MY MELANCHOLY BABY

Music: Ernie Burnett- Lyrics: George A. Norton

Year: 1912

 

My MELANCHOLY BABY-clasicos del jazz-standards jazz

Origin of the song

The song’s original title was ‘Melancholy’, with Ernie Burnett’s music and Maybelle Watson’s lyrics, Burnett’s wife. He sold the piece to the editor Theron C. Bennett, who liked the melody but not the lyrics. George A. Norton, compositor and songwriter, wrote new lyrics and the song was finally published in 1912 with a mention to Maybelle Watson. That very same year, the rights were transferred to Joe Morris Music, now with the title ‘My Melancholy Baby’. The actor, singer and entertainer William Frawley states that he was the first interpreter of ‘My Melancholy Baby’ in the Mozart Café of Denver, Colorado in 1912.

The song had a modest success in 1915 with the version of Walter Van Brunt, but its great popularity came in 1928 thanks to the recordings of Gene Austin and the orchestra of the Dorsey brothers, with singer Seger Ellis.

In 1938, Burnett wrote a following part for the song titled ‘I Married My Melancholy Baby’. He was also the author of ‘Dearie’ (1920) and ‘We’ll Meet Again’ (1938).


Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

DATE OF ENTRANCE

PERMANENCE WEEKS

HIGH POSITION REACHED

 

Walter Van Brunt

1915.??.??

1915.04.17

1

9

Walter Van Brunt (voc)

Gene Austin

1927.09.14

1928.01.07

8

3

Gene Austin (voc), Nat Shilkret Victor Orchestra

Al Bowlly

1935.03.15

1935.05.25

1

20

Al Bowlly (voc), Ray Noble Orchestra

Teddy Wilson Orchestra

1936.03.17

1936.09.19

9

6

Ella Fitzgerald (voc)

Bing Crosby

1938.12.12

1939.03.11

2

14

Bing Crosby (voc), John Scott Trotter Orchestra

Sam Donohue Orchestra

1946.10.18

1947.04.19

7

5

Instrumental

 

Jazz. Outstanding performances

  Instrumental

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Benny Goodman Quartet

1936.11.18

Benny Goodman (cl), Teddy Wilson (p), Lionel Hampton (vib), Gene Krupa (d)

Herman Chittison

1938.06.13

Herman Chittison (p)

Django Reinhardt- Quintette du Hot Club de France

1939.03.22

Django Reinhardt (g), Stéphane Grappelli (vn), Joseph Reinhardt, Pierre Ferret (g), Emmanuel Soudieux (b)

Earl Hines

1941.04.03

Earl Hines (p)

Joe Marsala Sextet

1945.01.12

Joe Marsala (cl), Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Cliff Jackson (p), Chuck Wayne (g), Irving Lang (b), Buddy Christian (d)

Charlie Parker- Dizzy Gillespie Quintet

1950.06.06

Charlie Parker (as), Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Thelonious Monk (p), Curly Russell (b),

Buddy Rich (d)

Coleman Hawkins Quintet

1957.10.16

Coleman Hawkins (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Alvin Stoller (d)

Lee Konitz Quintet

1959.02.24

Lee Konitz (as), Warne Marsh (ts), Bill Evans (p), Jimmy Garrison (b), Paul Motian (d)

Roland Alexander- Ronnie Mathews Quintet

1961.06.17

Roland Alexander (ts), Ronnie Mathews (p), Marcus Belgrave (tp), Gene Taylor (b), Clarence Stroman (d)

Lou Donaldson Quintet

1963.06.07

Lou Donaldson (as), Irvin Stokes (tp), Big John Patton (org), Grant Green (g), Ben Dixon (d)

Bill Evans Trio

1966.10.04

Bill Evans (p), Eddie Gómez (b), Shelly Manne (d)

Dave McKenna

1977.06.??

Dave McKenna (p)

  Vocal

PERFORMERS

DATE OF RECORDING

MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING

 

Dorsey Brothers Orchestra

1928.04.24

Tommy Dorsey (tp, tb), Jimmy Dorsey (cl, as), Adrian Rollini (bars), Carl Kress (g), Joe Tarto (b), Chauncey Morehouse (d), Seger Ellis (voc)

Teddy Wilson Orchestra

1936.03.17

Teddy Wilson (p, dir), Frank Newton (tp), Benny Morton (tb), Jerry Blake (cl, as), Ted McRae (ts), John Trueheart (g), Lennie Stanfield (b), Cozy Cole (d), Ella Fitzgerald (voc)

Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra

1938.04.12

Jimmie Lunceford (dir), Eddie Tompkins, Paul Webster, Sy Oliver (tp), Elmer Crumbley, Russell Bowles, Trummy Young (tb), Willie Smith, Earl Carruthers (cl, as, bars), Ted Buckner, Dan Grissom (as, voc), Joe Thomas (cl, ts), Eddie Wilcox (p), Al Norris (g), Moses Allen (b), Jimmy Crawford (d)

Frank Sinatra

1945.01.29

Frank Sinatra (voc), Don Anderson, Charles Griffard, Leonard Mach (tp), Carl Loeffler, Jimmy Skiles, Joe Yukl (tb), James Stagliano (tpa), Heine Beau, Manny Gershman, Leonard Hartman, Harold Lawson, Don Logiudice (sax), Mark McIntyre (p), Dave Barbour (g), Artie Shapiro (b), Ray Hagan (d), string section, Axel Stordahl (dir)

Ray Charles

1956.11.26

Ray Charles (p, voc), Joe Bridgewater, John Hunt (tp), David 'Fathead' Newman (as, ts), Emmett Dennis (bars), Roosevelt Sheffield (b), William Peeples (d)

Dave Brubeck Quartet

1960.02.16

Dave Brubeck (p), Paul Desmond (as), Eugene Wright (b), Joe Morello (d), Jimmy Rushing (voc)

Rebecca Kilgore

1995.11.??

Rebecca Kilgore (voc), Dave Frishberg (p), Dan Faehnle (g)

On cinemas

 The song 'My Melancholy Baby' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

 

ORIGINAL TITLE

TITLE IN SPAIN

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM

At The Circus

Una tarde en el circo

1939

Played on a trombone in the 'Swingali' number

The Roaring Twenties

Los violentos años veinte

1939

Background music; Priscilla Lane

Johnny Apollo

Johnny Apollo

1940

Background music

Johnny Eager

Senda prohibida

1941

Background music

Scarlet Street

Perversidad

1945

 

On Our Merry Way

Una encuesta llamada milagro

1948

Two trumpet players

A Star Is Born

Ha nacido una estrella

1954

Judy Garland

The Wrecking Crew

La mansión de los siete placeres

1968

Dean Martin

Forget Paris

Olvídate de París

1995

 

5 Flights Up

Ático sin ascensor

2014

Morgan Freeman

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