THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

286-Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong-They Can’t Take That Away from Me.

1956-It has never been released as a single in the UK.

Best Bit-At 1.32. When you have the music of George Gershwin, the lyrics of Ira Gershwin, and the mesmerising vocals of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, the hard part isn’t trying to find a 1000 songs to fill this list, it’s having to choose which ones to leave out!

‘They Can’t Take That Away from Me’ was one of the songs written by George Gershwin (music) and his brother Ira Gershwin (lyrics) for the 1937 Musical Comedy ‘Shall We Dance,’ starring Fred Astaire, (see also best songs 385) and Ginger Rodgers. In the film the song is sung by Astaire to Rodgers, who remains silent throughout the performance, there is also no dance sequence performed. Astaire and Rodgers did perform a dance routine to the song when appearing in their 10th and final movie together in 1949, in ‘Barkleys of Broadway.’ This was also the only song that Astaire performed more than once in any of his movies.

George Gershwin (see also best songs 231) was born Jacob Gershwine on September 26th, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, he died from a malignant brain tumor on July 11th, 1937, at the age of 38. Gershin was a prolific writer of music, composing several orchestral pieces including ‘Rhapsody in Blue.’ (1924) His Opera’s include ‘Porgy and Bess,’ (1935) and he also composed the music for 19 Broadway, and London Musicals, as well as the original scores for five films.

Ira Gershwin was born Israel Gershowitz on December 6th, 1896, in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, he died on August 17th, 1983, of heart disease at the age of 86. With his brother George he wrote many of the most memorable songs from the Broadway Musicals of the 1920’s, and 1930’s, including ‘I Got Rhythm,’ Embraceable You,’ and ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ After the death of his brother, Ira continued to write with others, including Kurt Weill, Jerome Kern, and Harry Warren.

Ella Fitzgerald (see also best songs 944-231 and 100) and Louis Armstrong (see also best songs 1039-767-231 and 100) had recorded together in the 1940’s for the Decca Records label. In 1956 they recorded the first of a further three Albums together, this time for the ‘Verve’ label. Their version of ‘They Can’t Take That Away from Me’ is featured on ‘Ella and Louis,’ which was the first of those three Albums, released in October 1956. The musicians who played on this song, and it’s parent Album were the ‘Oscar Peterson Quartet.’ In 1959 Ella Fitzgerald recorded the song again, this time as a solo artist, for her acclaimed Album ‘Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book.’

‘The way your smile just beams, the way you sing off key. The way you haunt my dreams, no, no, they can’t take that away from me.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

287-Gary’s Gang-Keep on Dancin.’

1979-Number 8 single.

Best Bit-At 3.42. This Gary will not want to be confused with the other Gary, who was the leader of a completely different, and infamous gang.

‘Gary’s Gang’ were formed in 1977, in Queens, New York, United States, by Eric Matthew, (vocals and guitar) Gary Turnier, (percussion) Al Lauricella, (keyboards) Rino Minetti, (keyboards) Bob Forman, (saxophone and flute) Jay Leon, (trombone) and Bill Catalano, (percussion) Catalano is not the same William Catalano (1934-2005) who was a renowned Jazz trumpet player. ‘Gary’s Gang released two studio Albums, both were issued in 1979, the first was called ‘Keep on Dancin” and the other was called ‘Gangbusters.’ They also released nine singles, and although never achieving an American Billboard top 100 single, two of the songs,’Keep on Dancin” and ‘Let’s Lovedance Tonight,’ both made Number 1 on the U.S. Dance chart. In the UK ‘Keep on Dancin” is their only top 40 hit, although two of their other tracks ‘Let’s Lovedance Tonight,’ (Number 49) and ‘Knock Me Out,’ (Number 45) just missed out on being hits.

