SOLITUDE
Music: Duke Ellington- Lyrics: Eddie De Lange, Irving Mills
Year: 1934
Origin of the song
Duke Ellington at the head of his orchestra first recorded ‘Solitude’ on 10 January 1934 in Chicago for the Victor label. It is said that he composed it in twenty minutes to complete the session, as he had already recorded the previous day the songs he had prepared.
On 12 September 1934 he made a second recording of ‘Solitude’ for the Brunswick label in New York. This is the version that made it into the hit charts, where it stayed for sixteen weeks and reached the number two spot.
Ellington had a predilection for this song, which he recorded forty-two times between 1934 and 1972. The lyrics to ‘Solitude’ are probably written by Eddie De Lange, a songwriter and arranger employed by Irving Mills' company. This one was actually a savvy businessman, Ellington's representative and music promoter, although he appears as an author on several tracks.
Other memorable compositions by Duke Ellington include ‘Mood Indigo'’ (1930), ‘It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)’ (1932), ‘Sophisticated Lady’ (1933), ‘In A Sentimental Mood’ (1935), ‘Prelude To A Kiss’ (1938), ‘I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)’ (1941), ‘I Got It Bad’ (And That Ain't Good) (1941) ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ (1942), ‘I’m Beginning To See The Light’ (1944) and ‘Satin Doll’ (1953).
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1934.09.12 |
1934.10.27 |
16 |
2 (one week) |
Instrumental |
|
|
1934.12.05 |
1935.03.30 |
5 |
8 |
Chuck Richards (voc) |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1934.01.10 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams, Arthur Whelsel (tp), Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol (vtb), Barney Bigard (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as, ss, cl), Otto Hardwicke (as), Harry Carney (bars, as, cl), Fred Guy (bjo), Wellman Braud (b), Sonny Greer (d) |
|
|
Duke Ellington Orchestra |
1934.09.12 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Freddy Jenkins, Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams (tp), Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Barney Bigard (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (cl, ss, as), Otto Hardwick (as), Harry Carney (bars, as, cl), Fred Guy (g), Wellman Braud (b), Sonny Greer (d) |
|
1941.05.14 |
Duke Ellington (p) |
|
|
1951.02.28 |
Johnny Hodges (as, dir), Emmett Berry (tp), Lawrence Brown (tb), Al Sears (ts), Leroy Lovett (p), Lloyd Trotman (b), Sonny Greer (d) |
|
|
1955.07.27 |
Thelonious Monk (p) |
|
|
1957.03.07 |
Sonny Rollins (ts), Ray Brown (b), Shelly Manne (d) |
|
|
1957.10.14 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vn), Quentin Jackson, John Sanders, Britt Woodman (tb), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (cl, as), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (bars), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d) |
|
|
1957.12.13 |
Red Garland (p), Donald Byrd (tp), John Coltrane (ts), George Joyner (b), Art Taylor (d) |
|
|
1962.08.18 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Ray Nance (cnt, vn), Lawrence Brown (tb), Johnny Hodges (as), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Harry Carney (bars, cl), Aaron Bell (b), Sam Woodyard (d) |
|
|
1962.09.17 |
Duke Ellington (p), Charlie Mingus (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
Johnny Lytle Quintet |
1963.09.18 |
Johnny Lytle (vib), Milt Harris (org), Bob Cranshaw (b), Peppy Hinnant (d), Willie Rodriguez (per) |
|
Jessica Williams Trio |
1996.11.16 |
Jessica Williams (p), Dave Captein (b), Mel Brown (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
Mills Blue Rhythm Band |
1934.12.05 |
Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Henry 'Red' Allen (tp), Nat Story, George Washington (tb), Buster Bailey (cl), Gene Mikell (cl, as, bars), Crawford Wethington (as, cl), Joe Garland (ts, cl, bars), Edgar Hayes (p), Lawrence Lucie (g), Hayes Alvis (b), O´Neil Spencer (d), Chuck Richards (voc) |
|
1935.12.19 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Leonard Davis, Gus Aiken, Louis Bacon (tp), Harry White, Jimmy Archey (tb), Henry Jones, Charlie Holmes (as), Bingie Madison (cl, ts), Greely Walton (ts), Luis Russell (p), Lee Blair (g), Pops Foster (b), Paul Barbarin (d, vib) |
|
|
1940.02.14 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Rex Stewart (cnt), Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams (tp), Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Barney Bigard (cl), Johnny Hodges (cl, ss, as), Otto Hardwick (as), Ben Webster (ts), Harry Carney (cl, as, bars), Fred Guy (g), Jimmy Blanton (b), Sonny Greer (d), Ivie Anderson (voc) |
|
|
1941.05.09 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Eddie Heywood (p, dir), Shad Collins (tp), Leslie Johnakins, Eddie Barefield (as), Lester Young (ts), John Collins (g), Ted Sturges (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
Duke Ellington Orchestra |
1945.05.15 |
Duke Ellington (p, dir), Rex Stewart (cnt), Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vn), Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton (tb), Claude Jones (vtb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Otto Hardwick, Johnny Hodges (as), Al Sears (ts), Harry Carney (bars, cl), Fred Guy (g), Junior Raglin (b), Sonny Greer (d), Al Hibbler, Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis, Marie Ellington (voc) |
|
1952.03.26 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Charlie Shavers (tp), Flip Phillips (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Brown (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
|
1956.09.04 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Ben Webster (ts), Stuff Smith (vn), Paul Smith (p), Barney Kessel (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Alvin Stoller (d) |
|
|
1961.??.?? |
Nina Simone (p, voc), Malcolm Dodds Singers, unidentified orchestra |
|
|
1961.04.03 |
Duke Ellington (p), Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Trummy Young (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Mort Herbert (b), Danny Barcelona (d) |
|
|
Helen Humes |
1961.07.29 |
Helen Humes (voc), Joe Gordon (tp), Teddy Edwards (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Al Viola (g), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Frank Butler (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'Solitude' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL
TITLE |
TITLE IN
SPAIN |
YEAR OF
PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
In The Mood |
Ellas los prefieren jóvenes |
1987 |
Billie Holiday |
|
Biloxi Blues |
Desventuras de un recluta inocente |
1988 |
Dorsey Brothers Orchestra |
|
The Fabulous Baker Boys |
Los fabulosos Baker Boys |
1989 |
Tony Bennett |
|
Saving Private Ryan |
Salvar al soldado Ryan |
1998 |
|
|
Minority Report |
Minority Report |
2002 |
Billie Holiday |
|
Be Kind Rewind |
Rebobine, por favor |
2008 |
Jean-Michel Bernard |