How About You? was written by Canadian lyricist Ralph Freed, brother of famed Hollywood lyricist, Arthur Freed, and set to music by Burton Lane. Nominated for a ‘Best Song’ Academy Award in 1941, the song was to be Freed’s greatest work, although he remained uncredited for some time.
How About You? was one of over 150 well-known songs composed by Ralph Freed as a Hollywood film lyricist. Also an accomplished author and composer, Freed began his career as a contract writer for Paramount, Universal and MGM Studios and later moved into television production and films. His chief musical collaborators included Sammy Fain, Burton Lane and Harry Barris. Other popular song compositions by Freed include Mama Don’t Allow It, You Leave Me Breathless, Please Don’t Say ‘No’, Say ‘Maybe’, I Never Felt More Like Falling in Love, Just the Way You Are and All the Time. Married in 1935 to his wife and collaborator, Grace Berchman, Ralph wrote, among other popular tunes, Christmas Dinner Country Style and Things They Don’t Teach You in School. They spent 38 years together starting in New York and ending up in Beverly Hills.
Burton Lane is best known as one of popular music’s most revered Broadway Musical and Hollywood film composers. Lane is credited with discovering 11-year-old Frances Gumm (Judy Garland) and bringing her to the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s executives.
