Lorenz Hart (1895-1943) Like his famous partner, composer Richard Rodgers, the lyricist was born to a prosperous family on New York's Upper West Side. The pair met at Columbia University and scored their first hit with the song "Manhattan," which was introduced in the show "The Garrick Gaieties." Hart's witty, intricate, and often cynical lyrics flowered in such Rodgers collaborations as "Here in My Arms," "The Girl Friend," and "My Funny Valentine."