Moonlight Serenade

By Glenn Miller & Mitchell Parish
1939

One of the all-time great signature tunes of the Big Band era. It was composed by Miller for his world-famous orchestra, and became one of five Top 20 Billboard hits the band would have in 1939. Originally, it was the B-side of a record called "Sunrise Serenade", but became such a huge hit on its own that it quickly became Miller's theme song. With it's classic Miller-style clarinet-saxophone lead, it perfectly sums up the sweet "Miller sound". Parish would later add lyrics to what was previously an instrumental.

Lyrics:

I stand at your gate.
And the song that I sing is of moonlight.
I stand and I wait
For the touch of your hand in the June night.
The roses are sighing a moonlight serenade.

The stars are aglow.
And tonight how their light sets me dreaming.
My love, do you know
That your eyes are like stars brightly beaming?
I bring you, and I sing you a moonlight serenade.

Let us stray 'til break of day
In love's valley of dreams.
Just you and I, a summer sky,
A heavenly breeze, kissin' the trees.

So don't let me wait.
Come to me tenderly in the June night.
I stand at your gate
And I sing you a song in the moonlight.
A love song, my darling, a moonlight serenade

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Carly Simon
Santo & Johnny
Count Basie
Gene Krupa

It's Only a Paper Moon

By Harold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg & Billy Rose
1933

Initially written for the 1933 Broadway flop The Great Magoo, this Arlen/Harburg gem was included in the film Take a Chance later that same year. It also received its first recording courtesy of the Paul Whiteman orchestra. It didn't really pick up steam until the World War II years, when it became a standard thanks to versions by Ella Fitzgerald and Nat Cole. It has become a jazz improvisation favorite, and was notably included in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. A light and airy tune with a lovely, whimsical lyric.

Lyrics:

It is only a paper moon
hanging over a cardboard sea,
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me.

It is only a canvas sky
sailing over a muslin tree,
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me.

Without your love,
It's a honky-tonk parade.
Without your love,
It's a melody played in a penny arcade.

It's a Barnum and Bailey world,
Just as phony as it can be,
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Nat King Cole
Ella Fitzgerald
Tony Bennett
Coleman Hawkins

No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)

By Irving Berlin
1935

Was there ever a greater working agreement in pop music than that between Berlin and Fred Astaire? Here we have another 3-minute masterpiece written by Berlin for Astaire and Ginger Rogers, to be used in their 1935 film Top Hat (the best Astaire/Rogers teamup, for my money). Filled with Berlin compositions, Top Hat is a thrill from beginning to end, and this joyous tune is without a doubt one of the highlights.

Lyrics:

I wake up every morning with a smile on my face
Everything in it's place as it should be
I start out every morning just as free as the breeze
My cares upon the shelf
Because I find myself with

No strings and no connections
No ties to my affections
I'm fancy free and free for anything fancy

No dates that can't be broken
No words that can't be spoken
Especially when I am feeling romancy

Like a robin upon a tree
Like a sailor that goes to sea
Like an unwritten melody
I'm free, that's me

So bring on the big attraction
My decks are cleared for action
I'm fancy free and free for anything fancy

Recorded By:

Fred Astaire
Ella Fitzgerald
Peter Mintun
Ginger Rogers
Peter Skellern

Glad to Be Unhappy

By Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
1936

An example of a song which was not an instant hit, but rather took off decades later. It was originally composed for Rodgers and Hart's stage production On Your Toes, in which it was introduced by Doris Carson & David Morris. But it was not recorded very often at all until the 1950s, possibly having to do with a popular Broadway revival in 1954. Sinatra recorded it immediately after on his In the Wee Small Hours album, and the rest is history. A charming tune with one of the most enjoyable Rodgers and Hart verses.

Lyrics:

Look at yourself,
If you had a sense of humor you would laugh to beat the band.
Look at yourself,
Do you still believe the rumor that romance is simply grand?
Since you took in on the chin,
You have lost that toothpaste grin.
Your mental state is all a-jumble,
You sit at home and sadly mumble.

Fools rush in, so here I am,
Very glad to be unhappy.
I can't win, but here I am,
More than glad to be unhappy.

Unrequited love's a bore,
And I've got it pretty bad.
But for someone you adore,
It's a pleasure to be sad.

