Marty Symes (1904–1953) was an American lyricist.
Symes was born in Brooklyn New York in 1904.[1] His first significant collaborator was composer Jerry Livingston. In 1932 they wrote "Darkness on the Delta", which became a hit for Mildred Bailey. The next year the Casa Loma Orchestra recorded their "Under the Blanket of Blue" and "It's the Talk of the Town", both co-written with Al J. Neiburg.[2]
In 1936, Symes wrote the lyrics for Isham Jones's 1936 hit "There Is No Greater Love".[2] It has been recorded by Guy Lombardo, Billie Holiday, Al Hibbler and many other artists and is considered a jazz standard.[1]
Nino Rota used Symes's "I Have But One Heart", composed by Johnny Farrow, in the 1972 film The Godfather.[2]
Symes died in Forest Hills, New York in 1953.[1]