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Showing posts with label Jack Strachey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jack Strachey. Show all posts

Saturday, December 6, 2008

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

By Manning Sherwin, Jack Strachey & Eric Maschwitz
1940

This popular British standard refers to a tree-filled park in the upscale Mayfair section of London. It became a very popular tune in the UK after being introduced by Judy Campbell in the show New Faces, and subsequently recorded by Ray Noble and Vera Lynn.

Lyrics:

That certain night,
The night we met,
There was magic abroad in the air.
There were angels dining at the Ritz,
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

I may be right, I may be wrong,
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me,
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

The moon that lingered over Londontown,
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown.
How could he know that we two were so in love?
The whole darn world seemed upside down.

The streets of town were paved with stars,
It was such a romantic affair.
And as we kissed and said goodnight,
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

When dawn came stealing up, all gold and blue,
To interrupt our rendezvous,
I still remember how you smiled and said,
"Was that a dream? Or was it true?"

Our homeward step was just as light
As the tap dancing feet of Astaire,
And like an echo far away,
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

Recorded By:

Nat King Cole
Bobby Darrin
Mel Torme
Blossom Dearie
Frank Sinatra

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

These Foolish Things

By Harry Link, Holt Marvell & Jack Strachey
1935

Written for the London stage revue Spread It Around, this achingly melancholy love song was introduced in the show by British musical comedy actress Judy Campbell. Lyricist Marvell (real name Eric Maschwitz) apparently composed the words after leaving his great love, Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong (pictured), to return to England. The rarely sung final verse, which contains the phrase, "The song that Crosby sings," was ironically changed when Bing himself first recorded the song.

Lyrics:

A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces,
An airline ticket to romantic places,
And still my heart has wings--
These foolish things remind me of you.

A tinkling piano in the next apartment,
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant,
A fairground's painted swings--
These foolish things remind me of you.

You came, you saw, you conquered me.
When you did that to me,
I knew somehow this had to be.

The winds of March that make my heart a dancer,
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings--
These foolish things remind me of you.

The smile of Turner and the scent of roses,
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes,
The song that Crosby sings--
These foolish things remind me of you.

Recorded By:

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