‘Keep on Dancin” was co-written by band members Eric Matthew, and Gary Turnier. Matthew was born Joseph William Tucci, in 1953, in Queens. New York, after the success of this song Matthew set up his own record label ‘Radar Records,’ and produced artists signed to the label. On a personal note I would highly recommend the 1982 song ‘Beat the Street’ by Sharon Redd,’ which Matthew co-wrote, and co-produced with Darryl Payne.

‘Keep on Dancin’ is one of the classic dance songs of the 1970’s Disco era. You wouldn’t be too far wide of the mark if you described the song as ‘cheesy-ish,’ but it is for all that, still definitely cool to like. The lyrics tell us that the narrator is really enjoying dancing to the music, but things would be even better if his love interest would join him on the dance floor.

‘Touch my body, make it Funky, got a feeling like I wanna fly, will you love me tonight. Dancin’ baby, don’t say maybe, don’t you really wanna fly with me, will you get high with me tonight.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

288-Lew Stone And His Band (Vocal Chorus by Sam Browne)-I Get Along Without Very Well (Except Sometimes.’)

1939-Has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 0.09. The lyrics were written 15 years before the music was added, and the lyricist died before hearing or seeing the songs success.

‘I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes’) was co-written by Hoagy Carmichael, (music) and Jane Brown Thompson, (lyrics) Carmichael based the main melodic theme on the ‘Fantaisie-Impromptu’ in C sharp minor, by Frederick Chopin (1810-1849.) In 1924 a friend of Carmichael’s showed him a magazine clipping of a poem he thought he might like, Carmichael did, and scribbled it down on the back of an envelope. 15 years later while having a clear out he came across the envelope and this time decided to write music to the words, but he couldn’t release it until tracking down the poems author.

Carmichael asked his friend, the radio presenter Walter Winchell (1897-1972) to broadcast on air a plea to find whoever had written the songs lyrics. Winchell said on air, ‘Attention, poets and songwriters! Hoagy Carmichael, whose songs you love has a new positive hit, but he cannot have it published. Not until the person who inspired the words communicates with him and agrees to become his collaborator. I hope that person is a listener now,’ Winchell then went on to quote some of the lines from the original 1923 poem. Around a month later two former employees of the now disbanded ‘Life’ magazine where the poem had first appeared came forward, and the author who was now a 71 year old widow living in a nursing home was found. Her name was Jane Brown-Thompson (1868-1939) who signed a contract where she would receive 3 cents per copy sold. The sad post-script to the story is that the song made it’s debut on the Dick Powell (1904-1963) radio show on January 19th, 1939, but unfortunately Mrs Thompson died the day before on January 18th, so never knew of her songs great success.
Hoagy Carmichael was born Hoagland Howard Carmichael on November 22nd, 1899, in Bloomington, Indiana, United States, he died of a heart attack on December 27th, 1981, at the age of 82. Carmichael who wrote several hundred songs, is remembered as one of the most gifted songwriters of the 20th Century. Two of his best known compositions are ‘Stardust,’ written in 1927, which is now considered as a standard, and part of the ‘Great American Songbook,’ and ‘Georgia on My Mind,’ (see also best songs 185) a song he wrote the music for in 1930.

‘I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes’) has been covered numerous times over the years, with the best selling recording being by ‘Red Norvo (1908-1999) and his Orchestra, with vocals by Terry Allen (1916-1981) from 1939. The version I have chosen is the 1939 recording by Lew Stone, who was born Louis Stone on June 28th, 1898, in London, England, he died on February 13th, 1969, at the age of 70, Stone is best remembered as one of the most innovative, and imaginative musical arrangers of his era. The vocals on the track were provided by Sam Browne (1898-1972) who recorded over 2000 songs in his career. Browne was a go to vocalist for several of the top bands of the 1930’s, and early 1940’s, including ‘Alfredo, and his Orchestra,’ and ‘Ambrose and his Orchestra.’

