Youmans, Vincent [Millie] (1898–1946), composer. Born in New York, where his father and grandfather were well‐known hatters, he originally considered a career in engineering but soon turned to music. A stint in the navy in World War I, during which time John Philip Sousa played one of his compositions, confirmed him in his decision. Youmans served as a song plugger and inserted interpolations into a failed revue before writing much of the score for Two Little Girls in Blue (1921). In 1923 he collaborated on Wildflower and Mary Jane McKane, then a year later wrote his first complete score for Lollipop. The biggest musical comedy success of the 1920s was his No, No, Nanette (1925), whose songs included “I Want to Be Happy” and “Tea for Two.” Oh, Please! (1926) offered “I Know That You Know,” while from the far more successful Hit the Deck! (1927) came “Hallelujah” and “Sometimes I'm Happy.” Thereafter Youmans decided to abandon musical comedy writing and return to operetta. He had also co‐produced Hit the Deck! and ambitiously attempted to produce other offerings. But his subsequent shows proved failures and drove him to bankruptcy. Rainbow (1928) was followed by Great Day (1929), which despite its short run left behind its title melody as well as “More Than You Know” and “Without a Song.” Youmans's last shows were Smiles (1930), Through the Years (1932), and Take a Chance (1932). Especially in his early years, his identifying signature was his employment of the shortest themes, often two to four notes, repeated with variations in harmony and in tempo. In later years Youmans's musical line was frequently longer, but he never fully discarded his early technique. After writing the music for the film Flying Down to Rio, he contracted tuberculosis. This, his heavy drinking and partying, coupled with a curious intractability in negotiations, all combined to remove him from the scene and hastened his death. Biography: Days to Be Happy, Years to Be Sad, Gerald Bordman, 1982.

• Genre: Jazz
• Active: '20s, '30s
• Instrument: Songwriter

Biography

A famed composer of the '20s and '30s, Vincent Youmans wrote popular songs and became famous for his Broadway musical hits. Among his Broadway hit songs are "Who's Who With You," "Country Cousin" and "Oh Me, Oh My, Oh You."

Vincent Youmans' career began when he was four-years-old. He was born in New York to a hat chain owner and a housewife. His parents encouraged his musical genius when they gave him piano lessons at age four. His education took him to Trinity College, Heathcote Hall, and finally to Yale University where he studied engineering. With no interest in engineering, he dropped out of Yale. He then entered the U.S. Navy preparing musical shows for the troops. One of his songs was used by John Philip Sousa and renamed "Hallelujah" in 1927.

After his stint in the Navy, Youmans concentrated heavily on his musical career. His first Broadway hit "Who's Who With You" was performed in the 1918 show From Broadway to Piccadilly. In 1920 his song, "Country Cousin," was published and earned him a job at Harms Music as a pianist and songplugger. Youmans then worked with Victor Herbert, assisting him in rehearsing singers for his musicals. The experience he gained in his first two jobs made him one of many successful composers of his time.

In 1923 Youmans collaborated with Herbert Stothart for the musical The Wildflower. Another show for the duo, Mary Jane McKane, was unsuccessful in 1923 but garnered much musical success for Youmans under its 1925 title No, No Nanette. It featured the songs "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy." During the late '20s Youmans did several Broadway musicals including Oh, Please, Hit the Deck, Rainbow and Great Day.

Success came for Youmans with Flying Down to Rio. The cast included such film legends as Gene Raymond, Delores Del Rio, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. With hits such as "Carioca," "Music Makes Me," "Flying Down to Rio" and "Orchids in the Moonlight," it is no wonder Youmans, along with Edward Eliscu and Gus Kahn, earned a 1935 Oscar nomination for Best Music in the film.

Unfortunately, in 1933 Youmans contracted tuberculosis and entered a sanatorium in Colorado. After a few years he was able to leave and parted to Louisiana where he began to compose again. In 1943 he opened The Vincent Youmans Ballet Revue in Boston. The show was full of ballet, puppets, music and costumes. Not a rousing success, the show ended without playing New York City as Youmans planned.

In 1945 Youmans was forced to return to the Colorado sanatorium because of his failing health. At the age of 48 he died in Denver, Colorado. "Through the Years" was played at his funeral. A popular musical figure on the Broadway circuit, Vincent Youmans was also a member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. ~ Kim Summers, All Music Guide

Tea for Two: The Songs of Vincent Youmans Buy this CD

For more information on Vincent Millie Youmans, visit Britannica.com.

1898–1946, American composer, b. New York City. He first began composing while in the navy during World War I. His first musical, Two Little Girls in Blue, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, opened (1921) on Broadway. It was followed by such successes as Wildflower (1923), No, No, Nanette (1925), and Hit the Deck (1927).

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