THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
231-Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong-Summertime.
1958-Never released as a single in the UK.
Best Bit-At 0.27.Probably the best vocal pairing in the world ever. Surely even Simon Cowell and his X-Factor mates would be able to recognise that!
Between 1956-1957 the ‘First Lady of Song’ and ‘Satchmo’ recorded three Albums together,’Ella and Louis,’Ella and Louis Again’ and the Album this song is taken from ‘Porgy and Bess.'(see also best songs 944-767-702 and 286.)
The opera Porgy and Bess was adapted from the novel ‘Porgy’ written by DuBose Heywood and published in 1925.It tells of a crippled street beggar living in the black tenements of Charleston,South Carolina.
‘Summertime was composed by George Gershwin(see also best songs 286) (1898-1937) with lyrics by DuBose Heywood(1885-1940,) both died young so never knew of the success and significance of this song or the opera it was part of.
The lyrics are open to interpretation.It is a lullaby that could be sang as a mother to their child,or as a slave/nanny to a white baby.The nanny is telling the child that they are assured of a good life with parents to love them and wealth to protect them.The slave/nanny knows that she and her race have none of these privileges to look forward to.
‘Oh,your daddy’s rich and your ma is good lookin,’so hush little baby don’t you cry.’
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