THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

634-Lena Horne-Stormy Weather.

1941-It has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 0.13. As the old saying goes, ‘It never rains, but it pours.’

‘Stormy Weather’ was originally written in 1933 by Harold Arlen, (1905-1986) (see also best songs 934-281 and 68) who composed the music, and Ted Koehler, (1894-1973) who wrote the lyrics. ‘Stormy Weather’ was first performed by the American singer and actress Ethel Waters, (1896-1977) who sang it at ‘The Cotton Club’ night club, in Harlem, New York City, in 1933, and recorded it with the ‘Dorsey Brothers” Orchestra on ‘Brunswick Records’ later that same year, The song has also been recorded over the decades by many of the worlds top artists, including Billie Holiday, (1955) Frank Sinatra, (1959) Ringo Starr, (1969) and Bob Dylan, (2017) there is also a ‘Disco’ version of the song by Viola Wills (1982.) Perhaps the most famous rendition of ‘Stormy Weather’ is this one by Lena Horne, (1917-2010) who recorded the song for the first time in 1941, but when she appeared in the 1943 movie of the same name, she then re-recorded it. In 1957, she once again redid the song, this time as the title track of what would be her seventh studio Album.

Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30th, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, she died of congestive heart failure, on May 9th, 2010, at the age of 92. Lena Horne who was born into a affluent African-American family, was a singer, dancer, actress, and Civil Rights activist. She appeared in 24 films between 1935-2012, and released at least 53 Albums between 1942-2006. Her final release was ‘Seasons of a Life,’ which was recorded between 1993-1997, but not made available until 2006. She used her celebrity status to advocate for ‘Civil Rights,’ and took part in the ‘March on Washington,’ in August 1963. During World War II, while entertaining the troops, she refused to perform for segregated audiences, or for groups in which German prisoner of war were seated in front of Black servicemen. In June 2022, the ‘Brooks Atkinson Theatre,’ on Broadway, was re-named the ‘Lena Horne Theatre,’ meaning that Lena Horne is the first Black woman to have a Broadway theatre named after her.

‘Stormy Weather’ was co-written by Harold Arlen, (music) and Ted Koehler, who provided the lyrics. Ted L. Koehler was born on July 14th, 1894, in Washington D. C. United States, he died on January 17th, 1973, at the age of 78. His most successful collaborations were with the composer Harold Arlen, with whom he wrote many famous songs, from the 1920’s, through until the 1940’s. As well as ‘Stormy Weather,’ (1933) together the duo also composed other enduring songs, including ‘Get Happy,’ (1930) ‘I’ve Got the World on a String,’ (1932) and ‘Let’s Fall in Love,’ (1933.) Other composers with whom Ted Koehler worked with include, Rube Bloom, (1902-1976) Harry Warren, (1893-1981) (see also best songs 877-775-396 and 321) and Sammy Fain (1902-1989.)

‘Stormy Weather’ is a ‘torch song,’ which is typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited, or lost love. The term comes from the saying, ‘to carry a torch for someone,’ or ‘to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love.’ In ‘Stormy Weather,’ the weather is a metaphor for the feelings of the singer. In 1991 the Australian band ‘Crowded House’ paid homage to the song, on their hit ‘Weather With You,’ (Australia Number 27 & UK Number 7) with the lyrics,’Walking ’round the room singing stormy weather.’ The original handwritten lyrics, to ‘Stormy Weather,’ along with a painting by Ted Koehler, were featured on the American television programme ‘Antiques Roadshow’ in 2011, where they were appraised for between $50,000 and $100,000, the lyrics show a number of crossings out and corrections. In 2000, the 1941 recording of ‘Stormy Weather’ by Lena Horne, was inducted into the ‘Grammy Hall of Fame,’ and then in 2003, so was the Ethel Waters 1933 recording.

‘Don’t know why there’s no sun up in the sky, stormy weather, since my man and I ain’t together, keeps rainin’ all the time. Life is bare, gloom and misery everywhere, stormy weather, just can’t get my poor self together, I’m weary all the time.’