James Vincent Monaco (January 13, 1885 – October 16, 1945) was an Italian-born American composer of popular music.
Life and career
thumb|upright=1.2|"You Made Me Love You", introduced by Al Jolson in 1913
Monaco was born in Foiano di Val Fortore, Italy. His family emigrated to the United States when he was six, and he grew up in Albany, New York, where he started playing piano in bars by the age of 18. He relocated to Chicago, where he became known as "Ragtime Jimmie", before moving to New York City in 1910. Over the next two decades, Monaco "presented the almost archetypal portrait of a successful Tin Pan Alley writer."
Working with a number of lyricists, he wrote several more hits, including "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" (1916; lyrics by Joseph McCarthy and Howard Johnson) and "Dirty Hands, Dirty Face" (1923; lyrics by Grant Clarke and Edgar Leslie), which was performed in 1927 by Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer. He continued to work with Edgar Leslie, and their 1932 song "Crazy People" was used as the theme song to George Burns and Gracie Allen's radio program. In the mid-1930s, Monaco also led his own dance band.
He moved to Hollywood in 1936 to work for Paramount Studios, and formed a songwriting partnership with lyricist Johnny Burke. They wrote successfully for several Bing Crosby movies, including the songs "My Heart Is Taking Lessons" (1938, from Doctor Rhythm), "I've Got a Pocketful of Dreams" (1938, from Sing You Sinners), and "Only Forever" (1940, from Rhythm on the River).