MG 35

ANDY RAZAF
PAPERS

The New York Public Library

Schomburq Center Por Research
in Black Culture

515 Malcolm X Blvd

New York, New York 10037

 PREFACE

This inventory is one of several prepared as part of the archival

preservation program at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black

Culture, a research division of The New York Public Library.

The Schomburg Centers's archival preservation program involves the

organization and preservation of primary source material held by

the Center and of significance to the study of the Black

experience. It, furthermore, included the preparation of detailed

inventories of these records, making the information contained

therein accessible as well as available to scholars.

The necessary staff and supplies for this program were made

available through a combination of Library, National Endowment for

the Humanities grant, and State of New York grant funds.

i
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

PREFACE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• i i

BIOGRAPHY •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1

SCOPE AND CONTENT •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 2

PROVENANCE .••.•••••...•.••••...•.•.......••.. 3

CONTAINER LIST ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4

SONG LIST •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5

SEPARATION RECORD •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12

ii
RAZAF, ANDY (1895-1973). PAPERS, 1918-1963, 1973.
3 boxes

Biography
Andy Razaf was born Andreamentania Paul Razafinkeriefo on
December 16, 1895 in Washington D.C., months after his mother had
fled Madagascar because the government there had been overthrown.
His father Henri Razafkeriefo, a member of the nobility, was
killed after the French captured the island, exiled his aunt, the
Queen and abolished the nobility.

When Razaf was sixteen, he quit pUblic school to support his

mother and seriously write songs. His first published song was
"Baltimo" which was used in the show, "the Passing of 1913."
Razaf kept the abbreviated form of his name after a song
pUblisher shortened it because it would never be pronounced
correctly or remembered by the public.

In 1923, Razaf met Thomas "Fats" Waller after hearing him play in
a contest at the Roosevelt Theater in Harlem. From that moment
on the two had a very profitable and congenial partnership. Over
the next twenty years the song writing team of Razaf and Waller
produced floor shows, Broadway musicals and many memorable hits,
including "Ain't Misbehavin," "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Black and
Blue." In 1930 Razaf collaborated with Eubie Blake to write the
score for Lew Leslie's "Blackbirds of 1930," a musical show.
That same year proved to be the lyricist's most prolific,
producing such hits as "S'posin"' and "My Handy Man." Razaf also
collaborated with J.C. Johnson and the stride pianist James P.
Johnson.

Although Razaf never attended college, he was self-taught and

highly educated. Numerous hours spent in the public library at
135th street motivated him to write a poem entitled "Reflections
in a Public Library." In 1941 he married the head librarian Jean
Blackwell, Chief (1948-1980) of the Schomburg Center for Research
in Black Culture, formerly the 135th Street Branch Library. His
love of the Schomburg Center prompted a library official to offer
him a scholarship which Razaf declined for lack of time. Razaf
was married three times, but had no children.

After his marriage to Jean Blackwell the couple moved to

Englewood. In 1947 he decided to run for City council. Although
he lost, it marked the first political effort by a black person
in that city.

Razaf moved to California in 1948. He was stricken by paralysis

brought on by tertiary syphilis that confined him to a wheelchair
for the rest of his life. Despite his physical handicap, he
continued to write poems, lyrics and letters; his stationery
depicts him in his wheelchair with the words, "From the
Wheelchair of Andy Razaf." Al though he experienced dai ly
agonizing pain, Razaf still found time to appear every Thursday
 Razaf - page 2

on radio and write a column, "Time Out for Thinking," for a Los
Angeles weekly.

After the war, Razaf was honored by the United states Department
of the Treasury for special songs written for its War Bond Drive.
He continued to receive citation from numerous organizations.
His poem, "A Mixed-Up World," appeared in the Appendix of the
Congressional Record in 1959 at the request of his former
Congressman, Frank C. Osmers, Jr., of New Jersey. The Los
Angeles Library Commission honored him after he donated his book
and map collection to their Vernon Branch in 1963. In 1972 he
returned to live in New York and was inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame.

On February 3, 1973 Andy Razaf, one of Tin Pan Alley's greatest

songwriters and author of over 1000 tunes, died at the age of
seventy-seven in North Hollywood, California.

Scope and Content

The Andy Razaf Papers, 1918-1963, 1973, consist of

correspondence, poetry, citations, photographs, newspaper
clippings, printed material and bound volumes of printed sheet
music. Although some personal material is also included, the
collection largely documents Razaf's prolific career as
songwriter, lyricist and poet.

