BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is a 1933 hit song by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Harry Warren (music), set in Paris. The narrator says “I walk along the street of sorrow / The Boulevard of Broken Dreams / Where gigolo and gigolette / Can take a kiss without regret / So they forget their broken dreams.” The song appeared in the 1934 film Moulin Rouge and was sung in the film by Constance Bennett. It was originally recorded by Deane Janis with Hal Kemp’s Orchestra on October 31, 1933. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” also served as the title tune for a stage musical which played 11 February - 9 March 2003 at the Coconut Grove Playhouse; featuring a libretto by Joel Kimmel, the play was based on the life of composer Al Dubin – played by Jordan Bennett – and featured a number of Dubin compositions as its score. (More from Wikipedia)
The name “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” has a long history in music and elsewhere. According to Wikipedia, there have been six previous uses of the phrase as a song or album name by everyone from David Cassidy to Smokie to Hanoi Rocks, beginning with a 1930’s standard called “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” – in all, there are 14 items listed on the phrase’s “disambiguation” page. Green Day created a combined rock video for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Holiday”; as mentioned in Wikipedia: “MTV’s Green Day Makes a Video described ‘Holiday’ as a party, and ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ as the subsequent hangover.”
(June 2017)
