The song of the day for Monday, August 5, 2024, is “Sophisticated Lady.”
About This Song
“Sophisticated Lady” was written in 1932 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills and Mitchell Parish. Ellington is said to have been inspired to write this song by two of his grade school teachers, who toured Europe in the summers after teaching all year. “To me that spelled sophistication.” “Sophisticated Lady” was first recorded in 1933 on the flip side with Harold Arlen’s Stormy Weather. It is, of course, one of Ellington’s most popular and often-played songs. In addition to numerous recordings by Ellington over the years, the song has been recorded by Art Tatum, Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, Johnny Hodges, Sarah Vaughan, and Glenn Miller.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Sophisticated Lady” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The recording features Joel Smirnoff on violin. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.
em>Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Performance.
“Sophisticated Lady,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.
Here’s a live recording of “Sophisticated Lady: from Ellington’s performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival (where he brought down the house with the extraordinary 14 minute rendition of “Dimenuendo In Blue” which I’m also including):
Leave a Reply