As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving BerlinIrving Berlin (1888 1989) was unable to read or write music and could only play the piano in the key of F sharp major; yet, for the first half of the twentieth century he was America's most successful and most representative songwriter, composing such hits as Alexander's Ragtime Band, Cheek to Cheek, Let's Face the Music and Dance, Puttin' on the Ritz, White Christmas, Anything You Can Do, There's No Business Like Show Business, and God Bless America.