THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

100-Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong-Cheek to Cheek.

1956-It has never been released as a single in the UK.
Best Bit-At 4.50. In a land where it is said that there are 1000 dances, dancing cheek to cheek has to be the most sensual. Irving Berlin, you old romantic.

‘Cheek to Cheek’ was one of the songs especially written for the 1935 American comedy film ‘Top Hat,’ by Irving Berlin. (1888-1989) (see also best songs 731-457 and 385) ‘Cheek to Cheek’ was written for the movies star Fred Astaire, (1899-1987) (see also best songs 385) who sang the song in the film, while dancing with his co-star Ginger Rogers (1911-1995.) The films scene would become one of Fred Astaire’s most iconic, and ‘Cheek to Cheek’ also provided him with a five weeks run at Number 1 on ‘Your Hit Parade,’ which was a precursor to the Billboard singles chart.

According to the database of ‘Secondhandsongs.com. ‘Cheek to Cheek’ has been recorded by over 400 different artists, with some of the most famous being by The Boswell Sisters, (1935) and Frank Sinatra, (1959) and more recently by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (2014.) The version I have chosen is the 1956 recording by Ella Fitzgerald, (1917-1996) (see also best songs 944-702-286 and 231) and Louis Armstrong, (1901-1971) (see also best songs 1039-767-286 and 231) who recorded the song as one of 11 tracks for their duets Album ‘Ella and Louis, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet, on the ‘Verve’ record label in 1956. The Album was critically acclaimed leading to two further releases,’Ella and Louis Again,’ (1957) and ‘Porgy and Bess (1958.)

Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on April 25th, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia, United States, she suffered from diabetes for several years of her later life, and in 1993 she had to have both of her legs amputated below the knee due to the effects of diabetes, her eyesight was affected as well. Ella Fitzgerald died from a stroke on June 15th, 1996, at the age of 79. Fitzgerald had several honorific titles, and is often referred to as the ‘First Lady of Song’, ‘Queen of Jazz’, and ‘Lady Ella’. She is critically recognised as one of the worlds greatest ever singers for her purity of tone, and impeccable diction, she is also recognised as one of the best ‘Scat’ singers of all time.

Away from music, Ella Fitzgerald was a Civil Rights activist, and was awarded the ‘National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People Equal Justice Award,’ and the American Black Achievement Award.’ In 1993 she established the ‘Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation,’ focusing on charitable grants, which offered academic opportunities for children in music education, basic care needs for the less fortunate, medical research revolving around diabetes, heart disease, and vision impairment.

The extensive discography of Ella Fitzgerald includes 59 studio Albums released between 1950-1989, as well as 38 live Albums issued between 1958-2018, there are also six extensive box sets that have been issued since 1994. Ella Fitzgerald has also accumulated 53 top 40 hit singles in America between 1936-1960, of which four reached Number 1, including ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket,’ which she co-wrote in 1938. In the UK, since the chart first appeared in 1952, Ella Fitzgerald has had five top 40 singles between 1958-1964, with ‘The Swinging Shepherd Blues’ charting the highest at Number 15 in 1958.

‘Heaven, I’m in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak, and I seem to find the happiness I seek when we’re out together dancing, cheek to cheek.’