The following lyrics are from the original poem written by Jane Brown Thompson in 1923.’
‘I get along without you very well, of course I do
Except sometimes when soft rain falls
And dripping off the trees recalls
How you and I stood deep in mist
One day far in the wood, and kissed
But now I get along without you-well, of course I do’.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

289-Elbow-One Day Like This.

2008-Number 35 single. It later peaked at Number 4 in 2012.
Best Bit-At 3.29- ‘Cause Holy cow I love your eyes,’ is possibly not the greatest of chat up lines.

‘Elbow’ were formed in Bury, Greater Manchester, England in 1997, but the original five band members had already been playing together for many years prior to that. In 1990 Guy Garvey (lead vocals) who was then 16 years old met Mark Potter, (guitar) at ‘Bury College’ where Potter invited Garvey to join his student band which also included Richard Jupp, (drums) and Pete Turner, (bass) they were soon joined by Potter’s brother Craig, (keyboards) and played their first gig in 1990 as ‘Mr Soft,’ which was later shortened to ‘Soft.’ In 2016 Jupp left the band, and Alex Reeves took over the drumming and percussion duties.

In 1997 the band changed their name to ‘Elbow,’ The name was inspired by a line from the 1986 BBC television drama ‘The Singing Detective’ in which the character Philip Marlow describes the word elbow as the loveliest word in the English language. Elbow have released nine studio Albums between 2001-2021, with their debut Album ‘Asleep in the Back’ receiving a ‘Mercury Music Prize’ nomination, and their fourth Album ‘The Seldom Seen Kid,’ winning the ‘Mercury Music Prize’ in 2008. They have also issued 35 singles between 2001-2021, with eight of those reaching the UK top 40.

‘One Day Like This’ was the second single released from Elbow’s fourth studio Album ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ from 2008. On it’s release the song reached Number 35 in the UK, but after Elbow performed it at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012, the song saw a resurgence in sales, and this time reached a new peak of Number 4.

‘One Day Like This’ was written by Guy Garvey, and produced by Craig Potter. Garvey has said that the line ‘One day like this a year would see me right,’ had been a lyric he had thought of as a teenager, and written in his diary, with the intention of using it sometime when the right song came along. Garvie has also stated that he wrote the song the day he woke up to a beautiful morning,’After being with someone and waking up with them for the first time.’ When the band first recorded the song, and added the strings, they thought it sounded like ‘Hey Jude,’ by the Beatles, (see also best songs 6) they also thought the song was similar to ‘Loaded,’ by Primal Scream. (see also best songs 724) Garvie said that he felt it was the ‘generous’ thing to do, to give those associations to the listener.

‘What made me behave that way? Using words I never say. I can only think it must be love, oh, anyway, it’s looking like a beautiful day.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

290-Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five featuring Melle Mel and Duke Bootee-The Message.

1982-Number 8 single.Best Bit-At 3.44. This is the song that changed Rap music forever. Before this song MC’s only told people to take to the dance floor, and put their hands in the air.

‘The Message’ was the first Hip-Hop song to provide a social commentary rather than the self congratulatory boasting, or party chants of earlier Hip-Hop. It’s influence cannot be stressed enough, as it paved the way for artists such as Public Enemy (see also best songs 578 and 37) and N.W.A., (see also best songs 564 and 128) In 2012 ‘Rolling Stone Magazine’ named the song the greatest Hip-Hop song of all time.

The original demo of ‘The Message’ was written in 1980 by Edward ‘Duke Bootee’ Fletcher (1951-2021) who at that time was employed as a songwriter at Sugar Hill Records. He took the demo which included his own Rap to Sylvia Robinson (1935-2011) (see also best songs 597-523-466-87 and 17) the co-founder of Sugar Hill Records, who asked Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to record it, but they initially wanted nothing to do with it, Grandmaster Flash has said,’The subject matter wasn’t happy, It wasn’t no party s..t, it wasn’t even some real street s..t. We would laugh at it.’ With the group not wanting to record it Sylvia Robinson talked Melle Mel (see also best songs 523 and 85) of the Furious Five to perform the song with it’s writer ‘Duke Bootee. Grandmaster Flash then had a change of mind and wanted to record the track, but Robinson refused. The only input on the song from Grandmaster Flash, (see also best songs 87) or the other four members of the Furious Five is at the end of the song, where they do a skit about being arrested by the police while stood on a street corner minding their own business.

