So Far

Allegro
PROFILE
Composer Richard Rodgers
Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II
Year Written 1947
About So Far
“So Far” is from the 1947 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Allegro, which had big shoes to fill, coming on the heels of Oklahoma and Carousel. It ran for nine months, but received mixed reviews and is seldom performed today.A young college student named Stephen Sondheim worked as a go-fer for $25 a week. The British director Cameron Mackintosh once told Sondheim “You know, Steve, you’ve spent your entire life trying to fix the second act of Allegro.”

Lyrics

We have nothing to remember, so far, so far.
So far we haven’t walked by night and shared the light of a star.
So far,your heart has never fluttered so near,
So near that my own heart alone could hear it.
We haven’t gone beyond the very beginning.
We’ve just begun to know how lucky we are
So we have nothing to remember so far, so far.
But now I’m face to face with you
And now at last we’ve met.
And now we can look forward to the things well never forget!

Session / Album Information

1958

So Far was recorded on April 8, 1958 and released in 1958 on the album Long Ago and Far Away. It was arranged by Frank DeVol.

So Far

Tony Bennett · Long Ago And Far Away · Song · 1958

This recording released on:

  • 1958: Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 1186 — Long Ago And Far Away
  • 1993:  Columbia House Music Collection CD: 2C2 8222 — The Great American Composers: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Vol. 2
  • 2011:  Disc #12 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK2) Long Ago and Far Away

On Green Dolphin Street

220px-Green_Dolphin_Street

PROFILE
Composer Bronislaw Kaper
Lyricist Ned Washington
Year Written 1947
About On Green Dolphin Street
“On Green Dolphin Street” was written as part of the soundtrack for the film of the same name. While the song was not widely hailed at the time, it soon became popular with jazz musicians and has become a jazz standard (ranking #25 on jazz standards.com), especially after Miles Davis’ 1958 recording.

Lyrics

It seems like a dream
Yet I know it happened
A man, a maid, a kiss, and then goodbye
Romance was the theme
And we were the players
I never think of this without a sigh

Lover, one lovely day
Love came planning to stay
Green Dolphin Street supplied the setting
The setting for nights beyond forgetting

And through these moments apart
Memories live in my heart
When I recall the love I found on,
I could kiss the ground on,
Green Dolphin Street

Session / Album Information

1964

“On Green Dolphin Street” was recorded on March 26, 1964 and released in 1964 on the album When Lights Are Low. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

On Green Dolphin Street

Listen to On Green Dolphin Street on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1964

This recording released on:

  • 1964: Columbia LP 12″: CS 8975 — When Lights Are Low
  • 1964: Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 2175 — When Lights Are Low
  • 1987: CBS LP 12″: 4504651 — Jazz (UK)
  • 1987: Columbia LP 12″: C2 40424 — Jazz
  • 1987: Columbia CD: CGK 40424 — Jazz
  • 1990: CBS/Sony CD: CSCS-5242 — When Lights Are Low [Japan]
  • 1998: Columbia CD: CK 65049 — This Is Jazz #33
  • 2006: RPM/Columbia/Legacy CD: 69699 85807 2 — When Lights Are Low
  • 2011: Disc #29 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK28) When Lights Are Low

Old Devil Moon

Old Devil Moon

PROFILE
Composer Burton Lane
Lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
Year Written 1947
About Old Devil Moon
“Old Devil Moon” was written for the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow, which also gave us “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” While Alec Wilder was no fan of “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?”, in America Popular Song, he praises “Old Devil Moon” as “a well-written, wholly convincing song. It drives, and its initial intensity is sustained throughout.”

Lyrics

I look at you and suddenly
Something in your eyes I see
Soon begins bewitching me
It’s that old devil moon
That you stole from the sky
It’s that old devil moon in your eyes

You and your glance makes this romance too hot to handle
Stars in the night blazin’ their light can’t hold a candle
To your razzle dazzle
You’ve got me flyin’ high and wide
On a magic carpet ride
Full of butterflies inside
Wanna cry
Wanna croon
Wanna laugh like a loon
It’s that old devil moon in your eyes

Just when I think I’m free as a dove
Old Devil moon deep in your eyes
Blinds me with love

I looked at you and suddenly
Something in your eyes I see
Soon begins bewitching me
It’s that old devil moon
That you stole from the sky
It’s that old devil moon in your eyes

You and your glance makes this romance too hot to handle
Stars in the night blazin’ their light can’t hold a candle
To your razzle dazzle
You’ve got me flyin’ high and wide
On a magic carpet ride
Full of butterflies inside
Wanna cry
Wanna croon
Wanna laugh just like a loon
It’s that old devil moon in your eyes

Just when I think I’m free as a dove
Old Devil moon deep in your eyes
Blinds me with love

Session / Album Information

1954

“Old Devil Moon” was recorded on August 6, 1954 and released in 1955 on the album Cloud 7.

Old Devil Moon

Listen to Old Devil Moon on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1955

This recording   released on:

  • 1955: Columbia LP 12″: CL 621 — Cloud 7
  • 2004: Columbia CD: CK 85806 — Cloud 7
  • 2004: Jazz CD: 5060392000 — Cloud 7
  • 2007: Proper CD: PROPERBOX 121 — Young Tony
  • 2008: Not Now Music CD: NOT3CD010 — Three Original Hit Albums [UK]
  • 2011: Disc #9 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK9) – Cloud 7

1967

“Old Devil Moon” was recorded on January 18, 1967 and released that year on the album Tony Makes It Happen! It was arranged by Marion Evans.

