SONG: Rum and Coca Cola ARTIST: Lord Invader YEAR: 1943 Listen to it here: THE SONG: This is the first Trinidadian calypso we’ve had on the blog, and right now, I’m really enjoying getting to hear all of these songs that are part of the history of places I’ve never been and don’t know muchContinue reading “Song 25 – Rum and Coca Cola”
Tag Archives: 1001 Songs
Song 24 – Stormy Weather
SONG: Stormy Weather ARTIST: Lena Horne YEAR: 1943 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Stormy Weather was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler in 1933 and premiered at the Cotton Club by Ethel Waters that same year. The song gained so much traction so quickly that the same year it was released, a GermanContinue reading “Song 24 – Stormy Weather”
Song 23 – God Bless the Child
SONG: God Bless the Child ARTIST: Billie Holiday YEAR: 1941 Listen to it here: THE SONG: God Bless the Child was written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. Holiday said the inspiration for the song was an argument with her mother over money. She said that during their disagreement her mother said “God blessContinue reading “Song 23 – God Bless the Child”
Song 22 – Guantanamera
SONG: Guantanamera ARTIST: Joseito Fernandez YEAR: 1941 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Guantanamera started off as a poem of four verses by Cuban poet Jose Marti and set to music by Joseito Fernandez as early as 1929. Although the lyrics to the song are often improvised, the most common lyrics sung by Fernandez areContinue reading “Song 22 – Guantanamera”
Song 21 – Gloomy Sunday
SONG: Gloomy Sunday ARTIST: Billie Holiday YEAR: 1941 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Very unfortunately, this song is also known as “The Hungarian Suicide Song”. It was a popular song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and the original title translates to “The World is Ending.” It was a song about despairContinue reading “Song 21 – Gloomy Sunday”
Song 20 – Java Jive
SONG: Java Jive ARTIST: The Ink Spots YEAR: 1940 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Java Jive was written in 1940 by Ben Oakland and Milton Drake as a fad song and recorded later that year by The Ink Spots. Their version reached number 17 on the charts and is seen as a light-hearted departureContinue reading “Song 20 – Java Jive”
Song 19 – Mbube
SONG: Mbube ARTIST: Solomon Linda & the Evening Birds YEAR: 1939 Listen to it here: THE SONG: This song has been very interesting to research because of its history. I had no idea I would know this song when I started listening to it, and had always assumed it was written by some white westernersContinue reading “Song 19 – Mbube”
Song 18 – The Gallis Pole
SONG: The Gallis Pole ARTIST: Lead Belly YEAR: 1939 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Gallis Pole aka Gallows Pole was originally a centuries-old folk song of unknown origin titled The Maid Freed from the Gallows. The song may have originated in continental Europe, more specifically Finland, Sweden, Lithuania and Hungary, with over 50 notedContinue reading “Song 18 – The Gallis Pole”
Song 17 – Over The Rainbow
SONG: Over the Rainbow ARTIST: Judy Garland YEAR: 1939 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Over the Rainbow is probably the most ubiquitous song we’ve had featured so far. It was written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics were by Yip Harburg. The song was written for the film The Wizard of Oz, but wasContinue reading “Song 17 – Over The Rainbow”
Song 16 – Strange Fruit
SONG: Strange Fruit ARTIST: Billie Holiday YEAR: 1939 Listen to it here: THE SONG: Strange Fruit originated in 1937 as a poem by Abel Meeropol, who wrote the words after seeing a photograph of the lynchings of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana in 1930. He originally called the work “Bitter Fruit” andContinue reading “Song 16 – Strange Fruit”
Holly & Kelly Music Review 