Pennies from Heaven (song)
Pennies from Heaven is a pop song, the Arthur Johnston (music) and Johnny Burke ( lyrics ) have written for the 1936 musical film of the same name. It was there introduced by Bing Crosby. The song was a huge hit in 1936 and developed after 1947 jazz standard.
Background
The consistently held in C major melody Johnston is contained in the song form AB -A' -C and is based on a simple chord progression on (I - II7 - V7 - I, which is modified in the second A- part). Burke took in his text the percussive repetition in the melody to write a song about rain. In a fabulous idea the clouds were there not filled with water droplets, but with money coins, so that it was raining pennies from heaven. With short vowels and sharp consonants ( " Ev'ry time it rains / it rains pennies from heaven" ) reinforced the rain Burke character of the melody.
Crosby recognized during the filming of the qualities of the ballad and made Pennies from Heaven for the title song of the film.
Reception
Crosby's recording of Pennies from Heaven with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Decca Records was played in the radio show Your Hit Parade 13 weeks. In the American hit parade this version was ten weeks at No. 1, 2004 she was admitted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The song was nominated for an Oscar in 1937 for "Best Original Song " nominated ( the but The Way You Look Tonight received ).
Other cover versions
Only two weeks after Crosby was also Louis Armstrong ( who saw the film Pennies from Heaven for another musical number, Skeleton in the Closet ) into the studio to record the song; Louis Prima followed. In the American pop charts came in 1936 and 1937, other versions of Pennies from Heaven:
- Hal Kemp and His Orchestra (# 8)
- Hildegarde (# 16)
- Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra (# 19 with Bob Eberle )
- Eddy Duchin and His Orchestra (# 2, 1937)
- Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra (# 3 with Billie Holiday, also )
Some of these versions have been interpreted in a medium tempo, the Wilson and Holiday. Count Basie and Nat Gonella also took Pennies from Heaven 1937; Duke Ellington and Django Reinhardt had the song at that time also in the repertoire. By Louis Armstrong's appearance in the Town Hall in 1947, where he also interpreted Pennies from Heaven, the song was again recalled; He has now taken up by Charlie Ventura, Tadd Dameron, Charles Mingus, Woody Herman, Charlie Parker and June Christy. Recordings of Lester Young, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan and Eddie Lockjaw Davis / Shirley Scott are regarded as particularly noteworthy.
The song also developed for Popstandard. Frank Sinatra took Pennies from Heaven twice, first in 1956 with Nelson Riddle for his album Songs for Swingin ' Lovers, in 1962 with Count Basie Sinatra Basie: An Historic Musical First. Even Andy Williams, Dean Martin, The Skyliners and Michael Buble ( with Paul Anka ) recorded the song. Shirley Bassey contributed the song before in The Muppet Show.
Parodies
1957 Louis Prima edited the song and scattete " doobie doobie Shoobie ... sunshine and ravioli ... pizzioli "; this version appeared as Penne from Heaven. Another parody is Benny's from Heaven. Meanwhile, new lyrics were written by Eddie Jefferson, who emerged as James Moody this version. It was about a "second lieutenant named Spears" came home, "after staying overseas three years, " and now vorfand a baby at home, which, as was his wife said, came down from heaven. This parody is also in the repertoire of Roger Cicero.
Other uses in the film
The BBC made in 1978 Pennies from Heaven to the title of a TV series ( film adaptation in 1981 ); there was used the recording of a cover version of Arthur Tracy from 1937. Billie Holiday's interpretation was used in the movie Corrina, Corrina 1994. Louis primate version of 1936, 2003 in the movie Elf and 2008 in the animated film Igor and Rose Murphy's interpretation of Pennies from Heaven 2011 was used in the movie The Artist.