EASY LIVING
Music: Ralph Rainger- Lyrics: Leo Robin
Year: 1937
Origin of the song
Ralph Raigner and Leo Robin wrote ‘Easy Living’ for the film Easy Living, produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Mitchell Leisen and performed by Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, and Ray Milland. In the film, released in New York on 7 July 1937, the song was only played in orchestra version.
Billie Holiday had recorded this song in June that year and, considering her relative success, the record company included ‘Easy Living’ again in the soundtrack of the film Remember the Night (1940), also directed by Mitchell Leisen and performed by Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. This time, the piece was sung by Martha Mears.
Years later, RKO Radio Pictures produced another film also entitled Easy Living (1949), directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Victor Mature, Lucille Ball, and Lizabeth Scott, with a different plot from the original. ‘Easy Living’ was included again but, this time, it was Audrey Young who sang it, who would later become Audrey Wilder, Billy Wilder’s wife.
Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin were prolific composers, mainly filmmakers. These include the songs 'Love in Bloom' (1934), 'June in January' (1934), 'If I Should Lose You' (1935), 'Blue Hawaii' (1937) and 'Thanks for the Memory' (1937).
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1937.06.01 |
1937.07.10 |
2 |
15 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Teddy Wilson Orchestra |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1949.11.11 |
Wardell Gray (ts), Al Haig (p), Tommy Potter (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
1953.08.28 |
Clifford Brown (tp), Gigi Gryce (as, fl), Charlie Rouse (ts), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Art Blakey (d) |
|
|
1954.12.16 |
Count Basie (p, dir), Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (tp), Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell (tb), Marshall Royal (as, cl), Frank Foster, Stan Getz, Ernie Wilkins (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bars), Freddie Green (g), Eddie Jones (b), Gus Johnson (d) |
|
|
1955.07.09 |
Miles Davis (tp), Britt Woodman (tb), Teddy Charles (vib), Charles Mingus (b), Elvin Jones (d) |
|
|
1956.09.27 |
Bill Evans (p), Teddy Kotick (b), Paul Motian (d) |
|
|
1956.11.05 |
Hank Mobley (ts), Lee Morgan (tp), Hank Jones (p), Doug Watkins (b), Art Taylor (d) |
|
|
1959.??.?? |
Bill Holman (ts), Pete Jolly (p), Howard Roberts (g), Red Mitchell (b), Stan Levey (d) |
|
|
1960.10.13 |
Lee Morgan (tp), Eddie Higgins (p), Art Davis (b), Art Blakey (d) |
|
|
1964.05.01 |
George Benson (g), Jack McDuff (p, org), Red Holloway (ts), Ronnie Boykins (b), Montego Joe (d) |
|
|
Dexter Gordon Quartet |
1975.09.14 |
Dexter Gordon (ts), Tete Montoliu (p), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b), Billy Higgins (d) |
|
Dave McKenna |
1979.12.?? |
Dave McKenna (p) |
|
Alan Broadbent Trio |
1995.01.23 |
Alan Broadbent (p), Putter Smith (b), Frank Gibson (d) |
|
Lee Konitz Nonet |
1996.03.18 |
Lee Konitz (as), Mark Feldman, Cenovia Cummins (vn), Jill Jaffe, Ronald Lawrence (va), Erik Friedlander, Daniel Pezzotti (vc), Michael Formanek (b), Matt Wilson (d) |
|
Steve Coleman |
2001.07.12 |
Steve Coleman (as), Andy Milne (p) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson Orchestra |
1937.06.01 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Teddy Wilson (p, dir), Buck Clayton (tp), Lester Young (ts), Buster Bailey (cl), Freddy Green (g), Walter Page (b), Jo Jones (d) |
|
June Christy |
1958.07.?? |
June Christy (voc), Bob Cooper (ts, ob, dir), Ed Leddy (tp), Frank Rosolino (tb), Red Callender (tu), Bud Shank (as, ts, fl), Russ Freeman (p), Laurindo Almeida (g), Monte Budwig (b), Mel Lewis (d) |
|
Jimmy Witherspoon |
1965.??.?? |
Jimmy Witherspoon (voc), Bill Watrous (tb), Pepper Adams (bars), Roger Kellaway (p), Richard Davis (b), Mel Lewis (d) |
|
1969.??.?? |
Nancy Wilson (voc), Hank Jones (p), Gene Bertoncini (g), Ron Carter (b), Grady Tate (d) |
|
|
1978.04.25 |
Sarah Vaughan (voc), Oscar Peterson (p), Joe Pass (g), Ray Brown (b), Louis Bellson (d) |
|
|
1980.08.11 |
Johnny Hartman (voc), Joe Wilder (tp, fis), Frank Wess (ts, fl), Billy Taylor (p), Al Gafa (g), Victor Gaskin (b), Keith Copeland (d) |
|
|
1999.??.?? |
Ann Hampton Callaway (voc), Wynton Marsalis (tp), Kenny Barron (p), Peter Washington (b), Clarence 'Tootsie' Bean (d) |
|
|
2001.01.29 |
Kurt Elling (voc), Clay Jenkins (tp), Jeff Clayton (as), Bob Shepard (ss, ts), Laurence Hobgood (p), Marc Johnson (b), Peter Erskine (d) |
|
|
Lisa Hearns |
2006.11.?? |
Lisa Hearns (voc), Keith Ingham (p), Howard Alden (g), Kelly Friesen (b), Arnold Wise (d) |
|
Paul Motian Trio |
2010.09.?? |
Paul Motian (d), Bill Frisell (g), Thomas Morgan (b), Petra Haden (voc) |
On cinemas
The song 'Easy Living' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL
TITLE |
TITLE IN
SPAIN |
YEAR OF
PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Easy Living |
Una chica afortunada |
1937 |
Orquesta |
|
Remember the Night |
Recuerdo de una noche |
1940 |
Martha Mears |
|
Easy Leaving |
Vida fácil |
1949 |
Audrey Young |
|
Chinatown |
Chinatown |
1974 |
|
|
The Bridges of Madison County |
Los puentes de Madison |
1995 |
Johnny Hartman |
|
The Story of Us |
Historia de lo nuestro |
1999 |
Matt Sinclair |
|
The Score |
Un golpe maestro |
2001 |
Clifford Brown |
|
Carol |
Carol |
2015 |
Rooney Mara, Billie Holiday |