'I'm Just A Bill' Writer Dave Frishberg Dies At 88

PORTLAND, OR — While there are certainly jazz musicians who have had more name recognition, it's unlikely many – if any – wrote a composition as well-known, if not beloved as Dave Frishberg. And it's not just that it was a song – it was a civics lesson.

It was 1975 and Frishberg was asked by his friend Bob Dorough for some help.

Dorough, a fellow musician with whom he wrote the satirical, "I'm Hip." needed help. He was the musical director for "Schoolhouse Rock," the animated ABC show that aired on Saturday mornings and was aimed at teaching kids about a variety of topics from math to history to grammar. He thought his friend would be a good fit for the show.

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And he was. Frishberg knocked it out of the park on his first try.

In 1975, Schoolhouse Rock's third season, Frishberg's song, "I'm Just a Bill," made its debut.

The song, a civics lesson with a jazzy, almost bluesy beat, is one of the best-known songs to come out of the show.

In addition to being a monument to teaching kids, it is a monument to Frishberg who died Wednesday at a hospital in Portland. He was 88-years-old.

Frishberg was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 23, 1933.

He had three loves growing up – music, literate humor such as the works of Robert Benchley, and baseball.

While he would graduate from college with a degree in journalism, it was music – particularly jazz which his brother introduced him to – that truly motivated him.

He moved to New York where he ended up spending time at places like the village Vanguard and the Duplex, playing piano with icons like Gene Krupa. While playing the Duplex, he would accompany singer Anita O'Day.

At one point, she asked him to write her a sultry song and he came up with "Peel Me a Grape."

"Pop me a cork, French me a fry/Chill me some wine, keep standing by/Just entertain me, champagne me/Show me you love me, kid glove me/Best way to cheer me, cashmere me/I’m getting hungry, peel me grape."

While the song may not have been Frishberg's most-well known song, it might be the one for which he will be most remembered by musicians.

It's been recorded by more than 80 different artists over the past 50 years.

In addition to O'Day, the song has been recorded by Diana Krall, Dusty Springfield, Lanie Kazan, Shirley Horn, and Vanessa Williams.

In 1969, Frishberg combined his love of music with his love of baseball and came up with one of the best-known baseball songs, "Van Lingle Mungo."

Frishberg would tell the story of how he'd had a tune with a Brazillian beat in his head but couldn't figure out lyrics to go with it. One day, he glanced over at his copy of The Baseball Encyclopedia and started flipping through the pages.

He came upon Mungo, a pitcher who played with New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1930s and 1940s. Soon after, Frishberg filled in the names of 36 more players and a song – whose entire lyrics were the name of 37 players – was born.

Frishberg moved to Portland in 1986 and has lived here ever since. He would frequently perform at local hotels and other venues. He had a reputation of being someone who was always happy to talk and share tales from his storied past.

He is survived by his wife, Ann Magnusson, and two sons.