange — "Neapolitan Nights"
- Musical Moments — "Neapolitan Nights"
- The Wedding March — "Paradise"
- Frazil — "Neapolitan Nights"
- Redskin —
Screenplays
- Boston Blackie
- Cheaters
Radio theme music
- The First Nighter Program — Neapolitan Nights
Pseudonyms
- Randal Moreland
- Hal Billings
Progressive sociological essays by Kerr
- The International: A Review of Two Worlds, edited by George Sylvester Viereck, The Moods Publishing Company, Volumes 8, No. III, March 1914, pg. 98
- Overland Monthly, October 1916, pps. 341–347
- , The New Age Magazine, Scottish Rite, New York, February 1913, pps. 121–130
- , The Oriental Economic Review, Vol. 3, No. VII & VIII, May–June 1913, pps. 527–535
- Price Maintenance — The Salvation of Business
- Copyright Legislation — An Answer to the Argument of the Manufacturers of Phonographs and Other Mechanical Reproduction Devices
Family
His first marriage was to Harriet Lodge Hastings. They married on October 9, 1905, in Albany, New York. His second marriage was to Ruth Eleanor Minter. They married on December 20, 1919, in Santa Ana, California, and remained married until his death.