Irving Caesar (July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 lyricist

Lyricist

A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...

 and theater composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

  who wrote lyrics for "Swanee

Swanee (song)

"Swanee" is an American popular song written in 1919 by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Irving Caesar. It is most often associated with singer Al Jolson....

," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm

Crazy Rhythm

"Crazy Rhythm" is a thirty-two-bar swing show tune written in 1928 by Irving Caesar, Joseph Meyer, and Roger Wolfe Kahn for the Broadway musical Here's Howe. It has since become a jazz standard, inspiring at least 15 jazz albums named Crazy Rhythm, often with the song itself included...

," and "Tea for Two

Tea for Two (song)

"Tea for Two" is a song from the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar. It is a duet sung by Nanette and Tom in Act II as they imagine their future.-Analysis:...

," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written. He was born and died in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

.

Caesar, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew, was born Isidor Keiser. His older brother Arthur Caesar

Arthur Caesar

Arthur Caesar was a screenwriter. Romanian by birth, and brother of the songwriter Irving Caesar, Caesar first started writing Hollywood movies in 1924. Most of his movies were in the B-movie category...

 was a successful Hollywood screenwriter.