Like a straying baby lamb
With no mammy and no pappy,
I'm so unhappy, but oh, so glad.

Recorded By:

The Mamas & The Papas
Billie Holiday
Lena Horne
Nancy Wilson
Carmen McRae

Satin Doll

By Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn & Johnny Mercer
1953

A late standard known for its unusual chord progression, "Satin Doll" was already a big hit as an instrumental by Ellington & Strayhorn before Mercer ever added a lyric. In fact, the Mercer lyric is generally not considered one of his best, and Ella Fitzgerald notably recorded a scat version which didn't even make use of it. Still, the song remains popular in both versions.

Lyrics:

Cigarette holder,
Which wigs me.
Over her shoulder,
She digs me.
Out cattin'
That satin doll.

Baby, shall we go
Out skippin'?
Careful, amigo,
You're flippin'
Speaks Latin,
That satin doll.

She's nobody's fool,
So I'm playin' it cool as can be.
I'll give it a whirl,
But I ain't for no girl catchin' me.

Telephone numbers,
Well, you know.
Doin' my rhumbas
With uno,
And that's my satin doll.

Recorded By:

101 Strings
The Gaylords
Nancy Wilson
Frank Sinatra
Ella Fitzgerald

You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

By Russ Morgan, Larry Stock & James Cavanaugh
1944

A classic of the lounge subgenre, originally recorded by co-writer Morgan. Of course, we now know it best of all due to the 1965 Dean Martin recording, one of the biggest hits of Dino's career. There was also a very popular recording by The Mills Brothers. An infectiously happy and upbeat tune, perfect for a Memorial Day barbecue...

Lyrics:

You're nobody 'til somebody loves you
You're nobody 'til somebody cares.
You may be king, you may possess the world and it's gold,
But gold won't bring you happiness when you're growing old.
The world still is the same, you never change it,
As sure as the stars shine above;
You're nobody 'til somebody loves you,
So find yourself somebody to love.

The world still is the same, you never change it,
As sure as the stars shine above;
You're nobody 'til somebody loves you,
So find yourself somebody, find yourself somebody,
Find yourself somebody to love.

Recorded By:

Michael Buble
George Burns
Cab Calloway
Bobby Darrin
Sammy Davis Jr.

Ev'rything I've Got Belongs to You

By Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart

1942

One of the catchiest tunes to ever come out of the vaunted Rodgers/Hart collaboration, this one comes from the show By Jupiter, in which it was introduced by Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz) and Benay Venuta. This was the same show that also gave us, "Wait Till You See Her."

Lyrics:

I have eyes for you to give you dirty looks.
I have words that do not come from children's books.
There's a trick with a knife I'm learning to do,
And ev'rything I've got belongs to you.

I've a powerful anesthesia in my fist,
And the perfect wrist to give your neck a twist.
There are hammerlock holds, I've mastered a few,
And ev'rything I've got belongs to you.

Share for share, share alike,
You get struck each time I strike.
You for me- me for me-
I'll give you plenty of nothing.

I'm not yours for better but for worse,
And I've learned to give the well-known witches' curse.
I've a terrible tongue, a temper for two,
And ev'rything I've got belongs to you.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Blossom Dearie
Jane Monheit
Ed Kuepper
Charlie Byrd

Easter Parade

By Irving Berlin
1933

By the same man who gave us the ultimate Christmas standard, Irving Berlin, came this tune--which has become the ultimate Easter standard. Originally written for the Broadway revue As Thousands Cheer, in which it was introduced by Marilyn Miller and Clifton Webb, it later gained even more notoriety thanks to being sung by Bing Crosby in the film Holiday Inn, and in 1948 an entire musical film was built around it, starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. A true holiday classic from one of America's most cherished composers.

Lyrics:

In your Easter bonnet,
With all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.

I'll be all in clover,
And when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.

On the avenue,
Fifth Avenue.
The photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet
About your Easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.

Recorded By:

Al Jolson
Bing Crosby
Fred Astaire
Jimmy Lunceford
Perry Como

In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening

By Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer
1951

The formidable duo of Carmichael and Mercer teamed up to create this irresisibly jaunty tune--which won the Academy Award--for the film Here Comes the Groom. It was introduced in the movie by the two stars, the incomparable Bing Crosby and then-Mrs. Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman. A fine merger of a Carmichael melody and Mercer lyric.