The collection has been organized into three series

Correspondence, Poetry, Printed Material and Collected Songs.

CORRESPONDENCE consists of one folder of loose correspondence,

1958-1963, 1973, as well as letters mounted on laminated
scrapbook pages, 1943-1963. Incoming correspondence largely
concerns the performance or publication of Razaf's work. During
World War II, two of his songs were written especially for the
War Bond Drive. The majority of the outgoing correspondence is
personal in nature, and is addressed to Jean Blackwell Hutson,
Chief of the Schomburg Center. The loose correspondence is
arranged chronologically. The laminated letters are in a general
chronological sequence; however, in most cases there is more than
one item on a page, often with varying dates.

Razaf's POETRY can be found in one loose folder, 1950-1962, n.d.,

as well as in folders titled, Poems for a Mixed-up World, 1959
and The Negro Has to Laugh and Other Poems, 1918-1962. Poems fo~
a Mixed-Up World is a bound volume of typescript poetry with an
introduction by Langston Hughes and an autobiographical preface
by Razaf. The manuscript was never pUblished. The Negro Has to
Laugh and Other Poems consists of a bound volume of mounted and
laminated clippings and typescripts of Razaf's poetry. A 1962
 Razaf - page 3

letter from Razaf to Hutson, presenting this volume to the

Schomburg Center, is mounted on the first page.

PRINTED MATERIAL, 1918-1962, is comprised mostly of citations and

clippings, located in one folder, 1960, n.d., the laminated
scrapbook pages, 1929, 1944-1962, and The Negro Has to Laugh and
Other Poems, 1918-1962. Some of the clippings contain Razaf's
poetry, others pertain to performances of his work and other
aspects of his career. The citations illustrate the honors
awarded Razaf by various organizations, including his election to
the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
in 1929.

The collection also contains six bound volumes of COLLECTED

SONGS, covering the years, [1913?]-1943. The songs are arranged
somewhat chronologically, with some duplication. An itemized
list of the songs in the volumes, including title, author,
composer and date, follows the container List. In addition , an
ASCAP listing, the "Record of the Works of Razaf, Andy," 1923­
1960, can be found in Box 1, following the laminated scrapbook
pages. The two song listings are not identical, and the
copyright date on the sheet music in the volumes does not always
correspond to the date listed in the "Record."

Provenance

Presented by Andy Razaf between 1958-1962.

SCM78-35

Processed by S.M. Howard/S.D. SharI in

28 December 1978
 Razaf - page 4

container List
Box Folder
CORRESPONDENCE

1
Scrapbook (includes correspondence, Printed

Material, Song List 1929, 1943-1963)

2 1
Correspondence, 1958-1963, 1973

POETRY
2
Poems, 1940-1962, n.d.
3
Poems for a Mixed-Up World - Typescript
and Introduction, 1959

4
Printed Material, 1960, n.d.

5
The Negro has to Laugh and other Poems,

1918-1962

COLLECTED SONGS.

6
Volume 1

7
Volume 2

3 1
Volume 3

2
Volume 4

3
Volume 5

4
Volume 6

• (see attached list)

 Razaf - paqe 5

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST COMPOSER

1 1929 S'Posin' Andy Razaf Paul Denniker

1929 Ain't Misbehavin " Thomas Waller,
Harry Brooks
1928 Dusky Stevedore " J.C. Johnson
1928 Louisiana " "
1928 When Andy Razaf, "
Bob Schafer
1929 Perhaps Andy Razaf Paul Denniker
1927 My Special Friend " J.C. Johnson
is Back in Town
1928 My Handy Man " "
1928 Guess Who's in Town " "
1926 Nobody But My Baby " & Clarence Williams
1929 The World's Greatest
Sweetheart is You Paul Denniker
1926 Li I I Brown Baby Maceo Pinkard
1926 Natiesha (Bright Eyes) Paul Denniker
1926 At Sundown "
1926 Why Did I Go Wrong Maceo Pinkard
1923 My Waltz Devine Hughie Woolford
1929 India Leon Rosebrook
1929 Won'tcha Paul Denniker
1926 How Could I Be So Blue Dan Wilson
1926 She Belongs to Me Paul Denniker,
Howard Johnson
1929 (What Did I Do To Be " Thomas Waller,
So) Black and Blue Harry Brooks
1929 Sweet Savannah Sue " "
1929 Dixie Cinderella II
"
1929 Say it With Your Feet " "
1929 That Rhythm Man "
1929 Can't We Get Together "
1929 Off Time "
1928 How Jazz Was Born Thomas Waller
1928 willow Tree & Thomas Waller
1928 Got Myself Another "
Jockey Now
1928 Take Your Tomorrow " J.C. Johnson
(And Give Me Today)
1928 Ole Jim Crow II
"
1927 Got Everything (Don't " Jack Palmer
Want Anything But You)
1929 Why Am I Alone (With No " Spencer Williams,
One To Love?) T. Waller
1928 Futuristic " & J.C. Johnson
1928 Sweet Emmalina " Jack Palmer
1927 Every Time I pick " Phil Worde,
A Sweetie Allie Moore
1928 A Beautiful Girl II
& J.C. Johnson
1928 Georgia Gut " Spencer Williams
 Razaf - page 6