As well as writing the majority of the songs lyrics ‘Duke Bootee’ also wrote the music, which unlike many ‘Hip-Hop’ tracks at the time didn’t have an up-tempo ‘Disco’ beat. ‘The Message’ has a ‘slow groove,’ and a reverberated synthesizer hook. ‘Duke Bootee’ has said that he was influenced to write the music after hearing the songs ‘More Bounce to the Ounce’ by ‘Zapp’ from 1980, and ‘Genius of Love’ by ‘Tom Tom Club’ from 1981. The other songwriting credits on the song include Melle Mel who provided additional lyrics, and Clifton ‘Jiggs’ Chase, who was a producer at Sugar Hill Records, and also worked on this track, along with Sylvia Robinson.

‘A child is born with no state of mind, blind to the ways of mankind. God is smilin’ on you, but he’s frownin’ too, because only God knows what you’ll go through.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

291-The Maytals-Monkey Man.

1969-Number 47 single.

Best Bit-At 0.47. This songs writer, and lead singer Toots Hibbert is responsible for introducing the word ‘Reggae.’

Frederick Nathaniel ‘Toots’ Hibbert, ‘OJ,’ was born on December 8th, 1942, in May Pen, Colony of Jamaica, he died of COVID-19 during the pandemic in Jamaica, on September 11th, 2020, at the age of 77. In 2012 he was awarded the ‘Order of Jamaica,’ which is the equivalent of a British Knighthood. Hibbert formed The Maytals in 1962 with Henry ‘Raleigh’ Gordon, and Nathaniel ‘Jerry’ Mathias, as a vocal trio, in Kingston, Jamaica. According to Hibbert, ‘Maytals’ is a reference to the ‘Rastafari’ term for ‘do the right thing,’ but there have also been suggestions that the name was influenced by Hibbert’s hometown of ‘May Pen.’

The Maytals were initially a sought after vocal group, working with some of Jamaica’s top music producers such as Coxsone Dodd, (1932-2004) Byron Lee, (1935-2008) and Prince Buster (1938-2016) (see also best songs 734 and 139.) In the mid 1960’s the group was expanded, when musicians were added to the band, In total there have been 17 different group members come and go, with the band still active as ‘The Maytals’, which was the name that they had originally started out with. They were known from 1972, until Hibbert’s death in 2020, as ‘Toots and the Maytals.’ The discography of Toots and the Maytals consists of 24 studio Albums released between 1964-2020, and 137 singles released between 1963-2007. Toots Hibbert also released 17 solo singles between 1981-2017.

In 1968 Toots Hibbert wrote a song called ‘Do the Reggay,’ which led to the then new genre of music being called ‘Reggae.’ Reggae Music originated in Jamaica in the late 1960’s strongly influenced by traditional Jamaican Folk music, as well as American Jazz, and R&B, and evolving from Ska, and Rocksteady.

‘Monkey Man’ was written by Toots Hibbert, and produced by Leslie Kong, who had worked with Hibbert from the early 1960’s. Kong (1933-1971) who was responsible for recording Bob Marley’s (see also best songs 618 and 56) first songs ‘Cup of Coffee’ and ‘Judge Not’ in 1962, also discovered Jimmy Cliff, and produced Reggae Music’s first international hit ‘Israllites’ in 1969, for Desmond Dekker (see also best songs 122.)

‘Monkey Man tells the tale of someone who has been dumped by his girlfriend, and has taken up with a big ugly brute of a man. In Jamaica a ‘Monkey Man’ is a slang word for a doorman, or a bouncer.

