Don Black (lyricist)

Don Black OBE
Don Black shows his Oscar for Born Free, Nightingale House, February 2010
Background information
Birth name	Donald Blackstone
Born	(1938-06-21) 21 June 1938 (age 78) London, England
Genres	Popular music
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, lyricist
Years active	1960s–present
Website	Official Don Black website

Don Black, OBE (born 21 June 1938) is an English lyricist. His works have included numerous musicals, movie themes and hit songs. He has provided lyrics for John Barry, Charles Strouse, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Quincy Jones, Lulu, Jule Styne, Henry Mancini, Michael Jackson, Elmer Bernstein, Michel Legrand, Hayley Westenra, A. R. Rahman, Marvin Hamlisch and Debbie Wiseman.

Allmusic stated that "Black is perhaps best-known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and for the James Bond theme songs he co-wrote with composer John Barry: "Thunderball", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "The Man with the Golden Gun"."

Black was born Donald Blackstone in London, England, the youngest of five children of Russian Jewish immigrants Morris and Betsy (née Kersh) Blackstone. His father worked as a garment presser and his mother in a clothes shop and during his childhood the family lived in a council flat in Tornay House, Shore Place, South Hackney. He attended Cassland Road School and enjoyed visits to the Hackney Empire, which was then a music hall and to the cinema to watch James Cagney films.