As we continue with Duke Ellington Week, the song of the day for Monday, April 26, 2021, is “Solitude.”
About This Song
“Solitude” was written by Duke Ellington in 1934; the lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills were added later. One of his masterpieces, Ellington is said to have written “Solitude” in twenty minutes at the recording session, as they were one number short. per Ted Gioia in Jazz Standards. It’s a very strong song for both vocalists and instrumentalists. Ellington made over a hundred recordings of this song. Other great recordings include those by Paul Robeson, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Billy Eckstine.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Solitude,” his first, in 1958 for his second album with The Count Basie Orchestra, In Person! Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.
“Solitude,” as well as In Person!, is available from Apple Music.
Here’s Ellington’s 1934 recording of today’s song: