His songs include hits such as Alexander's Ragtime Band 1911, Always 1925, God Bless America 1917 (published 1939), and White Christmas 1942, and the musicals Top Hat 1935, Annie Get Your Gun 1946, and Call Me Madam 1950. He also provided songs for films like Blue Skies 1946 and Easter Parade 1948. Berlin grew up in New York and had his first song published 1907. He began providing songs for vaudeville and revues and went on to own a theatre, the Music Box, where he appeared in his own revues 1921 and 1923. Generally writing both lyrics and music, he was instrumental in the development of the popular song, taking it from jazz and ragtime to swing and romantic ballads.