Lyrics:

In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Save your pappy a chair
When the party's getting a glow on
And singin' fills the air
In the shank of the night
When the doin's are right
Well you can tell em I'll be there

I like a barbecue
I like to boil a ham
And I vote for bola baste stew
What's that?
I like a weenie bake, steak and a layer cake
And you'll get a tummy ache too
We'll rent a tent or a teepee
Let the town crier cry
"All's well!"
And if it's RSVP
This is what I'll reply

In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Tell 'em we'll be there
If you need a pair of freeloaders
To fracture your affair
I may even give them Pagliacci
Now stand back and give him air
If one can relax and we'll have a few yaks
And you can tell them we'll be there

"Oui," said the bumblebee
"Let's have jubilee."
"When?" said the prairie hen, "Soon?"
"Sure," said the dinosaur
"Where?" said the grisly bear
"Under the light of the moon."
"How about your brother, jackass?"
Everyone gaily cried
"Are you coming to the fracas?"
Ain't gonna blow it
"And all the respects," he sighed

In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Stick 'em on my hair
If perchance we look a bit peeked
Remember se la guerre
If we're still on our feet
And there's something to eat
Well you can tell them we'll be there

In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Better save a chair
When the party's getting a glow on
And singin' fills the air
If there's gas in my hack
and my laundry is back
If there's room for one more
And you need me
Why sure
If you need a new face or a tenor or base
If I can climb out of bed and put a head on my head
Well you can tell 'em we'll be there.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Bette Midler
Dean Martin
Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford
Ray Conniff

I Think of You

By Jack Elliott, Don Marcotte & Sergei Rachmaninoff
1941

Inspired by the gorgeous melody from the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, this tune was adapted by Elliott, with lyrics added by Marcotte. Tommy Dorsey's orchestra introduced it with a young Frank Sinatra on vocals, and Frank would later revisit the song on his 1957 album Where Are You? One of the finest examples of a classical piece being adapted into a pop song, with Rachmaninoff's lush original melody blending perfectly with the heartbreaking Marcotte lyrics.

Lyrics:

In the hush of evening,
As shadows steal across my lonely room,
I think of you,
I think of you.

From afar the music
Of violins come softly through the gloom.
All I can do,
Is think of you.

Oh, I can see you standing there before me.
And I can hear you whisper,
"You adore me."

So when dusk is falling,
I live again the loveliness we knew.
I think of you,
I think of you.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Mildred Bailey
Jane Powell
Tierney Sutton
Johnny Desmond

My Romance

By Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
1935
A stirringly beautiful ballad by the incomparable Rodgers & Hart team, this one came from Jumbo, the very same show that also gave us "Little Girl Blue" and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." It was performed in the 1962 film version of the show by the one and only Doris Day, and also used in a memorable commercial for the Ralph Lauren fragrance, Romance. It has also come to be closely associated with theater organs of the kind traditionally seen in old-school movie palaces.

Lyrics:

My romance doesn't have to have a moon in the sky.
My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by.

No month of may, no twinkling stars.
No hide away, no softly guitars.

My romance doesn't need a castle rising in Spain.
Nor a dance to a constantly surprising refrain.

Wide awake I can make my most fantastic dreams come true.
My romance doesn't need a thing but you.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Frank Sinatra
Mel Torme
Rosemary Clooney
Art Blakey

I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise

By George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin & B.G. De Slyva
1922

A boisterous, rollicking number from the Gershwins, with a little help from De Sylva, this tune was introduced in George White's Scandals of 1922, in which it was played the Paul Whiteman orchestra, conducted by future film music impresario Max Steiner. Whiteman made a recording of it soon after, helping turn the song into one of the most memorable jazz pieces of the era, as well as a Roaring '20s anthem. The song experienced new life recently thanks to its inclusion in the Martin Scorsese film, The Aviator.

Lyrics:

All you preachers
Who delight in panning the dancing teachers,
Let me tell you there are a lot of features
Of the dance that carry you through
The gates of Hea-ven.

It's madness
To be always sitting around in sadness,
When you could be learning the steps of gladness.
You'll be happy when you can do
Just six or seven;

Begin to day!
You'll find it nice,
The quickest way to paradise.
When you practise,
Here's the thing to know,
Simply say as you go...

