Murray Grand

Murray Grand (August 27, 1919 – March 7, 2007) was an American singer, songwriter, lyricist, and pianist best known for the song "Guess Who I Saw Today".^[1]

Murray Grand
Birth name	Murray Grand
Born	(1919-08-27)August 27, 1919 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	March 7, 2007(2007-03-07) (aged 87) Santa Monica, California
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, lyricist, pianist
Instrument	Piano

Born in Philadelphia, Grand played piano as a teenager. During World War II, he served as an infantryman in U.S. Army and played piano accompaniment for USO Tour stars including Gypsy Rose Lee and Betty Grable.^[1] After the war, Grand studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School and worked as a cabaret performer in New York City.^[1]

In 1952, he wrote “Guess Who I Saw Today” (with lyrics by Elisse Boyd) for the Broadway musical revue New Faces of 1952.^[1][2] The song has been recorded by Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, and Eydie Gorme.^[3] In 1956, he and Boyd wrote the lyrics for "Thursday Child".^[4] He had also composed songs "Hurry" (also in collaboration with Elisse Boyd),^[5] "April in Fairbanks," and "Rouge" for New Faces of 1956.^[6]

Grand's songs have been recorded by Peggy Lee, Eartha Kitt, Paula West, Blossom Dearie, Toni Tennille, Eydie Gorme, and Michael Feinstein.

Grand appeared in two Paul Mazursky films: The Tempest and Moscow on the Hudson.

In his later years Grand lived for a time in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he ran a pet food business and continued to perform. He died of emphysema in Santa Monica, California in 2007.^[7]

Songs

Songs written or co-written by Grand include:

• "Guess Who I Saw Today" (written with Elisse Boyd)
• "Casino Royale (dedicated to Ian Fleming)
• "Chicken Song" (from the musical The Chicken Inspector)
• "Gore Galore"
• "I Was Beautiful"
• "Love At An Auction"
• "Morris Was Nice"
• "Rouge"
• "The Spider And The Fly"
• "Hurry"
• "April in Fairbanks"^[1]
• "Boozers and Losers" (written with Cy Coleman)
• "Thursday's Child" (written with Elisse Boyd)^[1]
• "Too Old to Die Young"
• "I Always Say Hello to a Flower"
• "Everything You Want"
• "Come By Sunday"
• "I'd Rather Cha-Cha Than Eat"
• "Comment Allez-Vous"
• "Not a Moment Too Soon"
• "Bald"^[8]