Shortly after his arrival in Chicago from Germany, Fred Fisher learned to play the piano; his first published songs appeared in 1904. By 1912, he had his first major success with "Peg O’ My Heart," written for the Broadway show of the same name. Shortly after World War I he wrote the enduring "Dardanella," which, recorded by Ben Selvin, sold a million copies. After relocating to Hollywood, he penned "I’d Rather Be Blue Over You (Than Be Happy With Somebody Else)," a Fanny Brice standout in 1928's MY MAN, and was co-composer of several other songs featured in early screen musicals. In 1936, he wrote "Your Feet’s Too Big," a hit for Fats Waller, and in 1940 "Whispering Grass" for the Ink Spots.