‘I see no sign of you, I only heard of you hugging up the big monkey man. Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, tell you baby, you’re hugging up the big monkey man.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

292-Foo Fighters-Everlong.

1997-Number 18 single.

Best Bit-At 1.29. David Grohl is down on record as saying that one of his musical influences was the Scottish boy band The Bay City Rollers. I honestly don’t know if he is pulling our legs or not.

David Eric Grohl was born on January 14th, 1969, in Warren, Ohio, United States. At the age of 13 he attended his first concert, where he was totally converted to ‘Punk Rock’ music, after seeing the American Punk band ‘Naked Raygun’ play live. While in high school he played guitar in several local bands, but switched to percussion, after teaching himself to play the drums. Grohl has said that he learned to play the drums by listening to the Canadian Rock band ‘Rush,’ of whom he names ‘Rush’ drummer Neil Pearl (1952-2020) an early influence. He has also stated that Led Zeppelin (see also best songs 135 and 66) drummer John Bonham (1948-1980) as his greatest influence, and has Bonham’s ‘three-rings symbol’ tattooed on his right shoulder.

After the demise of Nirvana (see also best songs 788 and 9) Grohl went into the studio and recorded a 15 track demo, on which he played every instrument, with the exception of a single guitar part on the song ‘X-Static,’ which was played by Greg Dulli of the American Rock band ‘Afghan Whigs.’ After passing the demo around a bidding war began, with Grohl signing to ‘Capitol Records’. Grohl did not wish to be known as a solo artist so recruited three band members, but the debut studio Album called ‘Foo Fighters’ from 1995, only featured the playing on it of Grohl. David Grohl chose the bands name from the UFO’s, and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War 2. To date the Foo Fighters have released 10 studio Albums between 1995-2021, and 57 singles, of which 21 have reached the UK top 40, with ‘Best of You’ from 2005 being the highest charting when reaching Number 4. While in America on Billboard only three of their singles have charted, with ‘Best of You’ also being the highest charting. when making Number 18.

‘Everlong’ was the second single released from the Foo Fighters second studio Album ‘The Colour and the Shape’ (see also best songs 999) from 1997, and was written by Dave Grohl, and produced by Gil Norton (see also best songs 904 and 490.) ‘Everlong’ was written soon after the breakup of Grohl’s first marriage to Jennifer Youngblood. He wrote the lyrics after falling for Louise Post of the American Alternative Rock band Veruca Salt, she can be heard singing backing vocals on this track.

On the songs meaning Grohl has said,’It’s about a girl that I’d fallen in love with, and it was basically about being connected to someone so much, that not only do you love them physically and spiritually, but when you sing along with them you harmonise perfectly.’

‘And I wonder when I sing along with you, if everything could ever feel this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again. The only thing I’ll ever ask of you, you’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

293-Hank Mizel-Jungle Rock.

1958-It did not chart until it was re-released in 1976, when reaching Number 3.

Best Bit-At 0.10. It took 18 years for this song to become a hit, so it appears that the ‘Jungle Drums’ were communicating very slowly.

Hank Mizel was born William M. Mizel, on November 9th, 1923, in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, he died on December 23rd, 1992, at the age of 69. After joining the United States Army, and serving in the Second World War, Mizel decided to take up singing professionally in a band that included a guitarist called Jim Bobo. Mizel got a job in Montgomery, Alabama, singing regularly on a local radio station, where one of the presenters nicknamed him ‘Hank’ after the Country singer Hank Williams (see also best songs 555.)

In 1958 Mizel and Bobo were approached by a local Country vocalist called Gene Parsons, who had just set up his own record label called ‘Eko Records,’ the duo recorded three songs for the label, including ‘Jungle Rock.’ Although ‘Jungle Rock’ made no impression with the record buying public, it did receive favourable reviews from the Billboard magazine which wrote,’A persistent jungle blues item would make good swingin’ dance fare.’ Some eight months later after the song had come to the attention of an employee at the ‘King Records’ label the song was re-issued, but once again failed to make any real impact. Mizel and Bobo continued playing live together until 1962, until it was no longer financially viable. Mizel was now married, and also had four children to support, and he took the decision to give up music, and become a preacher for the Church of Christ.

