THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

687-The Platters-Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.

1958-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.03.Jerome Kern’s widow disliked The Platters recording so much, she considered taking legal action, she thought the song was ‘Too Rock ‘N Roll.’

‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ was written for the 1933 musical ‘Roberta,’by Jerome Kern (1885-1945) (see also best songs 82,) who provided the melody, and the lyricist Otto Harbach (1873-1963.) The song was first sung in the Broadway show by Tamara Drasin (1905-1943,) and first recorded by Gertrude Niesen (1911-1975.) Four different versions of the song reached the Billboard chart in 1934, with the most successful by Paul Whiteman (1890-1967) getting to Number 1.The song has been recorded by many artists over the years, including hit versions in the UK by Blue Haze (1972-Number 32,) Bryan Ferry (1974-Number 17,) and John Alford (1996-Number 13.)

The version which has become the definitive one is this by The Platters, which topped the charts on Billboard, and in the UK in 1958. The Platters were formed in 1952 in Los Angeles, California,United States. In the 1940’s, and 1950’s Disc Jockeys would call their records ‘platters,’ and that is from where the band took their name.None of the original lineup are still alive, and none of the accepted classic lineup (1955-1959) are either.Between 1953-1967 they achieved 21 top 40 singles on Billboard, including four Number 1’s. After the group began to splinter around 1960, legal battles ensued as past members sought the right to use the name, and a current act still tour to this day keeping the name alive.

‘They asked me how I knew my true love was true,I of course replied, something here inside, cannot be denied.’