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Arthur Hamilton, Who Wrote the Enduring ‘Cry Me a River,' Dies at 98
Arthur Hamilton, a composer best known for the enduring torch song 'Cry Me a River,' which has been recorded by hundreds of artists, died on May 20 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 98.
His death was announced this month by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and the Society of Composers & Lyricists
Mr. Hamilton's long career included an Oscar nomination for best original song. But his most famous composition by far was 'Cry Me a River.'
It was one of the three songs he wrote for the 1955 film 'Pete Kelly's Blues,' which starred Jack Webb as a jazz musician fighting mobsters in Prohibition-era Kansas City, Mo. At the time, Mr. Webb was also playing his most famous role, Sergeant Joe Friday, on the television series 'Dragnet' (1951-59).
Peggy Lee, who played an alcoholic performer in the film, sang Mr. Hamilton's 'Sing a Rainbow' and 'He Needs Me.' Ella Fitzgerald, who was also in the film, sang 'Cry Me a River,' but her rendition was cut by Mr. Webb, who was also the director and producer.
'Arthur said to me that the irony was that when Ella recorded it' — years later, for her 1961 album 'Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!' — 'he thought she made one of the greatest recordings of it ever,' Michael Feinstein, the singer and pianist, said in an interview. 'But Jack felt she didn't have the emotional bandwidth to do it justice.'
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