In 1971 unbeknown to Mizel, ‘Jungle Rock’ was one of the tracks reissued on a Dutch bootleg compilation Album called ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll, Vol 1,’ it had been issued by the Dutchman Cees Klop who was a collector of rare 1950’s Rock ‘N’ Roll. Some of the early ‘Eko Records’ recordings of ‘Jungle Rock’ has mistakenly credited Jim Bobo with being the songs writer, and Klop took that information, and Bobo was credited as the songs writer on the Album. The Album came to the attention of the British DJ Roy Williams, who started playing ‘Jungle Rock,’ this led to ‘Charly Records’ who specialised in reissuing old songs releasing it in the UK in 1976. The song went on to reach Number 3 in the UK, Number 9 in Sweden,Number 2 in Belgium, and Number 1 in the Netherlands.

Hank Mizel who was now 53 years old had no idea that ‘Jungle Rock’ had become a European hit some 18 years after he first recorded it. The British flagship music programme ‘Top of the Pops,’ had to use their in house dancers ‘Pans People’ to perform the song when it first charted, but Mizel was finally tracked down in Tennessee, and was persuaded to come over to England and perform the song on the show, he also appeared on the Dutch music programme ‘Toppop.’

‘Jungle Rock’ would be Hank Mizel’s only hit, although ‘Charly Records’ reissued another old Mizel song ‘Kangaroo Rock’ in 1976 as the follow up single, which reached Number 59 in the UK. An Album was also hastily put together of Mizel’s old material, and some covers, which was also called ‘Jungle Rock,’ and charted in Sweden where it made Number 36.

‘Oh well the fox grabbed the rabbit and they hit the bunny hug, and all the beasts that fly was a cutting the rug.Oh well the camel was a jitter buggin’ with a kangaroo, and the elephant, the mover with the ring-ding-oo.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

294-Clash-The Call Up.

1980-Number 40 single.

Best Bit-At 0.16. The song opens and closes with a U.S. Marines traditional call and response marching, or running song, which was provided by Band Sgt. Dave Yates, who was drafted in for his appearance.

The Clash (see also 867 and 638) were formed in 1976, in London, England, before coming together the bands future members had been active in the London music scene. The classic line up of the Clash, who also played on this track were Joe Strummer, (1952-2002) (lead vocal, and rhythm guitar) Mick Jones, (lead guitar) Paul Simonon, (bass guitar) and Nicky ‘Topper’ Headon (drums.) Headon left the band in 1982, and Mick Jones left in 1983, the group remained active until 1986, with six other members coming and going in that 10 year period. The Clash released six studio Albums between 1977-1985, and 31 singles, of which 16 reached the UK top 40. When ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ was re-issued in 1991, it gave the Clash their only UK Number 1 single, and only top 10 hit. In America on Billboard two of their singles made the Billboard top 40, with ‘Rock the Casbah’ being the most successful, when reaching Number 8 in 1982.

Joe Strummer was born John Graham Mellor, in Ankara, Turkey, on August 21st, 1952, he died of a heart attack due to an undiagnosed congenital defect, on December 22nd, 2002, at the age of 50. Strummer started his music career playing Rock music, but after seeing the Sex Pistols (see also best songs 576-92 and 27) perform in April 1976, he saw that the way forward was ‘Punk Rock’ music. As the Clash developed, their music incorporated Experimental Rock, Reggae, Ska, and Dub, with the bands lyrics being political, and thought provoking.