I'll build a stairway to Paradise
With a new step ev'ry day !
I'm gonna get there at any price;
Stand aside, I'm on my way !
I've got the blues
And up above it's so fair.
Shoes ! Go on and carry me there !
I'll build a stairway to Paradise
With a new step ev'ry day.

Ev'ry new step
Helps a bit ; but any old kind of two step,
Does as well. It don't matter what step you step,
If you work it into your soul
You'll get to Heaven.
Get bu-sy ;
Dance with Maud the countess, or just plain Lizzy:
Dance until you're blue in the face and dizzy.
When you've learn'd to dance in your sleep
You're sure to win out.

In time you'll get Saint Vitus dance,
Which beats the latest thing from France.
Take no chances on this Paradise ;
Let me give you advice.

Recorded By:

Rufus Wainwright
Sarah Vaughan
Paul Whiteman
J.D. Sebastian & Dion
Corrine Devries

Danny Stiles 1923-2011

There aren't many left working who are continuing the tradition of the Great American Songbook on the radio, especially in the New York market--once a haven for traditional pop music dating back to the days of WNEW-AM. One who immediately comes to mind is the great Jonathan Schwartz, still broadcasting proudly on New York's WNYC NPR affiliate, as well as Sirius-XM satellite radio. The other was Danny Stiles--and sadly, we lost Mr. Stiles early last week. With him went a national treasure--a 65-year radio tradition that spanned the post-World War II days right up to the 21st century, bringing us all the cherished hits from the golden age of American popular music.

Danny was 87 at the time of his death, and still broadcasting on New York's AM NPR affiliate, as well as streaming on the internet 24/7. The so-called Vicar of Vintage Vinyl, Danny Stiles on your radio dial, he was a comforting oasis of nostalgia and quality music in a sea of chaos and nonsense. He was one of those popular personalities that made the world a happier place simply by his existence--you always knew that no matter what was happening in the ever degrading world of recorded music, Danny Stiles was still on the air, and that was a good feeling. I'm sad to think that it will no longer be the case, ever again.

Stiles considered himself something of a curator of 20th century musical history, with a collection of more than a quarter of a million records, mostly in the categories of swing and traditional pop, from which he drew for his weekly radio program. By the end of his career, he had been relegated to a god-awful late Saturday night time slot--but at least he was still out there, doing his thing, playing the music of Basie, Sinatra, Ellington, Holiday, Crosby, Goodman and so any others.

As Schwartz and others have pointed out, Stiles stuck to his guns and stayed true to his musical convictions, despite the insidious incursion of radio program directors that continued to rot his industry--and the musical tastes of a nation--from the inside out over the decades following the war. For that, and for the music he joyously brought into our lives, Danny Stiles is to be commended. He was a rare gift, and we shall not see the like of him again.

Swingin' on a Star

By Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke
1944

An infectious classic composed specifically for Bing Crosby to sing in the 1944 film Going My Way, for which is won the Academy Award. The origin of the concept lay in a visit composer Van Heusen paid to Bing's house, during which the crooner rebuked his son comically for not wanting to go to school. Following Going My Way, Crosby would also have a huge hit with the song as a single recording. It would go on to become a truly beloved standard--specifically a favorite among children.

Lyrics:

Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would rather be a mule?

A mule is an animal with long, funny ears.
He kicks up at anything he hears.
His back is brawny, but his brain is weak,
He's just plain stupid, with a stubborn streak.
And by the way, if you hate to go to school,
You may grow up to be a mule!

Or would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a pig?

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face.
His shoes are a terrible disgrace.
He has no manners when he eats his food,
He's fat and lazy, and extremely rude.
So if you don't care a feather or a fig,
You may grow up to be a pig.

Or would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would rather be a fish?

A fish won't do anything but swim in a brook,
He can't write his name or read a book.
To fool the people is his only thought,
And though he 's slippery, he still gets caught.
But then, if that sort of life is what you wish,
You may grow up to be a fish.

And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo--
Everyday you meet quite a few.
So you see, it's all up to you.
You could be better than you are--
You could be swingin' on a star.

Recorded By:

Frank Sinatra
Oscar Peterson
Burl Ives
Maria Muldaur
Tony Bennett