Andy Razaf (born Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo; December 16, 1895 – February 3, 1973)[1] was an American poet, composer, and lyricist of such well-known songs as "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose".
Razaf was born in Washington, D.C., United States.[1] His birth name was Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo. He was the son of Henri Razafinkarefo, nephew of Queen Ranavalona III of the Imerina kingdom in Madagascar, and Jennie Razafinkarefo (née Waller), the daughter of John L. Waller, the first African American consul to Imerina.[2] The French invasion of Madagascar (1894-95) left his father dead, and forced his pregnant 15-year-old mother to escape to the United States, where he was born in 1895.[3]
He was raised in Harlem, Manhattan, and at the age of 16 he quit school and took a job as an elevator operator at a Tin Pan Alley office building. A year later he penned his first song text, embarking on his career as a lyricist. During this time he spent many nights in the Greyhound Lines bus station in Times Square, and picked up his mail at the Gaiety Theatre office building, which was considered the black Tin Pan Alley.[4]
He also wrote quite a number of raunchy 'character' blues-type songs for many of the female blues singers of the 1920s. He also made a number of records as vocalist (both as solo and as vocalist for jazz groups, including a handful by James P. Johnson and Fletcher Henderson).
The Songwriters Hall of Fame entry for Andy Razaf lists 215 compositions, giving co-writers and publishers.[6] He had many unpublished songs; Singer's biography lists more than 800, published and unpublished (but without giving lyrics). Some notable lyrics include:
"Baltimo", composed at the age of 17, was sung by members of The Passing Show of 1913 at the Winter Garden Theatre, New York.
"Mound Bayou", named for Mound Bayou an independent Black community in Mississippi, the original song was sung by Maxine Sullivan, and was on an album dedicated to his work, A Tribute to Andy Razaf.[7]
Although Razaf's songs are found on hundreds of recordings, there are only two albums devoted exclusively to his compositions:
Maxine Sullivan, A Tribute to Andy Razaf, 1956, produced by Leonard Feather,[8] re-issued in 2006 as My Memories of You with two additional non-Razaf tracks.
Bobby Short, Guess Who's in Town: Bobby Short Performs the Songs of Andy Razaf, 1987,[2][9] re-released in 2001 in tandem with Bobby Short Loves Cole Porter.
Wired, Hired, Fired, an expression of grief and sorrow that color bars one fitted to position (that is, one otherwise qualified for, or well suited to the job, is barred on the basis of race).
Black and Blue: The Life and Lyrics of Andy Razaf by Barry Singer, Foreword by Bobby Short, ISBN0-02-872395-3
Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs'; by William Zinsser, David R. Godine Publisher, 2006, ISBN1-56792-325-9
The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists by Philip Furia, ISBN0-19-507473-4
Who's Who of the Colored Race, Memento Edition Half-Century Anniversary of Negro Freedom in U.S., reprinted by Gale Research Company, Book Tower Detroit, 1976.