‘The Call Up’ was the first single released from ‘Sandinista!’ the fourth studio Album by the Clash from 1980. ‘Sandinista!’ was a triple Album containing 36 tracks, with six on each side. In order for the record label to agree to such a large release, the Clash had to compromise by forgoing any royalties on the first 200,000 copies sold in the UK, and a 50% cut in royalties elsewhere.

Strummer had been unhappy that ‘CBS’ records had rejected their previous Album ‘London Calling’ being released as a double Album, and said,’It was doubly outrageous, actually it was triply outrageous.’ Mick Jones said,’I always saw it as a record for people who were, like, on oil rigs, or Arctic stations, people that weren’t able to get to the record shops regularly.’

‘The Call Up’ like all the other tracks on ‘Sandinista’ has the songwriting credited to all four members of the Clash at that time, their three previous Albums had just credited only Strummer and Jones. ‘The Call Up’ is a song about ‘The Draft,’ and war in general. It also tells of things that a soldier may miss out on,’There is a rose that I want to live for.’

‘All the young people down the ages, they gladly marched off to die. Proud city fathers used to watch them, tears in their eyes.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

295-Art Shaw and his Orchestra-Begin The Beguine.

1938-Has never charted in the UK.There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 2.29. The songs author Cole Porter christened the dance that is performed to this song, he called it ‘The Beguine.’

Artie Shaw was born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky on May 23rd, 1910, in New York City, United States, he died on December 30th, 2004, having been in ill health for sometime. The specific cause of death was never made public, but he had been a long term sufferer from diabetes, he was 94. Shaw who is probably best remembered as one of Jazz’s finest clarinetists, was one of the United States most popular band leaders in the late 1930’s, through to the early 1940’s.Between 1936-1946, he had 44 songs chart on Billboard, with four reaching the Number 1 spot, including ‘Begin The Beguine,’

Although having been successful prior to recording ‘Begin The Beguine’ it was that song which propelled Artie Shaw to stardom. Shaw soon grew tired of of playing ‘mainstream’ music, and was keen to experiment, his blending of Jazz and Classical music, was later coined in 1957 by the American composer Gunther Schuller (1925-2015) as ‘Third Stream’ music. Shaw grew tired of being a major celebrity, and professional musician, and completely retired from music in 1954. He once said that he got sick of having to play ‘Begin The Beguine’ 500 times a year.

Cole Porter (1891-1964) (see also best songs 944-655 and 73) wrote the music and the lyrics to ‘Begin The Beguine’ during a 1935 Pacific cruise between Kalabahi, Indonesia, and Fiji. It was first performed in October 1935 by the American actress June Knight (1913-1987) in the Broadway Musical ‘Jubilee,’ but didn’t become a major hit until Artie Shaw rearranged it, and recorded it in 1938. Cole Porter got the idea for the song, and invented the word ‘Beguine’ after watching people perform a dance he had never seen before which was similar to a ‘Rhumba.’

Like many songs on this countdown ‘Begin The Beguin’ has been recorded numerous times by many of the worlds top artists down the decades. The song featured in the 1940 musical film ‘Broadway Melody of 1940,’ with Fred Astaire (see also best songs 385) and Eleanor Powell dancing to it, with a Flamenco choreography. Frank Sinatra (see also best songs 877-567-469-120 and 73) took his version of the song to Number 23 on Billboard in 1946, and Ella Fitzgerald (see also best songs 944-702-286-231 and 100) included the song on her ‘Verve’ release ‘Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook’ in 1956.

The most successful charting version in the UK was the recording by Julio Iglesias who made Number 1 in 1981. Apart from the opening line which is sung in English, the rest of the song is sung in Spanish. Iglesias wrote new lyrics, and the music was based on a Disco version recorded by Johnny Mathis (see also best songs 706) in 1979. When Julio Iglesias took his version to Number 1 it became the first Spanish language song to top the chart, and Iglesias became only the second Spanish artist to reach Number 1, the first being ‘Baccara’ in 1997 with ‘Yes Sir I Can Boogie.’