By Bernice Petkere & Joe Young1932
Featured in the very short-lived Broadway revue Chamberlain Brown's Scrap Book, this aching ballad was introduced on stage by Ina Hayward, but later became a jazz favorite after Freddie Berrens and his orchestra brought the song to radio. Although the show it came from may have been a flop, the song lives on as a rare treat to be discovered by fans of the Great American Songbook.
Lyrics:
Rustling of the leaves used to be my lullaby,
In the sunny south when I was a tot so high,
And now that I have grown
And myself alone.
Cradle me where southern skies can watch me with a million eyes,
Oh sing me to sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves
Cover me with heavens blue and let me dream a dream or two,
Oh sing me to sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves.
Im breezing along, along with the breeze,
Im hearing a song, a song thru the trees,
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
That pine melody caressing the shore familiar to me, Ive heard it
before ooh ooh ooh ooh.
Thats southland, dont I feel it in my soul,
And dont I know Ive reached my goal,
Oh sing me to sleep,
Lullaby of the Leaves.
Recorded By:
Keely Smith
Chet Baker
Ella Fitzgerald
Benny Goodman
Anita O'Day
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3 comments:
This is one of my most favorite songs. It is a TOUGH one to sing too. Every once in a while I give it a go.
Yes, the melody and chord changes are pretty unique. I'd love to hear your rendition!
Just a little curious about this oft-repeated story about "Lullaby of the Leaves" being introduced in "Chamberlain Brown’s Scrap Book"...
That Broadway play ran for just ten performances in August of 1932. According to Billboard chart books, the famous George Olsen hit record debuted in May 1932, and there are over a dozen other recordings documented prior to August.
I wonder who really introduced "Lullaby of the Leaves"?
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