James Thornton(December 5, 1861 – July 27, 1938)[1]was anIrish-Americansongwriterandvaudevilleperformer. He is primarily remembered today as the composer of the 1898 song, "When You Were Sweet Sixteen".
James Thornton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 5, 1861 DublinorLiverpool,United Kingdom |
| Died | July 27, 1938(aged 76) New York City,New York,United States |
| Genres | Popular music |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter/singer, comedian |
| Years active | c. 1885–1934 |
Career
editThornton started his career as a "singing waiter" inBoston,Massachusetts,United States, and then achieved success with his wife,Elisabeth "Bonnie" Cox,in music halls throughout the US as what was then called a "serio-comic" or "monologist" (essentially a stand-up comic) and singer. During his career, he also performed in a vaudeville team withCharles B. Lawlor.[1]
Thornton's compositions included: "When You Were Sweet Sixteen",[1]"She May Have Seen Better Days","The Irish Jubilee "," Two Little Girls in Blue "," When Summer Comes Around "," It Don't Seem Like the Same Old Smile "," My Sweetheart's the Man in the Moon ",[1]"Going for a Pardon",[2]and "The Streets of Cairo".[3]
Thornton's last public appearance was in 1934 at the Forrest Theater inNew York City.[citation needed]
Private life
editLittle is known about his early life.[4]According to theNew York Times,he was born inDublin,Ireland.[5]According to the 1900 US census and his birth certificate,[citation needed]he was born of Irish parents, John Thornton and Catherine Molloy, inLiverpool,England. He emigrated with his parents and siblings to Boston, United States in 1869,[1]became a US citizen in 1931, and died inNew York City.
Margaret Bradford Boniwrote about him:[6]
Thornton, genial, undependable, bibulous, was one of the greatest of theTin Pan Alleysongwriters and comedians. [...] Bonnie Thornton, his wife, a well-known singer of the day, worked there also, and part of her job, it is told, was to keep her husband from spending all of his money on drink. Thornton, returning home from a drinking spree onIndependence Day,was met with Bonnie's tearful reproof and her sadly expressed doubt of his love and fidelity. Quickly he reassured her with the words, "My Sweetheart's the man in the moon." The words gave him the title and idea for one of his greatest songs, which was later sung with enormous success by Bonnie atTony Pastor's 14th Street Theatre.
Apparently, this was a recurring theme in their marriage, as a similar story is told about the origin of "When You Were Sweet Sixteen".
After Bonnie died in 1920, Thornton married restaurateur Josephine Boyle.[5]
References
edit- ^abcdeColin Larkin,ed. (1992).The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music(First ed.).Guinness Publishing.p. 2488.ISBN0-85112-939-0.
- ^Thornton, James; Hauenschild, Clara (1896)."Going for a Pardon"(PDF).JScholarship,Johns Hopkins University,Levy Sheet Music Collection.RetrievedJanuary 4,2022.
- ^Thornton, James (1895)."Streets Of Cairo or The Poor Little Country Maid".JScholarship,Johns Hopkins University,Levy Sheet Music Collection.RetrievedJanuary 4,2022.
- ^"James Thornton".Kokomo.ca.2011-12-09. Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-14.Retrieved2013-04-02.
- ^ab"James Thornton, Actor, Weds Again"(PDF).The New York Times.4 December 1920.
- ^Boni, Margaret Bradford (1960).Songs of the Gilded Age.Golden Press. p. 40.