You speak, and I hear violins

We have a centenary to celebrate today - Mr Sammy Cahn!

Mr Cahn was a prolific songwriter and arranger - with a career that spanned over six decades. He was responsible for a huge number of classics that form part of "The American Songbook", and many of our favourites here at Dolores Delargo Towers.

With Saul Chaplin he wrote for the Jimmy Lunceford Band, and adapted the Yiddish song Bei Mir Bist Du Shoen for the Andrews Sisters. With Jule Styne he wrote myriad musical numbers including I'll Walk Alone, It's Been a Long, Long Time, Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry, Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Time After Time and the entire soundtrack for the film Three Coins in the Fountain.

His last major collaboration was with Jimmy Van Heusen (one of Sinatra's main songwriters), with whom he wrote The Tender Trap, Love And Marriage, High Hopes, All The Way, My Kind of Town (Chicago Is), Come Fly With Me, Call Me Irresponsible and The Second Time Around (and The Tapioca for the Thoroughly Modern Millie soundtrack), among many more.

But it is to the Cahn-Styne partnership we return - for I think today should be a Doris Day!

After all, It's Magic:

Doris Day - It's Magic

"The popular song is America's greatest ambassador."

Sammy Cahn (born Samuel Cohen, 18th June 1913 – 15th January 1993)

Mr Cahn's centenary will be celebrated this week on BBC Radio 2 with a special edition of Friday Night is Music Night hosted by Sir Michael Parkinson at 8pm on 21st June 2013.