Swanee (song)

1919 song by George Gershwin and Irving Caesar

"Swanee"

1919 "Swanee" sheet music with Jolson on the cover

Single by Al Jolson, "Incidental whistling by Mr. Jolson" (disc label)
B-side| "My gal" by Frank Crumit
Published| October 31, 1919 (1919-10-31) T. B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc., T.B. Harms, Inc., Warner Bros, Inc.
Released| April 1920[1]
Recorded| January 9, 1920[2]
Studio| New York City
Venue| Sinbad (1919 Broadway musical)
Genre| Popular Music
Length| 2.39
Label| Columbia A-2884 Label Printing Code BW (February 1920)
Composer(s)| George Gershwin
Lyricist(s)| Irving Caesar

Swanee

Al Jolson's hit 1920 recording.

* * *

Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Swanee" is an American popular song written in 1919 by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Irving Caesar. It is most often associated with singer Al Jolson.

The song was written for a New York City revue called Demi-Tasse, which opened in October 1919 at the Capitol Theater. Caesar, who was then aged 24, claimed to have written the song in about ten minutes riding on a bus in Manhattan, finishing it at Gershwin's apartment. It was written partly as a parody of Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home", including the title in its lyrics. It was originally used as a big production number, with 60 chorus girls dancing with electric lights in their slippers on an otherwise darkened stage.[3]

## Jolson versions

[edit]

The song had little impact in its first show, but not long afterwards Gershwin played it at a party where Al Jolson heard it. Jolson then put it into his show Sinbad, already a success at the Winter Garden Theatre, and recorded it for Columbia Records in January 1920.[4] "After that", said Gershwin, "Swanee penetrated the four corners of the earth." The song was charted in 1920 for 18 weeks, holding the No. 1 position for nine.[5] It sold a million sheet music copies and an estimated two million records.[6] It became Gershwin's first hit and the biggest-selling song of his career; the money he earned from it allowed him to concentrate on theatre work and films rather than writing further single pop hits. Arthur Schwartz said: "It's ironic that he never again wrote a number equaling the sales of Swanee, which for all its infectiousness, doesn't match the individuality and subtlety of his later works."[7]

Jolson recorded the song several times in his career and performed it in the movies The Jolson Story (1946), Rhapsody in Blue (1945),[8] and Jolson Sings Again (1949). For the song's performance in The Jolson Story, Jolson, rather than actor Larry Parks, appeared as himself, filmed in long shot. Although usually associated with Jolson, "Swanee" has been recorded by many other singers, most notably Judy Garland in A Star Is Born.[3]

The song was also used by the Sydney Swans Australian Rules Football Club for its marketing promotions in the late 1990s.

The University of Florida's marching band, The Pride of the Sunshine, plays "Swanee" at Florida Gators football games.

## Recorded versions

[edit]

* Al Jolson – recorded on January 8, 1920, released as Columbia A 2884, matrix 78917-2
* Judy Garland – 1939, in 1954 for A Star is Born, and for her 1961 live concert album Judy at Carnegie Hall
* Al Jolson – 1943, included in the movie Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
* Al Jolson – recorded on August 10, 1945, released as Decca 23470, matrix L 3912
* Bing Crosby recorded the song on August 25, 1955, for The Bing Crosby Show, and it was used by Decca Records on Crosby's album Some Fine Old Chestnuts 12" LP version. It is featured on his album Bing on Broadway and the Mosaic 7-CD collection The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings 1954-56. He also recorded another version in 1975 for inclusion on his album A Southern Memoir.
* Jaye P. Morgan – 1955 chart single
* Connie Francis – 1960, Songs To A Swinging Band album (MGM Records MGM E3893 USA)
* The Temptations – 1968, released on Live at the Copa album
* The Muppets – rec. 1979, broadcast as part of Episode 402 of The Muppet Show (refrain only, reinterpreted as a German Oom-pah song)
* James Gelfand – 2004, included in the movie Jack Paradise (Les nuits de Montréal)
* Paul Simon – 1960, recording under his early pseudonym, Jerry Landis.

## See also

[edit]

* Suwannee River of southern Georgia and northern Florida.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Advance Record Bulletins for May 1920". The Talking Machine World. April 15, 1920: 243. 14 August 2021.
2. ^ "Columbia A2884 (10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
3. ^ a b "Swanee song lyrics - George Gershwin". Archived from the original on 2016-11-07.
4. ^ Al Jolson Society
5. ^ CD liner notes: Chart-Toppers of the Twenties, 1998 ASV Ltd.
6. ^ Britannica Educational Publishing (2009-10-01). The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time, p. 164. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 9781615300563. Retrieved 2012-03-14.
7. ^ Open Writing: Swanee Archived 2008-06-01 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ Gilliland, John (197X). "Show 16" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.

## External links

[edit]

* Swanee: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project

* v
* t
* e

George Gershwin

Albums|

* Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls

Ballets|

* An American in Paris
* Gershwin Piano Concerto
* Three Preludes
* Who Cares?

