Manhattan Serenade

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Manhattan Serenade" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The popularity of Louis Alter's "Manhattan Serenade" (1928) was highlighted in Nancy Groce's book New York: Songs of the City (1999).

"Manhattan Serenade" was composed by Louis Alter in 1928, with lyrics by Howard Johnson. Alternate lyrics were written ca. 1942 by Harold Adamson. It was a hit record for swing era bandleaders Harry James (vocals by Helen Forrest)[1] and Tommy Dorsey (vocals by Jo Stafford).[2]

## Films

[edit]

The song may be most familiar as the title theme of My Man Godfrey (1936),[3] and as the music orchestrating Corleone family consigliere Tom Hagen's flight to Los Angeles in the 1972 classic The Godfather. Scott Bradley based his score for Mouse in Manhattan, a Tom and Jerry cartoon released in 1945, on this composition. Manhattan Serenade was also featured in Vertigo, the scene in which John 'Scottie' Ferguson is dancing with Judy; and it was featured in the 1940 musical Broadway Rhythm to back a routine by the dancers/contortionists The Ross Sisters.

## Radio

[edit]

"Manhattan Serenade" was used as the theme for the 1930-1945 radio comedy Easy Aces in a transcription performed by an in-studio theatre organist. Later, it was transcribed for a quartet of organ, celeste, and two stringed instruments. A fully-orchestrated arrangement of the Serenade was used in the short-lived Easy Aces remake Mr. Ace and Jane.

## Recordings

[edit]

In addition to the Dorsey/Stafford and James/Forrest recordings, "Manhattan Serenade" has been recorded by such artists as the Beau Hunks Saxophone Soctette, Earl Coleman, Billy Cotton, Joan Edwards, The Four Coins, Curtis Fuller, George Greeley, Andre Kostelanetz, Enoch Light, Mantovani, Lincoln Mayorga, Raymond Scott, Nat Shilkret, Dinah Shore, Morton Gould. Paul Whiteman and Caterina Valente (1964 - lyrics by Harold Adamson).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #7". 1972.
2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 547. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
3. ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved December 30, 2018.

* v
* t
* e

Helen Forrest

Singles|

* "Deep Purple"
* "Comes Love"
* "Day In, Day Out"
* "All the Things You Are"
* "How High the Moon"
* "Perfidia (Tonight)"
* "My Sister and I"
* "Yours"
* "I Don't Want to Walk Without You"
* "Skylark"
* "I Remember You"
* "But Not for Me"
* "I Cried for You"
* "Mister Five by Five"
* "I Had the Craziest Dream"
* "Manhattan Serenade"
* "I've Heard That Song Before"
* "Taking a Chance on Love"
* "Long Ago (and Far Away)"
* "It Had to Be You"
* "Together"
* "Some Sunday Morning"
* "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows"
* "Come Rain or Come Shine"

Related articles|

* Artie Shaw
* Benny Goodman
* Harry James
* Dick Haymes

* v
* t
* e

Harry James

Singles|

* "Goodnight, My Love"
* "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)"
* "One O'Clock Jump"
* "It's the Dreamer in Me"
* "Boo-Woo"
* "Woo-Woo"
* "I Found a New Baby"
* "Ciribiribin"
* "The Flight of the Bumblebee"
* "You Made Me Love You"
* "Misirlou"
* "I Don't Want to Walk Without You"
* "Easter Parade"
* "Sleepy Lagoon"
* "Skylark"
* "I Remember You"
* "But Not for Me"
* "I Cried for You"
* "Mr. Five by Five"
* "I Had the Craziest Dream"
* "Manhattan Serenade"
* "I've Heard That Song Before"
* "Moonlight Becomes You"
* "All or Nothing at All"
* "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)"
* "On a Little Street in Singapore"
* "Memphis Blues"
* "I'm Beginning to See the Light"
* "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry"
* "The More I See You"
* "If I Loved You"
* "It's Been a Long, Long Time"
* "I Can't Begin to Tell You"
* "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows"
* "Who's Sorry Now"
* "Heartaches"
* "Jalousie (Jealousy)"
* "Stella by Starlight"
* "Mona Lisa"
* "Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)"
* "You'll Never Know"

Albums|

* Boogie Woogie
* Harry James and His Orchestra 1948–49
* Young Man with a Horn
* Wild About Harry!
* The New James
* Harry's Choice!

Related articles|

* "Everything but You"
* Louise Tobin
* Betty Grable

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

This jazz standard or composition-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template