Ain't She Sweet
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2009) |
"Ain't She Sweet?" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Written | 1927 |
"Ain't She Sweet" is a song composed by Milton Ager, with lyrics by Jack Yellen. It was published in 1927 by Edwin H. Morris & Co. Inc./Warner Bros. It became popular in the first half of the 20th century and typified the Roaring Twenties. Like "Happy Days Are Here Again" (1929), it became a Tin Pan Alley standard. Both Ager and Yellen were elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Milton Ager wrote "Ain't She Sweet" for his daughter Shana Ager[citation needed], who in her adult life was known as the political commentator Shana Alexander.
Recorded versions
- Lou Gold and The Melody Man – 17 January 1927 (Gennett)
- Ben Bernie and his Orchestra – 1927
- Gene Austin – 1927
- Johnny Marvin – 1927
- Annette Hanshaw – 1927
- Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys – recorded June 20, 1927[1]
- Lillian Roth – 1933
- Mr. Goon-Bones & Mr. Ford – 1949
- Paul Ash and his Orchestra
- Winifred Atwell – Decca
- Frank Banta
- Pearl Bailey – 1949 Harmony
- Bunny Berigan & His Orchestra – 1940
- Sally Blair – EMI Records Group, N.A.
- Eddie Cantor
- Judy Carmichael – 1985
- Benny Carter – Contemporary
- Bill Coleman, Stephane Grappelli – Classic Jazz Records
- Jackie Davis – Capitol
- Eric Delaney and his Band – EMI
- Tommy Dorsey – Decca
- The Dukes of Dixieland – Audio Fidelity
- Erroll Garner
- Ken Griffin – Columbia
- Annette Hanshaw – 1927 – Pathé Actuelle
- Fletcher Henderson – Disques Swing Records
- Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson – Pye UK Records
- The Milt Herth Trio – Coral
- Michael Holliday – on his album Mike (1962)
- Ferlin Husky – 1959
- Jack Hylton and his Orchestra – EMI
- Harry James & His Orchestra – 1945
- Sammy Kaye – 1960
- Enoch Light and his Orchestra
- Meade Lewis
- Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians – 1966
- Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra – 1939 – Columbia
- Johnny Maddox – Dot
- The Johnny Mann Singers – Liberty
- Billy May – Capitol Arthur Murray Cha Cha Mambos – 1955
- The Modernaires – Coral
- The Moms and Dads – Crescendo
- Joyce Moody and Earl Wentz – Sixpence Inc.
- Russ Morgan and his Orchestra – Capitol
- Eddie Peabody
- Mel Powell Trio
- Duffy Power
- Frank Sinatra – recorded April 10, 1962, for Reprise Records.[2]
- Jimmy Smith
- Big Joe Turner – Classic Jazz Records
- Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps – 1956 Capitol
- Ben Webster, Frank Rosolino – Contemporary
- Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra – Ranwood
- Coco Briaval – Sunset France/Harmonia Mundi
- Lena Zavaroni – Hold Tight, It's Lena BBC Records (UK, 1982)
- Raul Seixas and his Band – 1992 – Raul Vivo
"Ain't She Sweet" was also recorded by Fabian Forte, Hoosier Hot Shots, Ray Anthony, Nat King Cole, Tiny Hill , The Playboys, The Viscounts, and Frankie Lymon. The song was also covered in 1990 on the album Funk of Ages by Bernie Worrell and several former members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Versions by the Beatles
According to author Mark Lewisohn in The Complete Beatles Chronicles (p. 361, 365) The Beatles performed it live from 1957 to 1962. In Lewisohn's words, "the version most likely to have prompted the Beatles performance of this song would be Gene Vincent's...1956 recording". However, on p. 365 of that book Lewisohn added, "but since John Lennon's vocal rendition was different from Vincent's, it would seem that he arranged his own unique version". He concluded by saying, "He may have also been influenced by Duffy Power's 1959 version". The Beatles's rock and roll arrangement of "Ain't She Sweet" was recorded by the group with John Lennon on lead vocals while recording as Tony Sheridan's backup band on June 22, 1961, at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg, Germany with Pete Best on drums, produced by Bert Kaempfert. The recording was released as a single on May 29, 1964, on Polydor.[3] The song reached number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[4] It was the highest-charting Beatles single with original drummer Pete Best.
Film appearances
- Hazel Green & Company, a Warner Bros./Vitaphone musical short (1927)
- In January 1928, a short film of Ain't She Sweet sung by Chili Bouchier was filmed in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process
- Duck Soup (Paramount Pictures, 1933)
- Margie (Twentieth Century Fox, 1946)
- You Were Meant for Me (Twentieth Century Fox, 1948)
- You're My Everything (Twentieth Century Fox, 1949)
- Force of Arms (Warner Brothers, 1951)
- Strangers on a Train (Warner Brothers, 1951)
- Feed the Kitty (1952) Merrie Melodies cartoon
- East of Eden (Warner Brothers, 1955)
- The Eddy Duchin Story (Columbia Pictures, 1955)
- Picnic (MGM, 1955)
- Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Classics, 2011)
TV appearances
- The Beverly Hillbillies Season 1, Episode 8: "Jethro Goes To School" (Sung by Phil Gordon (actor)) (1962)
- Coronation Street Sung by Sylvia Goodwin and others
- House M.D. Season 2, Episode 9: "Deception"
- You Rang, M'Lord? Season 2, Episode 5: "The Wounds of War"
- Heartbeat (UK TV series) Series 16, Episode 12: "Vendetta" (2007)
- Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Classics, 2011)
- Bunheads Season 1, Episode 1: "Pilot" (2012)
- Being Human Season 4, Episode 5:The Honeymooners
References
- ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- ^ "Frank Sinatra Discography". jazzdiscography.com. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- ^ "Ain't She Sweet / If You Love Me Baby (Take out Some Insurance on Me Baby)". Dmbeatles.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X