Operas|

* Blue Monday (1922)
* Porgy and Bess (1935)

Orchestral works|

* Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
* Concerto in F (1925)
* An American in Paris (1928)
* Second Rhapsody (1931)
* Cuban Overture (1932)
* Strike Up the Band (1934)
* Hoctor's Ballet (1937)

Piano compositions|

* Three Preludes (1926)
* French Ballet Class (1937)

Songs|

* "Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did?"
* "(I've Got) Beginner's Luck"
* "Bidin' My Time"
* "Blah Blah Blah"
* "Boy Wanted"
* "Boy! What Love Has Done to Me!"
* "But Not for Me"
* "By Strauss"
* "Clap Yo' Hands"
* "Do It Again"
* "Doin' Time"
* "Embraceable You"
* "Fascinating Rhythm"
* "A Foggy Day"
* "For You, For Me, For Evermore"
* "Funny Face"
* "'The Half of It, Dearie' Blues"
* "He Loves and She Loves"
* "How Long Has This Been Going On?"
* "I Can't Be Bothered Now"
* "I Got Rhythm"
* "I Was Doing All Right"
* "I've Got a Crush on You"
* "Isn't It a Pity?"
* "Just Another Rhumba"
* "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"
* "Let's Kiss and Make Up"
* "Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)"
* "Looking for a Boy"
* "Lorelei"
* "Love Is Here to Stay"
* "Love Is Sweeping the Country"
* "Love Walked In"
* "The Man I Love"
* "My Cousin in Milwaukee"
* "My One and Only"
* "Nice Work If You Can Get It"
* "Of Thee I Sing"
* "Oh, Lady Be Good!"
* "Oh, So Nice!"
* "The Real American Folk Song (is a Rag)"
* "'S Wonderful"
* "Sam and Delilah"
* "Slap That Bass"
* "Somebody from Somewhere"
* "Somebody Loves Me"
* "Someone to Watch Over Me"
* "Soon"
* "Stairway to Paradise"
* "Stiff Upper Lip"
* "Strike Up the Band"
* "Summertime"
* "Swanee"
* "That Certain Feeling"
* "They All Laughed"
* "They Can't Take That Away from Me"
* "Things Are Looking Up"
* "Tra-la-la"
* "Treat Me Rough"
* "Walking the Dog"
* "Who Cares?"
* "You've Got What Gets Me"

Tribute albums|

* Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
* By George
* Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book
* Ella Sings Gershwin
* Gershwin Live!
* Gershwin's World
* The Glory of Gershwin
* Ira, George and Joe
* Nice Work If You Can Get It
* Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook
* Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove
* Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin

Related articles|

* Gershwin Prize
* Ira Gershwin (brother)
* Arthur Gershwin (brother)
* Frances Gershwin (sister)
* Gershwin Theatre

List of compositions by George Gershwin Category:George Gershwin

* v
* t
* e

Al Jolson

Songs|

* "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life"
* "You Made Me Love You"
* "Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for Soldiers"
* "My Mammy"
* "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"
* "Tell That to the Marines"
* "Swanee"
* "Avalon"
* "April Showers"
* "Juanita"
* "California, Here I Come"
* "I'm Sitting on Top of the World"
* "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)"
* "Back in Your Own Backyard"
* "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder"
* "Sonny Boy"
* "Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)"
* "You Are Too Beautiful"
* "The Anniversary Song"
* "Alexander's Ragtime Band"
* "Carolina in the Morning"

Related articles|

* The Jolson Story
* Jolson Sings Again

* v
* t
* e

Judy Garland songs

1930s|

* "Good Morning"
* "Over the Rainbow"
* "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart"
* "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)"

1940s|

* "Among My Souvenirs"
* "Be a Clown"
* "The Boy Next Door"
* "A Couple of Swells"
* "Easter Parade"
* "F.D.R. Jones"
* "For Me and My Gal"
* "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
* "How About You?"
* "I Wish I Were in Love Again"
* "It's a Great Day for the Irish"
* "Johnny One Note"
* "Journey to a Star"
* "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"
* "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
* "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody"
* "The Wearing of the Green"
* "The Trolley Song"

1950s|

* "April Showers"
* "Carolina in the Morning"
* "Confessin'"
* "Day In, Day Out"
* "Get Happy"
* "How About Me?"
* "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby"
* "I Concentrate on You"
* "I Hadn't Anyone Till You"
* "Just You, Just Me"
* "Last Night When We Were Young"
* "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries"
* "More Than You Know"
* "The Man That Got Away"
* "Swanee"
* "Stormy Weather"
* "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"
* "Theme from San Francisco"
* "What'll I Do"

1960s|

* "After You've Gone"
* "Almost Like Being in Love"
* "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)"
* "Down with Love"
* "Do It Again"
* "Fly Me to the Moon"
* "A Foggy Day"
* "Hey, Look Me Over"
* "I Happen to Like New York"
* "If Love Were All"
* "Moon River"
* "Oh Shenandoah"
* "Somewhere"
* "This Can't Be Love"
* "You Go to My Head"

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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