Jazz in the North East and beyond
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Bebop Spoken There
TODAY SUNDAY MAY 19
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Skylark Flies Over The Rainbow
On another site, regular Bebop Spoken Here contributor Liz makes reference to the song "Skylark". As I was bored I looked up the song in the poor man's Britannica - Wikopedia - and came across the following gem.
"Skylark" is an American popular song with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Hoagy Carmichael, published in 1942. Mercer said that he struggled for a year after he got the music from Carmichael before he could get the lyrics right. The yearning expressed in the lyrics is Mercer's longing for Judy Garland, with whom Mercer had an affair.
You learn something everyday.
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how very interesting. Somehow I find that an unlikely pairing, but what do I know!! "Skylark" is one of my all time faves though. I loved Marion Montgomery singing it, she had that earthyness about her, and such facial expressions. Another one of Hoagey's which she did well was..believe it or not, I have forgotten the title, it mentions sweet Orleander...Lance will know it I know!
ReplyDelete"Memphis in June", I remembered it as soon as I had sent that last blog...always the way!
ReplyDeleteYes, one of the good ones. I love the opening lines;
ReplyDeleteMemphis in June,
A shady veranda,
Under a sunny blue sky.
Memphis in June,
And Cousin Amanda's
Making a rhubarb pie.."
Magic! I can almost taste the rhubarb pie and smell the sweet oleander.
Surprisingly, it wasn't a Johnny Mercer lyric although he did sing it on record, the words were actually by Paul Francis Webster.
Hoagy also did okay with the previous month - One Morning in May is another gem, words this time by Mitchell Parish.
I too had read somewhere that Johnny Mercer was in love with Judy. She was married to David Rose at the time. However he wrote "That Old Black Magic" for her as well, Johnny Mercer that is, and of course she got to sing that one.
ReplyDeleteYes, One morning in May, magical stuff...where did they get their inspiration? However I guess the world was young and so were they...'nuff said!
ReplyDelete