Fran Landesman
Fran Landesman was an influential American lyricist and poet, known for her contributions to musical theater and her poignant poetry. Born to a dress manufacturer and a newspaperwoman, she initially pursued studies in sculpture before transitioning to fashion. Her career took a defining turn while living in St. Louis with her husband, Jay Landesman, where she began crafting lyrics inspired by the jazz culture surrounding her. One of her most notable works, "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," emerged from her unique ability to blend literary references with musical expression.
Landesman collaborated on several successful musicals, including *The Nervous Set*, which satirized the Beat Generation. She also co-wrote songs with prominent musicians and authored various lyric-driven works throughout her career. In addition to her songwriting, she began to publish poetry in the 1970s, with collections like *The Ballad of the Sad Young Men* showcasing her reflective and often melancholic style. Her works are characterized by their emotional depth, highlighting themes of longing and existential contemplation. Landesman's legacy continues to resonate, emphasizing her significant role in American music and literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Fran Landesman
Poet
- Born: October 21, 1927
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: July 23, 2011
Biography
Fran Landesman was the daughter of a dress manufacturer and a newspaperwoman. In 1947, she enrolled at Temple University to study sculpture, but she returned to New York in 1949 to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She was employed by Biancini Silks when she met Jay Landesman, whom she married on July 15, 1950. They moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Jay worked in the family antique business until 1952, when he and his brother Fred opened a cabaret called the Crystal Palace.
Fran Landesman’s career as a lyricist began when she was sitting at the bar listening to the jive talk of musicians and translated a phrase from T. S. Eliot, “April is the cruellest month,” into the musicians’ slang. About thirty minutes later, she came up with the lyrics to “Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most.” Tommy Wolf, the resident piano player at the Crystal Palace, set her words to music. They collaborated with Landesman’s husband on The Nervous Set, a musical produced first at the Crystal Palace and then on Broadway. The play satirized both the Beat poets and their establishment opposition.
Fran Landesman wrote a number of popular songs, including “Listen, Little Girl,” “Night People,” “It Isn’t So Good, It Couldn’t Get Better,” “Tell Me Lies,” “This Life We’ve Led,” “I Love You Real,” “You’re So Bad for Me,” “Money Talks,” “Nothing Like You,” “Stoppin’ the Clock,” and “You’re Free.” In 1960, she and Nelson Algren cowrote the lyrics for A Walk on the Wild Side, a two-act musical play produced first at the Crystal Palace. With Jay Landesman and Martin Quigley she next wrote the lyrics for Molly Darling, first produced in St. Louis in June, 1963. The couple moved to England, where Jay opened a talent agency and founded a publishing company. Landesman collaborated with a number of famous musicians including Alec Wilder, Steve Allen, and Dudley Moore. She also collaborated with Joyce Adcock on the lyrics for another musical, Dearest Dracula, a whimsical look at the vampire legend, produced at the Dublin Theatre Festival in 1965.
Landesman began to compose poetry in the 1970’s. Her first book, The Ballad of the Sad Young Men, and Other Verse, was published in 1975; the title lyric was taken from the Nervous Set; “All the sad young men/ Sitting in the bars/ Knowing neon lights/ Missing all the stars/ All the sad young men/ Drifting through the town/ Drinking up the night/ Trying not to drown.” In 1977, Landesman began to read her own works in public. She wrote several more books of poetry, include Invade My Privacy (1978), More Truth than Poetry (1981), and Is It Overcrowded in Heaven? (1981). She describes her poems and song lyrics as laments. In 1999, Landesman donated her papers, including correspondence, audio tapes, and records, to the University of Missouri, St. Louis.