Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Feb 18, 2009, 5:30 PM
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"Besame Mucho" lyricist Sunny Skylar dies, 95
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Songwriter Sunny Skylar, who supplied the English lyrics for such classic pop tunes as Consuelito Velasquez's "Besame Mucho," died February 2. A Las Vegas resident for the last 30 years, he was 95.
Desccribed by family members as "the last of the great Tin Pan Alley authors," he had over 300 songs to his credit, often providing music as well as lyrics. Several were used repeatedly in Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
His "All The Time" was heard in Hollywood Canine Canteen and Acrobatty Bunny (both 1946), Slick Hare (1947), Bone Sweet Bone (1948), Holiday For Drumsticks (1949), Terrier-Stricken (1952) and Dr. Jerkyl's Hide (1954).
"Gotta Be This or That" was on the soundtrack of Hare Remover and Walky Talky Hawky (both 1946), as well as My Bunny Lies Over The Sea (1948). And "I'd Be Lost Without You" was heard in 1948's You Were Never Duckier.
According to comedian and instrumentalist Jim Coston, "Besame Mucho" paid for Skylar's first house and put his children through college. Years later, he received substantial royalties for the use of the song in the 1988 movie Moon over Parador, co-starring Richard Dryfuss and Raul Julia. Then a Vegas resident, he decided to take his wife on a Southeast Asian cruise due to the sudden cash windfall that resulted.
The son of Russian immigrants, Skylar was born Selig Shaftel in Brooklyn, New York on October 13, 1913.
His "Don't Wait Too Long" was recorded by Frank Sinatra for his milestone September of My Years album, while "Gotta Be
This or That" was waxed by Ella Fitzgerald for her Ella Swings Lightly album.
He also provided English lyrics for Gabriel Ruiz's "Amor Amor Amor." That and "Besame Mucho" were giant 1940s hits, recorded by Jimmy Dorsey and covered since then by hundreds of vocalists ever since.
Brothers Carlos and Mario Rigual's "Cuando Calienta el Sol," a 1961 hit record in Mexico, was translated by Skylar and became "Love Me With All Your Heart," one of the biggest-selling records for the Ray Charles Singers.
Skylar's even addied English lyrics to classical compositions. "You're Breaking My Heart," based on Italian opera composer Ruggero Leoncavallo's "Mattinata," was a 1949 hit for Vic Damone.
Other famous songs that he wrote or co-wrote included "Amor Amor," "Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue," "And So To Sleep" (a Patti Page hit) and "Carnaval In Costa Rica." Another big hit was "Be Mine Tonight," for which Skylar gave English lyrics to Agustin Lara's "Noche de Ronde."
An ASCAP member since 1942, Skylar was a singer with such bands as Ben Bernie, Paul Whiteman, Abe Lyman and Vincent Lopez. He performed at such well-known clubs as The Latin Quarter. After moving to Las Vegas, he sang his own classic tunes at the Flamingo and El Rancho Hotels, as well as worldwide.
Sunny Skylar was predeceased by his wife Jackie. He is survived by sister Jeanne Pollack of Hollywood, Florida; brother Arthur Shaftel of Maryland; children Michael, Paul and Mark Skylar, all of California, and Sara L. Collison and Andrew Skylar, both of Nevada; ten grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. His brother Arthur was a musician and bandleader.
A memorial service was held February 7 at Davis Funeral Home in Las Vegas. Donations can be made to Safe Nest.
(This post was edited by eminovitz on Feb 18, 2009, 5:32 PM)
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Feb 18, 2009, 7:24 PM
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Re: "Besame Mucho" lyricist Sunny Skylar dies, 95
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One of the ending theme songs for the "Urusei Yatsura" anime series has "besame mucho" and other Spanish words mixed in with the Japanese language lyrics, probably alluding to the meaning of the words (kiss me much) rather than the song "Besame Mucho".
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