Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm


Performed by Ella Fitzgerald
(Irving Berlin Songbook 1958)




Written by Irving Berlin, this song was introduced by Dick Powell and Alice Faye in the film musical “On the Avenue” (1937). Les Brown's instrumental version, arranged by Skip Martin and recorded in 1946 as Columbia #38324, became a million-seller and Billboard top ten song in 1949. Other notable recordings were by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Della Reese, Doris Day, Bette Midler, The Mills Brothers, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Autumn Leaves

Performed by pianist Keith Jarret (Tokyo 1996)

Composer Joseph Kosma and poet Jacques Prevert created one of the songs for the 1946 film “Les Portes De La Nuit” by setting a Prevert poem to music, “Les Feuilles Mortes.” In 1949 Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics for the tune changing the original French title (The Dead Leaves) to “Autumn Leaves."



In 1956 Columbia Pictures produced a film titled Autumn Leaves starring Joan Crawford and Cliff Robertson. It is a tale of a spinster marrying a young man who has mental problems as a result of his ex-wife’s (Vera Miles) affair with his father (Lorne Green). Nat King Cole sang his hit version of “Autumn Leaves” during the credits.