A FOGGY DAY

Music: George Gershwin- Lyrics: Ira Gershwin

Year: 1937

Origin of the song

Fred Astaire sang ‘A Foggy Day’ in the musical film A Damsel In Distress. The film, produced by RKO Radios Pictures, directed by George Stevens, and performed by Astaire, George Burns, Gracie Allen, and Joan Fontaine, was released on 19 November 1937. The disc reached the third position in the top charts. Other two songs from the film were also in the top charts: ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’, which reached the top of the charts, and ‘Things Are Looking Up’, the nineteenth position. The choreography of the musical show ‘Fun House’, thanks to Hermes Pan, won the Oscar.

The play’s plot was based on the novel with the same title, a P. G. Wodehouse’s original that was published in 1919. That year, the first silent version was filmed, directed by George Archainbaud, starring June Caprice, Creighton Hale, and William H. Thompson. Later, on 13 August 1928, a theatre adaptation of the novel was released in the New Theatre of London, which has notable success and has two hundred and thirty four performances. As we can see, A Damsel In Distress was already very popular before becoming a musical film.

Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	DAY OF ENTRANCE	PERMANENCE WEEKS	HIGH POSITION REACHED
Fred Astaire	1937.10.17	1937.11.13	10	3	Fred Astaire (voc), Ray Noble All Star American Orchestra
Bob Crosby Orchestra	1937.11.05	1938.01.15	2	16	Kay Weber (voc)

Jazz. Outstanding performances

Instrumental

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
Artie Shaw Orchestra	1945.06.08	Artie Shaw (cl, dir), Roy Eldridge, Stan Fishelson, George Schwartz, Bernie Glow (tp), Harry Rodgers, Gus Dixon, Ollie Wilson, Bob Swift (tb), Rudy Tanza, Louis Prisby (as), Jon Walton, Ralph Rosenlund (ts), Chuck Gentry (bars), Dodo Marmarosa (p), Barney Kessel (g), Morris Rayman (b), Lou Fromm (d)
Lester Young Quartet	1951.03.08	Lester Young (ts), John Lewis (p), Gene Ramey (b), Jo Jones (d)
Marian McPartland Trio	1953.10.??	Marian McPartland (p), Vinnie Burke (b), Joe Morello (d)
Benny Carter Quintet	1954.11.12	Benny Carter (as), Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Bobby White (d)
Ahmad Jamal Trio	1955.03.23	Ahmad Jamal (p), Ray Crawford (g), Israel Crosby (b)
Charles Mingus Quintet	1956.01.30	Jackie McLean (as), J.R. Monterose (ts), Mal Waldron (p), Charles Mingus (b), Willie Jones (d)
Art Tatum- Buddy DeFranco Quartet	1956.02.06	Art Tatum (p), Buddy DeFranco (cl), Red Callender (b), Bill Douglas (d)
Red Garland Trio	1956.08.17	Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Art Taylor (d)
Chet Baker Bing Band	1956.10.26	Chet Baker, Conte Candoli, Norman Faye (tp), Frank Rosolino (tb), Art Pepper, Bud Shank (as), Bill Perkins, Phil Urso (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), James Bond (b), Lawrence Marable (d)
Bill Perkins Quintet	1956.12.11	Art Pepper (as), Bill Perkins (ts), Jimmy Rowles (p), Ben Tucker (b), Mel Lewis (d)
Lou Donaldson Quartet	1961.01.23	Lou Donaldson (as), 'Baby Face' Willette (org), Grant Green (g), Dave Bailey (d)
Wynton Marsalis Quartet	1986.09.24	Wynton Marsalis (tp), Marcus Roberts (p), Robert Leslie Hurst III (b), Jeff 'Tain' Watts (d)
Dick Hyman	1989.06.??	Dick Hyman (p)
Birèli Lagrène Quartet	1997.06.09	Bireli Lagrene (g), Maurice Vander (p), Chris Minh Doky (b), André Ceccarelli (d)

Vocal

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
Bob Crosby Orchestra	1937.11.05	Bob Crosby (dir), Billy Butterfield, Yank Lawson, Zeke Zarchy (tp), Ward Silloway, Warren Smith (tb), Eddie Miller (cl, ts), Joe Kearns, Matty Matlock (cl, as), Gil Rodin (ts), Bob Zurke (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Bob Haggart (b), Ray Bauduc (d), Kay Weber (voc)
Mel Tormé	1947.11.16	Mel Tormé (voc), Hal Mooney Orchestra
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong	1956.08.16	Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Buddy Rich (d)
Mel Tormé & Marty Paich Dek-tette	1956.11.10	Mel Tormé (voc), Marty Paich (dir), Don Fagerquist, Pete Candoli (tp), Bob Enevoldsen (vtb), Vince de Rosa (tpa), Herb Geller (as), Jack Montrose (ts), Jack Dulong (bars), Albert Pollan (tu), Max Bennett (b), Alvin Stoller (d)
Billie Holiday	1957.01.03	Billie Holiday (voc), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Jimmy Rowles (p), Barney Kessel (g), Red Mitchell (b), Alvin Stoller (d)
Chris Connor	1957.02.26	Chris Connor (voc), Ralph Sharon (p), Oscar Pettiford (b), Osie Johnson (d)
Dakota Staton	1957.03.02	Dakota Staton (voc), Jonah Jones (tp), Hank Jones (p), unidentified (vib, g, b, d), Van Alexander (dir)
Sarah Vaughan	1957.03.20	Sarah Vaughan (voc), Hal Mooney Orchestra
Mel Tormé with Shorty Rogers Giants	1963.05.13	Mel Tormé (voc), Shorty Rogers (tp, fis), George Roberts o Ken Shroyer (tb), Buddy Collette, Paul Horn (fl, cl, as), Bill Hood (cl, tu), Lou Levy (p), Larry Bunker (vib), Monte Budwig (b), Shelly Manne (d)
Ella Fitzgerald	1973.08.23	Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Joe Pass (g)

On cinemas

The song 'A Foggy Day' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

ORIGINAL TITLE	TITLE IN SPAIN	YEAR OF PRODUCTION	PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM
A Damsel in Distress	Señorita en desgracia	1937	Fred Astaire
The Notorious Landlady	La misteriosa dama de negro	1962	Instrumental