Mitchell Parish

Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist of Lithuanian origin, best known for crafting romantic and evocative lyrics for some of the 20th century's most enduring popular songs, including "Stardust," "Deep Purple," and "Sleigh Ride." Born in Lithuania, Parish immigrated to the United States with his family in 1901 aboard the S.S. Dresden, initially settling in Louisiana before moving to New York City around age four, where he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. His early exposure to recorded music, such as Edison cylinders, and influences like Irving Berlin sparked his interest in songwriting; by age 11, he was composing poetry and short stories, and at 18, he began working as a songplugger in the music industry.

Parish's career took off in the 1920s on New York's Tin Pan Alley, where he started as a staff lyricist for publisher Jack Mills, earning $12 a week while contributing to vaudeville acts and early radio shows. His breakthrough came in 1929 with the lyrics for "Stardust," set to music by Hoagy Carmichael, which became one of the most recorded songs in history and a jazz standard. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he collaborated with prominent composers such as Duke Ellington on "Sophisticated Lady," Peter de Rose on "Deep Purple," and Leroy Anderson on "Sleigh Ride," producing hits that spanned stage, screen, and big band eras. Other notable works include "Sweet Lorraine," "Stars Fell on Alabama," "Moonlight Serenade" with Glenn Miller, and English lyrics for "Volare."

Mitchell Parish was born on July 10, 1900, in Lithuania, which was then part of the Russian Empire, to a Jewish family. His birth name was Michael Hyman Pashelinsky, though some sources list it as Michael Hyman Peretz.

Parish's parents were Meyer Pashelinsky and Rose Rosenstock, both of whom were part of the Jewish community in Lithuania. The family background was rooted in Eastern European Jewish traditions, including Yiddish language and religious observance, which shaped the early environment of Parish's infancy.

He had at least one sibling, a brother named Harry Parish. This close-knit Jewish family emigrated to the United States when Parish was just seven months old.