Though the name Charles G. Dawes is seldom remembered in early 20th century American politics, only being remembered for the post-WWI Dawes Plan that dealt with postwar reparations, Charles G. Dawes was the most important Vice President you’ve never heard of!

Serving as Calvin Coolidge’s Vice President after his re-election in 1924, Dawes helped the Coolidge Administration pass several bills, chief among them being the McNary-Haugen Farm Relief Bill (although Coolidge did end up vetoing this).

But it wasn’t necessarily what he did in office that made him arguably the greatest vice president, it was what he did before and after being vice president, such as being a war hero, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Ambassador to the UK to name but a few.

Early Life

Business Career

A Start in Politics

WWI

Financing Europe

Vice President

Court of St James’s, RFC, Later Life & Death

Legacy

Music

On an interesting note, Dawes was a keen musician and taught himself how to play both the violin and piano. In 1911, he composed Melody in A Major and played it for his friend and violinist Francis MacMillen, who asked for a copy of the sheet music.

Using his contacts, MacMillen later had it published where it became a popular beginner piece for both piano and violin students. Though its success might have convinced the bank president and future vice president to pursue a music career, Dawes came to hate the piece.

He even went as to quip that the piece’s popularity would destroy his political career (which it ultimately didn’t) and caused people to joke that the notes in his bank were as bad as those in his piece.

Despite his hatred for the piece he’d written himself – even going as far to leave places that played it in his honor when he went there – the piece remained quite popular and even became known as the “Dawes Piece” during and after his time as vice president.

In the summer of 1951, only a few months after Dawes passed away that April, American songwriter Carl Sigman added lyrics to the piece, which he called “It’s All in the Game”.

That year, the lyrics were recorded by a group of people including famed singer Tommy Edwards, and it reached #18 on the charts. In 1958, Tommy Edwards returned to sing it, this time alone.

This recording proved wildly successful and remained at the top of the charts for six straight weeks in 1958. It has subsequently been re-recorded by dozens of artists, including Cliff Richard, Nat King Cole and Elton John among others.

Weirdly, this makes Charles G. Dawes the only Vice President to have ever had a number pop hit (as he was still credited as it was his music) and one of only two – alongside Sonny Bono – members of Congress to achieve such a feat!

What do you think about Vice President Charles G. Dawes? Tell me in the comments!