Harold Arlen was recently married when he wrote this song, having himself fallen in love in his twenties when his future wife was a show girl still in her teens. Ah, love!
EXACTLY. Arlen fell in love with Ragtime as a child, and his mother noted his musical interest and gave him piano lessons. His father played cantors and Italian Opera on the gramophone at home, but Harold leaned toward the popular music of his day, which included Jazz. And he set out to have a career in popular music!
I believe so! They were given the title, and Koehler wrote the lyrics, but it was entirely the sort of thing that Arlen could get just right musically as well as in the sentiment.
I enjoyed hearing Harold Arlen sing. Really nice.
Amy, I thought he was charming! And woo hoo for the Ray Sinatra Orchestra!
Yet another link between Jewish composers and what we think of as African American music.
EXACTLY. Arlen fell in love with Ragtime as a child, and his mother noted his musical interest and gave him piano lessons. His father played cantors and Italian Opera on the gramophone at home, but Harold leaned toward the popular music of his day, which included Jazz. And he set out to have a career in popular music!
Debra you always pick the best songs!
Thanks, Father! I do love the chance to feature these great old songs.
Debra: Absolutely fascinating. As always.
The interplay between composer and lyricist has always fascinated me.
It was Arlen who had fallen in love. It was Koehler who wrote those lyrics.
Could the relationship between these creators have been so simpatico that Koehler could sense the feeling in his cohort?
I believe so! They were given the title, and Koehler wrote the lyrics, but it was entirely the sort of thing that Arlen could get just right musically as well as in the sentiment.