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My Take
To me, Ira Gershwin is one of the great unsung architects of American song. He slipped lyrics onto his brother George's melodies so naturally that lines like those in I Got Rhythm and Someone to Watch Over Me feel inevitable, as if the words were always there. Lyricists tend to live in the composer's shadow, yet Ira won a Pulitzer Prize for drama, proof that his craft stood on its own. I think the wit and emotional precision of his words shaped twentieth-century popular music as profoundly as any tune, and his Walk of Fame star is richly deserved.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ira Gershwin
- Name (Japanese)
- アイラ・ガーシュウィン
- Reading
- あいら・がーしゅうぃん
- Born
- December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Monkey
- Origin
- Manhattan, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- lyricist / composer / songwriter / librettist / poet
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- City College of New York
Awards & achievements
- 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
- 1986 Grammy Trustees Award
- Congressional Gold Medal
- 1998 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Ira Gershwin born?
December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983.
Where is Ira Gershwin from?
Ira Gershwin is from Manhattan, New York, United States.
What does Ira Gershwin do?
Ira Gershwin works as lyricist, composer, songwriter, librettist, poet.
Lyricist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.