We’re taking the Friday Cocktail Hour back to its roots with a Gershwin tune. Who could ask for anything more?
I Got Rhythm was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1930 Broadway musical Girl Crazy. It’s been recorded just shy of 600 times. Now that’s a song with legs.
I’ll spare you the first recording by Ethel Merman. She was a fixture on the teevee variety shows that I used to watch with my mom. I found her loud voice and brassy persona alternately annoying and scary. I’m not here to annoy and scare you with this feature.
We begin with Judy Garland who played the lead in the 1944 film version of Girl Crazy:
Ella Fitzgerald and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Who could ask for anything more?
The Glory Of Gershwin was a 1994 tribute album produced by George Martin. It honored the music of the brothers and the 80th birthday of their pal Larry Adler. Here’s Adler on harmonica with Robert Palmer on lead vocals.
Tony Bennett and Diana Krall. Say no more.
Brian Wilsonized the Gershwin classic in 2010.
What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without jazz instrumental versions of the week’s tune? This time, we have an all-star lineup of Louis Armstrong, Yehudi Menuhin & Stephane Grappelli, and Oscar Peterson.
Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson?
That’s it for this week. Let’s toast the greatness of the Gershwin brothers. Who could ask for anything more? It’s what Bogie, Betty, and Frank would want. Never argue with them.
‘ And now here is a lovely tune by George Gershwin and his lovely wife Ira’. That phrase is as much a part of the fabric of this great and ungrateful nation as any piece of music
The great, great biography of George Gershwin was written by Howard Pollack, who also did stellar work on his Arron Copeland biography.