Profile of a Composer: Cole Porter

Anyone that is a fan of Frank Sinatra or the music of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s will recognize songs by the talented composer and songwriter Cole Porter. His songs include I’ve Got You Under My Skin, I Get a Kick Out of You, You’re the Top, Night and Day, Begin the Beguine, Anything Goes, Read More

Profile of a Composer: Lorenz Hart

Before there was Rodgers and Hammerstein there was Rodgers and Hart.  But, who is the Hart in Rodgers and Hart. The Hart is Lorenz Milton Hart.  You’ve probably heard of some of the songs he wrote with Richard Rodgers.  Songs such as Blue Moon, The Lady is a Tramp, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, My Funny Read More

Song Story: Pennies from Heaven

Pennies from Heaven is one of my personal favorites and I recently heard Regis Philbin singing the song and thought this would be a great song to explore. Pennies from Heaven was written by Johnny Burke {lyrics} and Arthur Johnson {music}.  The song was first introduced in the 1936 film Pennies from Heaven, which introduced Read More

Song Story: Swinging on a Star

Swinging on a Star was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film, Going My Way. The pop standard was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke.  The song is said to be inspired by a conversation Bing Crosby had with his children one evening while Jimmy Van Heusen was a guest.  Read More

Song Story: Blue Moon

Blue Moon was written by the popular songwriting duo Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934. The duo was contracted in May 1933 by MGM to write songs for an upcoming movie called Hollywood Party.  Richard Rodgers later recalled, “One of our ideas was to include a scene in which Jean Harlow is shown as Read More

Song Story: Moonlight Becomes You

Moonlight Becomes You was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and the lyrics were written by Johnny Burke. The song was originally written for the Bing Crosby and Bob Hope movie Road to Morocco in 1942. In the film, Crosby serenades the princess underneath the palace balcony.  The song is reprised throughout the film to provide Read More

Song Story: Fly Me to the Moon

Close your eyes and it’s not hard to hear Frank Sinatra singing, Fly Me to the Moon. Fly Me to the Moon was originally titled In Other Words. The song was written by Bart Howard in 1954.  Later that year, Kaye Ballard made the first recording of the song. Howard, who had been pursuing music Read More

Song Story: Moonlight in Vermont

Moonlight in Vermont is a popular song about the state of Vermont. The song was published in 1944 by John Blackburn {wrote lyrics} and Karl Suessdorf {wrote music}. Margaret Whiting introduced the song in 1944. John Blackburn, the lyricist, has been quoted as saying, “After completing the first 12 bars of the lyric, I realized Read More

Song Story: Moon Love

While working on this series of moon songs, I came across Moon Love.  Although a huge Sinatra fan, I’d not heard this song before.  I’m so glad I came across the song. Moon Love made it’s way onto Frank Sinatra‘s album, Moonlight Sinatra. The song was based on Tchaikovsky’s Souvenier d’un lieu cher for violin Read More