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST COMPOSER

1 1926 Hands off, That's Andy Razaf & Paul Denniker

My Gal
1926 Tomboy Sue II II

1923 He Wasn't Born in Araby II

& Edgar Dowell
1924 A Bobbed-Haired Bandit II
& "
Stole My Heart Away
1924 If You Haven't Got The II
& Harold Dellon
Things It Takes to Hold
Your Man
1923 No One Can Toddle II
& Edgar Dowell
Like My Cousin Sue
1924 You've Got to B'Natural II
"
Honey
1923 Daddy Treat Your II
Harold Dellon
Baby Right
1925 I've Lost My Head " W. Asher,
Over You M. Deas
1927 Oh Malinda " & Jimmy Johnson
1924 Please Tell Me Why " Ed Adams,
Thomas Waller
1919 The 15th Infantry II
Andy Razaf
[1913?] Baltimo " "
2 1929 My Fate is In Your II
Thomas Waller
Hands
1930 Memories of You II Eubie Blake
1930 You're Lucky To Me " "
1930 Green Pastures " "
1930 My Handy Man Ain't " "
Handy No More
1930 Roll Jordan II
"
1930 Baby Mine II
"
1930 That Lindy Hop II
"
1930 On Revival Day " "
1929 Honeysuckle Rose " Thomas Waller
1931 Concentratin' " "
1930 When You Press Your " Julian Woodworth
Lips To Mine
1931 Mary Jane " J. Russel Robinson
1931 You Are Mine 'Til The " Frank Weldon
End of The Waltz
1929 Zonky " Thomas Waller
1930 Blue Turning Grey " II

Over You
1929 The Language of Love " & Paul Denniker
1931 Dip Your Brush in the " J.C. Johnson
Sunshine
1930 Gone " Harry Link
1931 Treat Me Like a Baby " Jack Palmer
1931 When I Can't Be with You " & Jimmy (J.c.) Johnson
 Razaf - page 7

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST COMPOSER

2 1930 Funny Little You " J. Russel Robinson

1930 The Verdict Is-Life Andy Razaf Len Joy
(With You)
1930 Prisoner of Love " Thomas Waller
1930 Imagine William Osborne, Andy Razaf,
Paul Denniker
1930 My Pathway of Love Andy Razaf Frank Weldon,
Anthony Trini
1930 Two Strangers " & Lee Morse
1930 Back Where We Started " Paul Denniker
1930 Wonder " Spencer Williams,
Cliff Burwell
1929 Welcome " Paul Denniker
1930
1929
A Glutton For Love
That Was Yesterday
" Alexander Hill
Paul Denniker
1929 Hawaiian Love-bird
"
1930 My Only One
" "
Chick Smith,
"
Alexander Hill
1930 The Way I Feel Today " Donald Redman,
Howard Quicksell
1930 Right From The Heart
Dave Bernie
1930 Just Sociable &
Harry Brooks
19 It's You &
Thomas Waller
19 Whatcha Got On Tonite &
"
1930 Can it Be True &
S. Williams
1930 My Man 0' War &
"
1929 Kitchen Man
Alex Belledna
1930 A Porters Love Song &
Jimmy Johnson

3 1932 If It Ain't Love " Donald Redman,

Thomas Waller
1932 Keepin out of " Thomas Waller
Mischief Now
1932 Lonesome Me " Thomas Waller,

