Moonglow

By Will Hudson, Irving Mills & Eddie DeLange
1933

An early '30s Tin Pan Alley chestnut that soon became a popular jazz standard after being introduced by Joe Venuti and his orchestra. It has the kind of structure and chord progression that just latches on to you and doesn't let go, whether played mellow--as it usually is--or even upbeat. It was featured prominently in the Scorsese film The Aviator, and I've always wondered why Sinatra never included it on his Moonlight Sinatra album...

Lyrics:

It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue
It must have been moonglow that led me straight to you
I still hear you sayin', "Dear one, hold me fast"
And I keep on prayin', "Oh Lord, please let this last"

We seemed to float right through the air
Heavenly songs seemed to come from everywhere

And now when there's moonglow, way up in the blue
I'll always remember, that moonglow gave me you

Recorded By:

Benny Goodman
Tony Bennett & k.d. lang
Artie Shaw
Ethel Waters
Louis Prima

Solitude

By Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange & Irving Mills
1934

Few songs are as associated with Billie Holiday as this aching ballad of love in isolation, even though it was Ellington himself who introduced it. Perfectly suited to Lady Day's unique voice, this tune became an instant classic the moment she first recorded it in 1941. It has since become one of the all-time most revered jazz standards.

Lyrics:

In my solitude, you haunt me
With reveries of days gone by.
In my solitude, you taunt me
With memories that never die.

I sit in my chair,
Filled with despair.
Nobody could be so sad.
With gloom ev'rywhere,
I sit and I stare,
I know that I'll soon go mad.

In my solitude, I'm praying,
Dear Lord above, send back my love.

Recorded By:

Billy Eckstine
Ella Fitzgerald
Tony Bennett & Count Basie
Nina Simone
Aretha Franklin

Mood Indigo

By Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard & Irving Mills
1930

The melody for this tune was actually learned by Bigard from his clarinet teacher, who called it, "Mexican Blues". It was composed for an October 1930 radio broadcast, on which it was announced as "Dreamy Blues". Further, in 1987, lyricist Mitchell Parish would come forward claiming to have actually written the words, the credit for which was allegedly taken by Mills due to his being the publisher's brother.

Lyrics:

You ain't been blue; no, no, no.
You ain't been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes,
While I sit and sigh, "Go 'long blues".

Always get that mood indigo,
Since my baby said goodbye.
In the evenin' when lights are low,
I'm so lonesome I could cry.

'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
I'm just a soul who's
Bluer than blue can be.
When I get that mood indigo,
I could lay me down and die.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Ella Fitzgerald
Nat King Cole
Nina Simone
Paul Robeson

Caravan

By Juan Tizol & Irving Mills
1936

Generally considered the first Latin jazz song, this tune was composed by legendary trombonist Tizol for the Duke Ellington band, but it was actually the Barney Bigard orchestra that introduced it prior to Duke making it one of his signature songs. It's exotic flavor made it a favorite of lounge/exotica bandleaders like Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman. Mills' lyrics are rarely heard.

Lyrics:

Night and stars above that shine so bright,
The mystery of their fading light
That shines upon our caravan.

Sleep upon my shoulder as we creep
Across the sand so I may keep
The memory of our caravan.

This is so exciting,
You are so inviting,
Resting in my arms,
As I thrill to the magic charms

Of you beside me here beneath the blue,
My dream of love is coming true,
Within our desert caravan!

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Billy Eckstine
Dave Brubeck
Maynard Ferguson
Freddie Hubbard

In a Sentimental Mood

By Duke Ellington, Irving Mills & Manny Kurtz
1935

Composed as a jazz instrumental by Ellington, the song had lyrics added by Mills and Kurtz later on. Ellington's own orchestra naturally made the first recording, but the origin of the song can reportedly be found in an after-hours party at which Ellington and company were present. To quell an argument that had broken out, Duke spontaneously broke into the tune on the spot.

Lyrics:

In a sentimental mood,
I can see the stars come through my room,
While your loving attitude
Is like a flame that lights the gloom.

On the wings of every kiss
Drifts a melody so strange and sweet.
In this sentimental bliss,
You make my paradise complete.

Rose petals seem to fall.
It's all I could dream to call you mine.
My heart's a lighter thing
Since you made this night a thing divine.

In a sentimental mood,
I'm within a world so heavenly,
For I never dreamt that you'd be loving sentimental me.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Billy Joel
John Coltrane
Art Tatum
Stan Getz

Sophisticated Lady

By Duke Ellington, Irving Mills & Mitchell Parish
1932

The epitome of all that was once classy about popular music, and is no longer. Ellington & Mills originally wrote it as a stand-alone melody, with the title referring to the Duke's memories of his old grade school teachers, who taught in the winter and vacationed in Europe, which to him "spelled sophistication." When Parish added the lyrics later, Ellington described them as "wonderful--but not entirely fitted to my original conception."

Lyrics:

They say into your early life romance came,
And in this heart of yours burned a flame,
A flame that flickered one day and died away.

Then, with disillusion deep in your eyes,
You learned that fools in love soon grow wise.
The years have changed you, somehow.
I see you now...

Smoking, drinking, never thinking of tomorrow, nonchalant.
Diamonds shining, dancing, dining with some man in a restaurant.
Is that all you really want?

No, sophisticated lady,
I know you miss the love you lost long ago,
And when nobody is nigh, you cry.

Recorded By:

Billie Holiday
Ella Fitzgerald
Thelonious Monk
Art Tatum
Sarah Vaughan