Lyricist Joe McCarthy was born in Somerville, Massachusetts on September 27, 1885.
McCarthy’s early career was as a singer in Boston cafes and then as a music publisher. Moving to New York City, he was put on staff at Feist & Co music publishing company on Tin Pan Alley. In 1914, he was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and served as its director from 1921 through 1929.
McCarthy wrote several scores for Broadway productions, including Oh, Look!, Irene, The Broadway Whirl, Up She Goes, Kid Boots, Ziegfeld Follies of 1924, Rio Rita and Cross My Heart. He also contributed songs to the stage productions Afgar, Follow Me, Everything, A Royal Vagabond and the Ziegfeld Follies of 1919 and 1920.
Highlights from the Joe McCarthy catalog include “You Made Me Love You”, “Beatrice Fairfax”, “In All My Dreams I Dream of You”, “What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?”, “They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me”, “Through”, “If we Can’t Be the Same Old Sweethearts”, “Ireland Must be Heaven for My Mother Came From There”, “I Found the End of the Rainbow”, “Oui, Oui, Marie”, “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows”, “My Baby’s Arms”, “I’m Crying Just For You”, “I Miss You Most of All”, “Alice Blue Gown”, “Irene”, “Castle of Dreams”, “Journey’s End”, “If Your Heart’s In the Game”, “Someone Loves You After All”, “Rio Rita”, “The Kinkajou”, “The Rangers Song”, “If You’re in Love You’ll Waltz” and “You’re Always in My Arms”.
Joseph McCarthy died in New York City on December 18, 1943.