Con Conrad

1932 strange As It Seems " Thomas Waller

1932 When Gabriel Blows His " "

Horn
1932 Love, I'm Calling " J.C. Johnson
1932 Reefer Man " J. Russel,
J.C. Johnson
1932 Buddie " Thomas Waller
1932 Ain'tcha Got Music " James P. Johnson
1932 I Was So Weak, Love Was " "
So Strong
1932 Yours All Yours " "
1932 My Headache " "
1932 stop That Dog " "
1932 I Think You're Swell " Jimmy Johnson
1932 Gotta Be Gonna Be Mine " Thomas Waller
 Razaf - page 8

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST COMPOSER

3 1932 Honey Do " J.C. Johnson

1932 Oh You Sweet Thing " Thomas Waller

1932 Mother's Little Man " George Raymond

1926 Wompum Pompum " & Paul Denniker

1932 Children, Walk With M e " & Alexander Hill

1933 He's A Son of The Andy Razaf & Reginald Foresythe

South Joe Davis

4 1936 Christopher Columbus Andy Razaf Leon Berry

1936 stomp in , At The savoy " Benny Goodman, Chick Webb
& Edgar sampson
1934 Never Slept a Wink " Nat Simon
Last Night
1935 What Harlem is Russell Wooding, Andy Razaf,
To Me Paul Denniker

1936 Big Chief De Sota Andy Razaf Fernando Arbelo

1935 Lovely Liza Lee " & Paul Denniker

1934 How Can You Face Me? "1/ Thomas Waller

1933 Deep Forest Reginald Foresythe

& Earl Hines

1936 Rhythm LUllaby " & Paul Denniker

1933 Tall Timber " Thomas Waller

1935 Machinery " Paul Denniker

1935 Please Take My Heart " "

1935 The Only Time You're " & "
Out of Luck
1935 That Rhythm Parade Andy Razaf Paul Denniker,

Russell Wooding

1935 That Night, The Wind " Louis A. Ruben

and Me
1935 Disappointed in Love " & Paul Denniker
1934 Soul Mate " Geo. B. Connell,
Paul Denniker
1933 The Shim Sham shimmy " Clarence Williams
Dance
1935 Never Let The Blues Go " & Paul Denniker
To Your Feet
1934 Beautiful Land of My " "
Dreams
1935 I'll Tell the World Ted White, Irving Mills,

Thats's News Andy Razaf

1935 If Andy Razaf Paul Denniker

1934 Georgia May " "

1934 Unsophisticated Sue Nat Simon, Harold Raymond,

Andy Razaf

1936 The Meetin's Called Andy Razaf Ada Rubin

to Order
1935 My Joe Louis of Love " & Paul Denniker

1932 Glory " & Joe Davis

1936 stay " Elisabeth Handy

 Razaf - page 9

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST COMPOSER

4 1936 LowTide (Down in Andy Razaf Harry Brooks

My Heart)
1936 Wait and See " Thomas Waller
1936 Stealin' Apples II II

1933 Be Ready II
Reginald Forysthe,
Ted Weems
1935 vesuvius Wm. C. Handy, William C. Handy
Andy Razaf

5 1938 Patty Cake, Andy Razaf, J.C. Johnson,

Patty Cake Thomas Waller
1939 In the Mood II
Joe Garland
1938 Peach Tree Street Andy Razaf, Margaret Bonds,
Joe Davis
1938 The spider and Thomas Waller, Andy Razaf,
the Fly J.C. Johnson
1939 Dream Caravan Andy Razaf Powell Edwards
1939 It's You Who Taught Andy Razaf, Joe Davis,
it To Me John Harley
1939 Homebound II
"
1939 Say Yes Andy Razaf, J.C. Johnson,
Thomas Waller
1938 I Had to Do it II
Thomas Waller
1939 After I've spent My II
& Joe Davis
Best Years on You
1940 Mighty Fine II
Thomas Waller
1939 Blue Algerian Skies Andy Razaf, & Leon Van Gelder, Bill
Joe Davis Long and Jerry Sears
1937 San Anton' Andy Razaf & Paul Denniker
1938 We, The People Andy Razaf, Paul Denniker,
Joe Davis
1937 I Can't Break the Andy Razaf, Charlie Beal,
Habit of You Bob Causer
1937 Cryin' Mood Andy Razaf & Chick Webb
1939 Lucille Andy Razaf & Henri Woode
Joe Davis
1939 Simple Simon Andy Razaf & Jerry Sears
Joe Davis
1939 Choo Choo Andy Razaf Eugene seebic,
Thomas Waller
1937 Teasin' Tessie Andy Razaf, Jimmy Lunceford,
Brown Lucky Roberts
1939 You Out-Smarted Andy Razaf, & Jerry Sears
Yourself Joe Davis
1938 On Rainy Days Andy Razaf & Thomas Waller
1939 Georgia II
Margaret Bonds,
Joe Davis
1939 All Aboard For II
& Joe Davis
Georgia
 Razaf - page 10

