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WXDU 88.7 FM
PO Box 90689
Duke Station
Durham, NC 27708
919-684-2957
wxdu@duke.edu
WXDU 88.7 FM
PO Box 90689
Duke Station
Durham, NC 27708
919-684-2957
wxdu@duke.edu
Artist | Song | Album | Label | Comments | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paul Whiteman Orchestra featuring George Gershwin | Rhapsody in Blue | Gershwin Plays Gershwin | Naxos | Happy birthday George Gershwin! Every song today written by Gershwin. This (1924) was the first recording & second ever performance of "Rhapsody in Blue." It was commissioned by Paul Whiteman. | |||
George Gershwin | Prelude #2 | Gershwin Plays Gershwin: 1919-1931 | Naxos | written 1927, rec 1928, Gershwin on solo piano | |||
Al Jolson | Swanee | Smithsonian American Songbook Series: George Gershwin | Sony | written 1919, this recording 1920. Originally written for the show Demi-Tasse, when Jolson recorded it this song became the biggest hit of Gershwin's career. He made so much money from "Swanee" that he was able to write the music he wanted, opera and film scores, rather than chasing hits the way most Tin Pan Alley songwriters had to | |||
Paul Whiteman Orchestra | I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise | Smithsonian American Songbook Series: George Gershwin | Sony | written & rec 1922. Written for the show George White's Scandals. It later appeared in the film An American in Paris | |||
Fred Astaire & George Gershwin | The Half of It Dearie Blues | Fred Astaire The Complete London Sessions | Parlophone UK | written 1924, this recording 1926 (I mistakenly said 1928 on the air). Written for the show Lady, Be Good which starred Fred Astaire. Astaire starred in many of the shows and movies that produced Gershwin's best work. This recording was made when they worked together in London. Near the end you can hear them speaking to each other | |||
RKO Radio Studio Orchestra | Promenade (Walking the Dog) | George and Ira Gershwin in Hollywood | Rhino | written and rec 1937 for the film Shall We Dance. This is from the scene where Fred and Ginger walk their dogs on the deck of the ship | |||
Chick Webb and His Little Chicks | I Got Rhythm | Complete Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions | Mosaic | written 1930 for the show Girl Crazy, originally sung by Ethel Merman this recording 1937. It had originally been a slow song in the show Treasure Girl but the sped-up version we know was written for Girl Crazy | |||
Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra | Let's Call the Whole Thing Off | Lady Day | Sony | written 1937 for the movie Shall We Dance, originally sung by Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, this recording also 1937 | |||
Benny Goodman Orchestra v/ Peggy Lee | How Long Has This Been Going On? | The Complete Recordings 1941-1947 | RCA | written 1927 for the show Funny Face, it was dropped from the show and then sung by Bobbe Arnst in Rosalie (1928). This recording 1941 | |||
Bunny Berigan & His Orchestra | I Can't Get Started | An Introduction to Bunny Berigan | Best of Jazz | written 1936 for the movie Ziegfeld Follies of 1936. This was written by Ira Gershwin and Vernon Duke, including it in this show was a mistake | |||
Frank Sinatra | A Foggy Day | Songs for Young Lovers | Capitol | written 1937 for the film A Damsel in Distress, originally sung by Fred Astaire. This recording 1953 | |||
Mel Torme & the Marty Paich Dek-tette | Fascinating Rhythm | Lulu's Back in Town | Bethlehem Archive | written 1924 for the show Lady Be Good, originally sung by Cliff Edwards, Fred Astaire & Adele Astaire. This recording 1956 | |||
Dinah Washington o/ Quincy Jones | Somebody Loves Me | The Swingin' Miss 'D' | Emarcy | written 1924 for George White's Scandals. This recording 1956 | |||
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong | They All Laughed | Ella and Louis Again | Verve | written 1937 for Shall We Dance, originally sung by Ginger Rogers, this recording 1957 | |||
Fred Astaire | Things Are Looking Up | Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers at RKO | Rhino | written 1937 for A Damsel in Distress, this performance by Astaire is the original from the movie | |||
Peggy Lee o/ Dave Barbour | Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did? | The Great Jazz Vocalists Sing The George Gershwin Songbook | Blue Note | written by George Gershwin but unpublished during his life, Ira Gershwin later added lyrics and used it in the 1947 film The Shocking Miss Pilgrim where it was sung by Betty Grable & Dick Haymes. This recording 1946 | |||
