IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING

Music: Richard Rodgers- Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Year: 1945

 

It might as well be spring-clasicos del jazz-standards jazz

Origin of the song

On 29 August 1945 The film State Fair’s premiere took place in the US, produced by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang, and starring Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes, and Vivian Blaine, where the actress Jeanne Crain (dubbed by Louanne Hogan) performed ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’. It was the only time that Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II composed songs directly for the screen. Their other films were adaptation of theatre plays.

‘It Might As Well Be Spring’ won the Oscar for best song and the soundtrack of the film, by the directors Charles Henderson and Alfred Newman, was also nominated.

Rogers and Hammerstein started their fruitful collaboration with the musical Oklahoma (1943) and throughout the years they created very successful work: Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), and The Sound of Music (1959). Among the most notable songs of these shows we find ‘The Surrey with the Fringe on Top’ (1943), ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’ (1943), ‘If I Loved You’ (1945), ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ (1949), ‘Hello Young Lovers’ (1951), and ‘My Favorite Things’ (1959).


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DAY OF ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

Dick Haymes

1945.07.02

1945.11.17

12

5

Dick Haymes (voc), Victor Young Orchestra

Paul Weston Orchestra

1945.07.30

1945.10.27

11

6

Margaret Whiting (voc)

Sammy Kaye Orchestra

1945.??.??

1945.12.15

10

4

Billy Williams (voc)

Jazz. Out standing performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Marian McPartland Trio

1952.04.21

Marian McPartland (p), Max Wayne (b), Mel Zelnick (d)

James Moody Septet

1954.09.29

Dave Burns (tp), William Shepherd (tb), James Moody (ts, as), Pee Wee Moore (bars), Jimmy Boyd (p), John Latham (b), Clarence Johnston (d)

Bill Harris Quintet

1957.09.23

Bill Harris (tb), Ben Webster (ts), Jimmy Rowles (p), Red Mitchell (b), Stan Levey (d)

Donald Byrd Quintet

1958.10.29

Donald Byrd (tp), Bobby Jaspar (ts, fl), Walter Davis Jr. (p), Doug Watkins (b),

Art Taylor (d)

Kenny Dorham- Cannonball Adderley

1959.02.18

Kenny Dorham (tp), Cannonball Adderley (as), David Amram (tpa), Cecil Payne (bars), Cedar Walton (p), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d)

Ike Quebec Quartet

1961.12.09

Ike Quebec (ts), Freddie Roach (org), Milt Hinton (b), Al Harewood (d)

Bill Evans Trio

1962.06.05

Bill Evans (p), Chuck Israels (b), Paul Motian (d)

Brad Mehldau Trio

1995.03.13

Brad Mehldau (p), Larry Grenadier (b), Jorge Rossy (d)

Joshua Redman Quartet

1998.??.??

Joshua Redman (ss, as, ts), Brad Mehldau (p), Larry Grenadier (b), Brian Blade (d)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

John Kirby Sextet

1946.01.19

John Kirby (b), Clarence Brereton (tp), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), Bill Beason (d), Sarah Vaughan (voc)

Sarah Vaughan

1950.05.18

Sarah Vaughan (voc), Miles Davis (tp), Bennie Green (tb), Budd Johnson (ts), Tony Scott (cl), Jimmy Jones (p, dir), Freddie Green (g), Billy Taylor Jr. (b), J.C. Heard (d)

Ella Fitzgerald

1955.04.01

Ella Fitzgerald (voc), André Previn Orchestra

Blossom Dearie Trio

1956.09.11

Blossom Dearie (p, voc), Ray Brown (b), Jo Jones (d)

Ella Fitzgerald

1961.05.19

Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Lou Levy (p), Herb Ellis (g), Wilfred Middlebrooks (b),

Gus Johnson (d)

Frank Sinatra

1961.11.21

Frank Sinatra (voc), Don Costa Orchestra

Stan Getz Quintet

1964.08.19

Stan Getz (ts), Gary Burton (vib), Kenny Burrell (g), Gene Cherico (b), Helico Milton (d), Astrud Gilberto (voc)

Mel Tormé

1982.04.15

Mel Tormé (voc), George Shearing (p), Brian Torff (b)

Lionel Hampton Orchestra

1989.??.??

Lionel Hampton (vib, sint, dir), Jim Hacker, Brett Murphy, Tony Luschen, John Georgini (tp), Phil Gray, John Darling, Dana Teboe, Greg Cox (tb), Hal Bonsanti, Billy Ross, Chip McNeil, Jeff King (sax), Whit Sidener (bars), Hall S. Batt (tec, g, b), Bobby Pancoast (tec), Sammy Figueroa (per), Dave Hardman o Gotz Kujack (d), Sylvia Bennett (voc)

Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra Wilson

1997.01.??

Jacky Terrasson (p), Lonnie Plaxico (b), Mino Cinelu (per), Cassandra Wilson (voc)

Kate McGarry

2007.??.??

Kate McGarry (voc), Gary Versace (p), Keith Ganz (g), Reuben Rogers (b), Greg Hutchinson (d)

On cinemas

The song 'It Might As Well Be Spring' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

State Fair

La feria del Estado

1945

Jeanne Crain (dubbed by Louanne Hogan)

State Fair

La feria del Estado

1962

Pamela Tiffin (dubbed by Anita Gordon)

The Stepford Wives

Las mujeres perfectas

2004

Arthur Murray Orchestra

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