Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Al Dubin song)

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Song by Deane Janis with Hal Kemp's Orchestra
Published	1933
Writer(s)	Composer: Harry Warren Lyricist: Al Dubin
Language	English

"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. However, Bennett never made a recording of the song. It was originally recorded by Deane Janis with Hal Kemp's Orchestra on October 31, 1933, in Chicago before the release of the film and was issued on the Brunswick label as catalog number 6734.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams 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.

The song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" has been added to the score of the stage musical 42nd Street for its 2017 West End run being performed by Sheena Easton in the character of Dorothy Brock: the Daily Express opined that "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" seemed "out of place" in 42nd Street while stating that Easton sang the song "splendidly".

This piece is written as a tango in the harmonic minor scale. The song is in the key of E minor.

...
Wikipedia