I say he wrote it, rather than composer Richard Rogers because Hart’s words were the key to their collaboration. And a curious collaboration it was -- Rogers having the soul (and keeping the hours) of a Connecticut banker, and Hart never being around him much -- given as he was to drinking, gambler, fucking and rushing in at the last minute with a completed verse.














They met in the early twenties, gaining success with tunes for The Garrick Gaieties. The first and most striking of these --

“Summer journeys to Niag’ra
And other places aggravate all our cares
We’ll save our fares!
I’ve a cozy litte flat in
What is known as old Manhattan
We’ll settle down
Right here in town.

We’ll have Manhattan
The Bronx and Staten Island too
It’s lovely going through
The zoo
It’s very fancy
On old Delancy street you know
The subway charms us so
When balmy breezes blow
To and fro
And tell me what street
Compares with Mott street in July?
Sweet pushcarts gently gliding by
The great big city’s a wondrous toy
Just made for a gril and boy
We’ll turn Manhattan into an isle of joy

We’ll go to Greenwich
Where modern men itch to be free,
And bowling green you’ll see with me
We’ll bather at Brighton
The fish you’ll frighten when you’re in
Your bathing suit so thin
Will make a shellfish grin
Fin to fin

I’d like to take a
Sail on Jamaica bay with you
And fair Caanarsie’s lakes we’ll view
The city’s bustle cannot destroy
The drams of a girl and boy
We’ll turn Manhattan
Into an isle of joy

We’ll go to Yonkers
Where true love conquers
In the wilds

And starve together, dear
In “Child’s”
We’ll go to Coney
And eat balony on a roll
In Central Park we’ll stroll
Where our first kiss we stole
Soul to soul
And “”
Is a terrific show they say
We both may see it close someday
The city’s clamor can never spoil
The dreams of a boy and goil
We’ll turn Manhattan
Into an isle of joy

We’ll have Manhattan
The Bronx and Staten Island too
We’ll try to cross fifth avenue
As black as onyx
We’ll find the Bronnix Park express
Our Flatbush flat, I guess
Will be a great success.
More or less
A short vacation
On inspiration point we’ll spend
And in the station house we’ll en
But Civic virtue cannot destroy

The dreams of a girl and boy
We’ll turn Manhattan into an isle of joy”






Sounds charming, doesn’t it? But charm wasn’t what Larry Hart was about, as is clear with this number from Peggy-Ann (1926)

“Troubles really are bubbles they say
And I'm bubbling over today
Spring brings roses to people you see
But it brings hay fever to me
My luck will vary surely
That's purely a curse
My luck has changed,
Yes, it's gotten from rotten to worse
Where's that rainbow they hear about?
Where's that lining they cheer about?
Where's that love nest,
Where love is king ever after?
Where's that blue room they sing about?
Where's that sunshine they fling about?
I know morning will come,
But pardon my laugher!
In each scenario
You can depend on the end
Where the lovers agree.
Where's that Lothario?
Where does he roam, with his dome
Vaselined as can be?
Oh, it is easy to see all right
Ev'rything's gonna be all right
Be just dandy for ev'rybody but me.
In each scenario
You can depend on the end
Where the lovers agree.
Where's that Lothario?
Where does he roam, with his dome
Vaselined as can be?
Oh, it is easy to see all right
Ev'rything's gonna be all right
Be just dandy for ev'rybody but me.
Oh, yeah, I see that rainbow
For everybody but me.”

And in Curtis Hanson's film Wonder Boys, lecherously intrepid agent Robert Downey Jr. tracks down the object of his affection, Toby Maguire, through the Rogers and Hart song 'Glad to Be Unhappy,' as sung by the great Lee Wiley.

In short Lorenz Hart sang about climbing out of the pit of hell and peering anxiously up into the light.




Stephen Sondheim, who certainly should know better, once said Hart “wrote an ironic love song. And then he’d write an ironic love song. And then he’d write an ironic love song.” Zip it, Miss Thing! It took you half a century to write a love song that meant anything -- “Where Have You Been All My Life?” for Bounce -- a show you’re currently re-writing. Let’s hope it stays in. What you’ll never be able to write is something like the following from Present Arms (1928)

“I'm a sentimental sap, that's all
What's the use of trying not to fall?
I have no will, you've made your kill
'Cause you took advantage of me!

I'm just like an apple on a bough
And you're gonna shake me down somehow
So, what's the use,
you've cooked my goose
'Cause you took advantage of me!

I'm so hot and bothered that I don't
know my elbow from my ear
I suffer something awful each time you go
And much worse when you're near

Here I am with all my bridges burned
Just a babe in arms where
you're concerned
So lock the doors and call me yours
'Cause you took advantage of me.”




And that’s not to mention this one from Simple Simon (1930):

“He was too good to me how can I get along now
So close he stood to me
Everything is all messed up and wrong now
My baby would have brought me the sun
Cos making me smile that was his fun

When I was mean to him he didn't say go away now
You see I was his queen to him
Who's gonna make me gay now
It's only natural that I'm blue
He was too good to be true

I said he was too good to me how am I ever get along now
So close he stood to me
Everything's all messed up and wrong now
He would have brought me the sun and the moon
Cos anytime I left him it was too soon

When I was mean to him he didn't say go away now
I was his queen to him who's gonna make me gay now
It's only natural said it's only natural that I'm so blue
He was too good to be true”
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