Magic week continues here at First Draft. This time we skip the demented dummy and focus on the music.

Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart wrote Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered for their smash hit 1940 Broadway musical Pal Joey. The song title is often shortened to Bewitched but I prefer it in its long-winded glory.

We begin with the first known recorded version by Benny Goodman and Helen Forrest:

Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Rodgers and Hart Songbook is an underrated part of her canon. I have no idea why.

Frank Sinatra starred in the 1957 movie version of Pal Joey. He was excellent as the rat bastard title character. He was a pretty fair singer too.

Sinatra didn’t sing Bewitched in the movie. Rita Hayworth did:

Now that’s a movie star. Next up a rock star, Linda Ronstadt.

While we’re on the subject of rock stars, ladies and gentlemen, Mister Boz Scaggs.

Finally a 21st Century interpretation by ELO’s Jeff Lynne:

What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without a Jazz instrumental version of the week’s song? This week, cool West Coast Jazz from Art Pepper followed by Oscar Peterson.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love Oscar Peterson?

That’s it for this week. It’s time to make some magic with the cocktail shaker and toast the end of another week. It’s what Bogie, Betty, and Frank would want. Never argue with them.