The song of the day for Thursday, May 15, 2014 is “It’s So Peaceful In The Country.”
About This Song
Alec Wilder wrote “It’s So Peaceful in the Country” for the singer Mildred Bailey, who recorded it in 1941. Wilder was a great friend to singers Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. He was an admirer of jazz musicians for their ability to improvise.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “It’s So Peaceful In The Country” in 1957; it was released as a 45 RPM single in 1959 and also on the 1997 CD re-release of The Beat of My Heart. This album was Bennett’s second jazz album; for this album he brought in some of the world’s greatest percussionists to feature. This song features Chico Hamilton and was arranged by Ralph Sharon. Sharon’s piano introduction and Bennett’s entrance into the song is really delightful.
We’re having one of our first heat waves of the year in Portland right now. As the heat was coming up off of the road on the way home, I kept thinking how nice it would be to sit by a lake and dangle my feet in the water. By the time I got home, I knew what the song would be. It happens like that sometime.
http://open.spotify.com/track/5AgJDo5WDRs9F4axve1UHD
“It’s So Peaceful In The Country,” as well as the album The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.
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