Nat King Cole Trio | Embraceable You | Complete Capitol Recordings of the King Cole Trio | Mosaic | written 1928 for an unpublished show, used in Girl Crazy in 1930 where it was sung by Ginger Rogers. This recording 1942 | |||
Lena Horne | The Man I Love | I Got Rhythm: The Music of George Gershwin | Smithsonian | written 1924 for Lady Be Good, it was dropped from that show and used in 1927 in the show Strike Up the Band. This recording 1941 | |||
Jones-Smith Incorporated | Lady, Be Good | Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie & Lester Young Studio Sessions | Mosaic | written 1924 for Lady Be Good & originally sung by Walter Catlett. This recording 1936 is one of the first sides recorded by Count Basie as a bandleader | |||
Ella Fitzgerald | Lady, Be Good | Jazz at the Philharmonic: The Ella Fitzgerald Set | Verve | recorded live at Carnegie Hall 1949 | |||
Della Reese o/ John Cotter | But Not for Me | The Best Thing For You | Jasmine | written 1930 for Girl Crazy & originally sung by Ginger Rogers | |||
Dinah Washington | Our Love is Here to Stay | After Hours With Miss D | Emarcy | written 1937 for the film The Goldwyn Follies. This was the last song Gershwin wrote before his death. This recording 1954 | |||
Frank Sinatra | Love Walked In | The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings | Reprise | written 1930 but unused until the 1938 film The Goldwyn Follies where it was sung by Kenny Baker. This recording 1961 | |||
Ella Fitzgerald w/ Paul Smith | I've Got a Crush On You | Ella Sings Gershwin | Verve | written 1928 for the show Treasure Girl where it was sung by Cilfton Webb and Mary Hay. Also used in Strike Up the Band. This recording 1950 | |||
Fred Astaire | Slap That Bass | Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers at RKO | Rhino | written 1937 for the movie Shall We Dance, this performance by Astaire is the original from the movie. Gershwin's innovative use of the ship's engine as percussion is a hint as to what he might have accomplished if he hadn't died so young | |||
Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra | Summertime | The Lady Sings | Verve | written 1934 for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess, lyrics by DuBose Heyward though ASCAP co-credited Ira Gershwin. Originally sung by Nikki Renee Daniels. This recording 1936 | |||
Sammy Davis Jr. | A Woman Is a Sometime Thing | Boy Meets Girl | Verve | written for Porgy and Bess. Originally sung by John W. Bubbles. This recording 1959, Davis played Sportin' Life in the movie | |||
Aretha Franklin | It Ain't Necessarily So | The Great American Songbook | Columbia/Legacy | written for Porgy and Bess. Originally sung by John Bubbles. This recording 1960. | |||
Shirley Horn | I Got Plenty O' Nuttin | I Remember Miles | Polygram | written for Porgy and Bess. Originally sung by Todd Duncan. This recording 1998. | |||
Ella Fitzgerald | Someone to Watch Over Me | The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook | Verve | written 1926 for the show Oh, Kay! originally sung by Gertrude Lawrence. This recording 1951 | |||
Chet Baker | Long Ago and Far Away | The Best of Chet Baker Sings | Blue Note | written 1944 for the movie Cover Girl, this was written by Ira Gershwin & Jerome Kern, its inclusion in this show is a mistake | |||
Sarah Vaughan | Nice Work if You Can Get It | Sarah Vaughan in Hi-Fi | Columbia/Legacy | written 1937 for A Damsel In Distress, originally sung by Fred Astaire. This recording 1955 | |||
June Christy | Looking for a Boy | The Best of June Christy: The Jazz Sessions | Blue Note | written 1925 for the show Tip-Toes. This recording 1960 | |||
Ella Fitzgerald | I'm a Poached Egg Without Toast | Jukebox Ella | Verve | written by George Gershwin but unpublished until Ira Gershwin added lyrics for the 1964 film Kiss Me, Stupid. This recording also 1964 | |||
Johnny Hartman | Bidin' My Time | Unforgettable | Impulse! | written 1930 for Girl Crazy. This recording 1966 | |||
Julie London | 'S Wonderful | Julie Is Her Name | EMI | written 1927 for Funny Face, originally sung by Adele Astaire and Allen Kearn. Ira Gershwin reportedly hated it when people mangled the lyric and called this song "It's Wonderful." This recording 1955 | |||
Fred Astaire | He Loves and She Loves | Funny Face OST | Verve | written 1927 for Funny Face, it replaced "How Long Has This Been Going On?" which was dropped from the show. Originally sung by Adele Astaire and Allen Kearns. This performance from the movie Funny Face, 1957 | |||
Fred Astaire o/ Johnny Green | They Can't Take That Away from Me | Top Hat, White Tie and Tails | ASV Living Era | written 1937 for Shall We Dance. Originally sung by Astaire but this is not the performance in the movie, this is a studio recording he released at the same time |