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST COMPOSER

5 1937 The Short Trail Thomas Waller & Andy Razaf

Became A Long Trail
1936 In Rockabye Baby Land Andy Razaf & Paul Denniker
1938 The Wedding of the " "
Chocolate Soldier

1936 A Prayer for Mother " "

and Dad

1936 Who's Afraid of the

" "
Bogey Man?

1936 Funnies on Parade " "

1937 Anyday the Sun Don't Thomas Waller & Andy Razaf

Shine
1937 Call the Plumber In II
"
1937 Lonesome One Andy Razaf Thomas Waller,
Clarence Williams
1937 The Jitterbug Tree " & J.C. Johnson revised by
Thomas Waller
1942 Massachusetts " Lucky Roberts
1939 In the Mood " Joe Garland
1942 Knock Me a Kiss Mike Jackson Mike Jackson
(Special Lyrics by Andy Razaf)
1942 I'm Gonna Move to the Wm. Weldon William Weldon
Outskirts of town (Special Lyrics by Andy Razaf)
1940 A Lover's Lullaby Frankie Carle, Andy Razaf,
Larry Wagner
1942 Rainbow Land Andy Razaf Lucky Roberts
1938 Yancy Special " Meade (Lux) Lewis
1941 We Are Americans Too " Eubie Blake,
Chas. L. Cooke
1942 We'll March to Hell " Lucky Roberts
and Back Again

6 1942 A Yankee Doodle Tan "II J.C. Johnson

1942 I'll Be Back Joe Davis
1941 I'll Be a Good Soldier " J. Russel Robinson
Too

1943 How Can I Forget Al Mority & Andy Razaf

We're Not Together

1942 Three Cheers for Our Andy Razaf Joe Davis

President
1942 12th Street Rag " Euday L. Bowman
1942 Mound Bayou " Leonard Feather
1940 Devil Can't Hurt Me " & Spencer Williams
1940 Georgia Gal " s Joe Davis
1940 You Broke it Up When " s Paul Denniker
You Said "Georgia"
1940 Git Away! " "
1940 On Repentin'Day " & Joe Davis
1940 Mighty Fine " Thomas Waller
 Razaf - page 11

VOL. YEAR TITLE LYRICIST

COMPOSER
6 1940 The Joint is Jumpin Andy Razaf, Thomas Waller,
J.C. Johnson
1940 Georgia Trail " & Joe Davis

1940 Inconvenience " "

1940 Make Believe Andy Razaf, Paul Denniker,

Danceland Joe Davis
N.D. You Let Me Down "
willie (The Lion) Smith
1940 Little Pops (Is Tops "
Henri Woode,
to Me) Louis Armstrong
1940 stayin' At Home "
Thomas "Fats" Waller
1940 Blue Rendezvous "
Erskine Butterfield
1940 Blue Dream "
"
1942 Keeping Out of Trouble "
"
1940 Sweet Land of Liberty "
& Joe Davis
 Razaf - page 12
SEPARATION RECORD

The following items were removed from:

Name of Collection/Papers Andy Razaf Papers

Accession Numl:ler _-"'S'-'C""M:!-7!..!8"--=""-3>!.5 _

Donor: Andy Razaf

Gift X purchase _

Date received: 1958-1962

Date transferred: 1958-1962

The item(s) listed below have been sent to the division indicated, either to be
retained or disposed of there. Any items that should receive special
disposition are clearly marked.

Schomburg Library:
Books. pamphlets. periodicals. newspapers. government pUblications

schomburg Photographs and Print Division:

20 Photographs

Other:
Sheet Music Collection: 3 pieces; "Le Petit Mousse Noir" (French) by P.
Cheret. "Thats What I Like About the South." words and music by Andy Razaf
(1944) "My Handy Man." words and music by Andy Razaf (1928)

Accessioned by: S.M. Howard/S.D. Sharlin Date: 12/28/78