THE SONGS OF

WALTER

DONALDSON

Walter Donaldson wearing a checkered cap and a double-breasted coat, standing on the stairs of a boat or ship, with the ship's rigging and mast visible in the background.
Close-up of a tennis racket hitting a tennis ball on a court.
Black background with a large blue diagonal stripe across the image.
A vintage illustration of a man at a piano with a woman sitting nearby. The woman holds a sheet titled 'My Blue Heaven,' and a quote at the top reads, 'Give me the making of the songs of a people, I care not who makes their laws' - Anonymous. The man in the illustration appears to be Walter Donaldson, a composer.

The Man Behind

THE MUSIC

Walter Donaldson, a sleepless, quixotic songwriter, is remembered with great affection and praise as a perhaps lesser known but no less important figure than the friends and fellow songwriters he came up with on Tin Pan Alley like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Harry Warren, and Cole Porter.

From his first hit in 1915 until his untimely death in 1947, the Songwriters Hall of Famer wrote dozens of hit songs that are a vital part of the Great American Songbook including “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby,” “You’re Driving Me Crazy,” “My Blue Heaven,” “Makin’ Whoopee,” and many more – over eight hundred in all.

FULL BIOGRAPHY
Vintage illustration of a woman in an orange dress, holding a swaddled baby, with a village and church steeple in the background, accompanied by the text 'YES SIR! THAT'S MY BABY'.
Movie poster for 'Carolina in the Morning' featuring a black-and-white portrait of a woman with short hair, set against an orange background.
Cover of a book titled 'At Sunset' with trees and sunset imagery, featuring text about love, a song, and music by Walter Donaldson.
A vintage sheet music cover titled "Reaching for Someone" with words by Edgar Leslie and music by Walter Donaldson. It features a line drawing of a woman with curly hair, sitting with her hands on her hips and looking upward, inside a circular frame against a blue background.
Vintage sheet music cover for 'Love Me or Leave Me' by Ziegfeld, featuring a woman riding a jumping horse, with a red rose at the bottom and a list of song titles on the right.
Black and white promotional poster for the musical 'Riptide' featuring a woman in a shiny gown with a bow, standing in a confident pose. The poster includes pink and black text with the title 'Riptide' and credits, and mentions that the musical is dedicated to Howard Shearer.

TIMELESS

CLASSICS

Donaldson Publishing is embarking on a series of collaborations with contemporary artists and producers on covers, remixes, samples and interpolations of songs written by Walter Donaldson. Previous covers include hits by such iconic artists as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Nina Simone, Judy Garland, U2, Cher, Willie Nelson, Billie Holiday, Bryan Ferry, Rod Stewart, and Smashing Pumpkins.

The new series will embrace the full spectrum of styles and genres, from torch to rockabilly, hip hop to ska-punk, heavy metal to reggaeton, electronic/dance to country.

Vintage sheet music cover for "My Blue Heaven" featuring a portrait of Walter Donaldson, a scenic winter landscape with a house and two people, and decorative stars in the sky.
Cover of a book titled 'Hello Beautiful' by Walter Donaldson, featuring an illustration of a woman's face with dark hair, blue eyes, and red lips, surrounded by red circles with white concentric lines.
Cover of a vintage sheet music titled "I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight", featuring an illustration of a young man in a suit looking at a small picture or letter, sitting near a birdcage with a bird inside, and surrounded by ghostly faces. The cover is decorated in black, green, and white colors.
Vintage sheet music cover titled 'Changes' by Walter Donaldson, featuring a man in a tuxedo playing a grand piano, with animated characters and sparks in the background.
Vintage sheet music cover for 'Little White Lies' by Walter Donaldson featuring a black and white photo of a man in a suit sitting with a bicycle, with red, black, and gray geometric borders.
Vintage poster celebrating Francis Day in Paris, featuring an illustration of a woman and a man in a hot air balloon over the clouds, promoting a publication by Walter Donaldson, with event details and a list of countries.
Cover of musical sheet titled 'My Buddy' featuring a black-and-white portrait of a man with a serious expression, wearing a tuxedo with a bow tie, inside a yellow speech bubble. The cover credits lyricist Gus Kahn, composer Walter Donaldson, and introduces Al Jolson. It mentions Jerome H. Remick & Co., New York and Detroit.
A collage of black and white and color photographs of various musicians, actors, and performers, including iconic figures like David Bowie, Madonna, and Count Basie, showcasing diverse personalities and styles in the entertainment industry.
A collage of various famous musicians, actors, and cultural icons, mostly in black and white, with a few in color. The images include iconic photos of David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, and others.

REMIXES &

REMAKES

Renditions by top artists throughout the years have kept Walter Donaldson’s 800+ songs as fresh and relevant as the day they were written.

Immerse yourself in the collection below of carefully curated past remixes, each offering a fresh perspective on Donaldson's classic hits.

Collage of films and television series featuring the songs of Walter Donaldson

FILM &

TELEVISION

Donaldson’s stature as one of the greats has only grown with time. Prominent placements of Walter Donaldson’s biggest hits in hundreds of award-winning films & television series, commercial campaigns, and video games continue to prove their timelessness.

CONTACT

For questions, media inquiries or more information, complete the form or contact info@walterdonaldson.org