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Showing posts with label Haven Gillespie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Haven Gillespie. Show all posts

Monday, March 2, 2009

You Go to My Head

By J. Fred Coots & Haven Gillespie
1938

Composed by the same team that wrote "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", this was the only major contribution to the American Songbook by the otherwise unexceptional Coots (pictured). It's known for possessing a level of sophistication not often seen in standards of the Tin Pan Alley variety. It was introduced by the Teddy Wilson orchestra, and was the last hit by the band prior to its 1940 breakup.

Lyrics:

You go to my head,
And you linger like a haunting refrain,
And I find you spinning 'round in my brain,
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne.

You go to my head,
Like a sip of sparkling Burgundy brew,
And I find the very mention of you
Like the kicker in a julep or two.

The thrill of the thought
That you might give a thought to my plea
Cast a spell over me.
Still I say to myself,
"Get a hold of yourself,
"Can't you see that it never can be?"

You go to my head,
With a smile that makes my temperature rise,
Like a summer with a thousand Julys,
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes.

Though I'm certain
That this heart of mine
Hasn't a ghost of a chance,
In this crazy romance,
You go to my head.

Recorded By:

Coleman Hawkins
Billie Holiday
Frank Sinatra
Louis Armstrong & Oscar Peterson
Chet Baker

Monday, September 1, 2008

That Lucky Old Sun

By Beasley Smith & Haven Gillespie
1949

In honor of Labor Day, I give you this soulful ballad of the working man. With words by James Lamont "Haven" Gillespie, lyricist for "You Go to My Head" and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" of all things, it was introduced in the summer of '49 by Frankie Laine, who took it all the way to number one. That very same year, it was jumped on by the likes of Vaughan Monroe, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra.

Lyrics:

Up in the mornin',
Out on the job,
Work like the devil for my pay.
But that lucky old sun,
Got nothin' to do,
But roll around heaven all day.

Fuss with my woman,
Toil for my kids,
Sweat till I'm wrinkled and gray.
While that lucky old sun,
Got nothin' to do,
But roll around heaven all day.

Dear Lord above, don't you know I'm pining,
Tears all in my eyes?
Send down that cloud with the silver lining,
Lift me to Paradise!

Show me that river,
Take me across,
Wash all my troubles away.
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do,
But roll around heaven all day.

Recorded By:

Frankie Laine
Sarah Vaughan
Brian Wilson
Ray Charles
Johnny Cash

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