Easter Parade

By Irving Berlin
1933

By the same man who gave us the ultimate Christmas standard, Irving Berlin, came this tune--which has become the ultimate Easter standard. Originally written for the Broadway revue As Thousands Cheer, in which it was introduced by Marilyn Miller and Clifton Webb, it later gained even more notoriety thanks to being sung by Bing Crosby in the film Holiday Inn, and in 1948 an entire musical film was built around it, starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. A true holiday classic from one of America's most cherished composers.

Lyrics:

In your Easter bonnet,
With all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.

I'll be all in clover,
And when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.

On the avenue,
Fifth Avenue.
The photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet
About your Easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.

Recorded By:

Al Jolson
Bing Crosby
Fred Astaire
Jimmy Lunceford
Perry Como

Heat Wave

By Irving Berlin
1933

A popular Depression-era standard from Berlin, originating from his Broadway revue As Thousands Cheer, which also gave us "Easter Parade". Ethel Waters had the honor of introducing it, and Ethel Merman later brought it to the movies in 1938's Alexander's Ragtime Band. But Marilyn Monroe's torrid 1954 performance in There's No Business Like Show Business might be the most memorable.

Lyrics:

We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave.
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,
She certainly can can-can.

She started a heat wave
By letting her seat wave
In such a way that
The customers say that
She certainly can can-can.

Gee, her anatomy
Makes the mercury
Jump to ninety-three.

We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave.
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
That she certainly can can-can.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Linda Ronstadt
Bing Crosby
Art Tatum
Eddie Lang