Old Devil Moon

Listen to Old Devil Moon on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1967

This recording released on:

  • 1967: Columbia LP 12″: CS 9453 — Tony Makes It Happen!
  • 1967: Columbia LP 12″: CL 2653 — Tony Makes It Happen!
  • 1967: CBS LP 12″: SPBG 63055 — Tony Makes It Happen! [UK]
  • 2011: Disc #34 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK33) Tony Makes It Happen!

1971

“Old Devil Moon” was recorded on January 31, 1971 and released that year on the album Get Happy with The London Philharmonic Orchestra. It was arranged by Marion Evans.

Old Devil Moon - Live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, England - January 1971

Listen to Old Devil Moon - Live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, England - January 1971 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1971

This recording released on:

  • 1971: Columbia LP 12″: C 30953 — Get Happy with The London Philharmonic Orchestra
  • 2011: Disc #42 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK41) Get Happy with The London Philharmonic Orchestra

1994

“Old Devil Moon” was recorded and televised live on April 12, 1994 on MTV. The MTV Unplugged album was released in June of that year. The songs from the televised concert were arranged by Tony Bennett and the Ralph Sharon Trio.

Old Devil Moon - Live

Listen to Old Devil Moon - Live on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1994

This recording released on:

  • 1993: Columbia CD: CK 66214 — MTV Unplugged
  • 2011: Discs #60/61 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK59) MTV Unplugged

Nature Boy

natureboy_sheetmusic
PROFILE
Composer and Lyricist eden ahbez
Year Written 1947
About Nature Boy
“Nature Boy” was written in 1947 by eden ahbez, the name adopted by George Alexander Aberle, who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. In the 1930s, he lived in Kansas City and worked as a pianist and band leader. In the early 1940s, he moved to Los Angeles and began playing piano in a health food and raw food store run by John and Vera Richter, who followed a Naturmensch and Lebensreform philosophy influenced by the Wandervogel movement in Germany. In following their philosophy, he and other followers grew their hair long, became vegetarians and were, for all practical purposes, the earliest hippies. They called themselves The Nature Boys.At the suggestion of Johnny Mercer, eden ahbez approached Nat King Cole with his song “Nature Boy.” Unable to meet with Nat Cole personally, he left the song with Cole’s valet. Cole began to perform the song in his concerts; in 1947 he recorded it for Capitol Records, with an arrangement by Frank DeVol, who used strings and flute in his orchestration. The song was a big hit for Nat Cole and Capitol Records.

Lyrics

There was a boy
A very strange, enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far
Very far, over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day,
One magic day he passed my way
While we spoke of many things
Fools and Kings
This he said to me:

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return”.

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return”.

Session / Album Information

2014

“Nature Boy” was recorded in 2014 with Lady Gaga and released that year on Cheek To Cheek. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

Nature Boy

Listen to Nature Boy on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · 2014

This recording released on:

  • 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021493-02 – Cheek To Cheek (standard edition)
  • 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021494-02 – Cheek To Cheek (deluxe edition)
  • 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021861-03 – Cheek To Cheek (Target edition)
  • 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021688-02 – Cheek To Cheek (HSN edition)
  • 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: Cheek To Cheek (iTunes edition)

The Midnight Sun

Lionel Hampton

Lionel Hampton

PROFILE
Composers Lionel Hampton, Sonny Burke
Lyricist Johnny Mercer
Year Written  1947, 1954 (lyrics)
About The Midnight Sun
This song was originally written as instrumental and was originally recorded in 1947 by the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. One night in 1954, Johnny Mercer was driving from Palm Springs to Los Angeles when he heard the instrumental on the radio; he began creating the lyrics for “The Midnight Sun” as he drove. With its lyrics, this song has been widely recorded, including artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Tormé and Jo Stafford.

Lyrics

Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice
Warmer than the summer night
The clouds were like an alabaster palace
Rising to a snowy height
Each star its own Aurora Borealis
Suddenly you held me tight
I could see the midnight sun

I can’t explain
The silver rain that found me
Or was that a moonlit veil
The music of the Universe
Around me
Or was that a nightingale
And then your arms miraculously found me
Suddenly the sky turned pale
and I saw the midnight sun

Was there ever such a night
It’s a thrill
I still don’t quite believe
But after you were gone
There was still some
Stardust on my sleeve

The flame of it may dwindle
To an ember
And the stars forget to shine
And we may see the meadow in December
Icy white and crystaline
But oh my darling always I’ll remember
When your lips were close to mine
And we saw the Midnight Sun
The Midnight Sun

Session / Album Information

1971

“The Midnight Sun” was recorded on September 11, 1972 and released that year on the album The Good Things In Life. It was arranged by Robert Farnon.

This recording released on:

  • 1972: MGM LP 12″: MV-5088 — The Good Things In Life
  • 1972: Verve LP 12″: V6 5088 — The Good Things In Life
  • 1972: Philips LP 12″: 6641297 — Spotlight On Tony Bennett (UK)
  • 2011: Disc #45 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK44) The Good Things In Life

Powered by WordPress. Designed by Woo Themes