One For My Baby by jmjiloveyou

jmjiloveyou - One For My Baby

jmjiloveyou

Feb 14, 2025 10:39am

<h1>One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)</h1>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" is a hit song written by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Arlen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harold Arlen</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Mercer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Johnny Mercer</a> for the movie musical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sky%27s_the_Limit_(1943_film)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Sky's the Limit</a> (1943) and first performed in the film by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fred Astaire</a>.<h2>Background</h2>Harold Arlen described the song as "another typical Arlen tapeworm" – a "tapeworm" being the trade slang for any song which went over the conventional 32-bar length. He called it "a wandering song. [Lyricist] Johnny [Mercer] took it and wrote it exactly the way it fell. Not only is it long – fifty-eight bars – but it also changes key. Johnny made it work."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_My_Baby_(and_One_More_for_the_Road)#cite_note-Billman-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[1]</a> In the opinion of Arlen's biographer, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Jablonski" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edward Jablonski</a>, the song is "musically inevitable, rhythmically insistent, and in that mood of 'metropolitan melancholic beauty' that writer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O%27Hara" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John O'Hara</a> finds in all of Arlen's music."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_My_Baby_(and_One_More_for_the_Road)#cite_note-Billman-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[1]</a>It was further popularized by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_My_Baby_(and_One_More_for_the_Road)#cite_note-pc1a-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[2]</a> Sinatra recorded the song several times during his career: in 1947 with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Records" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Columbia Records</a>, in 1954 for the film soundtrack album <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_at_Heart_(Doris_Day_and_Frank_Sinatra_album)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Young at Heart</a>, in 1958 for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra_Sings_for_Only_the_Lonely" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely</a>, in 1962 for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinatra_%26_Sextet:_Live_in_Paris" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sinatra & Sextet: Live in Paris</a>, in 1966 for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinatra_at_the_Sands" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sinatra at the Sands</a> and finally, in 1993, for his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duets_(Frank_Sinatra_album)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Duets</a> album. At a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Carson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Johnny Carson</a>-hosted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Pack" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rat Pack</a> concert at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stifel_Theatre" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kiel Opera House</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missouri" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">St. Louis</a> in 1965, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Davis_Jr." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sammy Davis Jr.</a>, backed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy_Jones" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Quincy Jones</a> conducting the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Basie_Orchestra" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Count Basie Orchestra</a>, performed the song imitating the styles of successively <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fred Astaire</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_King_Cole" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nat King Cole</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Eckstine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Billy Eckstine</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughn_Monroe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vaughn Monroe</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Bennett" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tony Bennett</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Torm%C3%A9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mel Tormé</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Laine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frankie Laine</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Louis Armstrong</a>, an inebriated <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Martin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dean Martin</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Lewis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jerry Lewis</a>. Bennett, the last surviving of those imitated, continued to perform the song until his retirement in 2021 at the age of 95. During his final concert performances, at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_City_Music_Hall" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Radio City Music Hall</a>, Bennett's performance of 'One For My Baby' was deemed a "highlight of his set" that "went from daring [due to the circumstances] to sublime".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_My_Baby_(and_One_More_for_the_Road)#cite_note-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[3]</a><h2>Recordings</h2>Countless renditions of "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" have been performed. The following is a list of notable/well-known versions which have been recorded thus far:<ul><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fred Astaire</a> (1943) – 4:59 – Available on Somewhere Over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals and Hollywood's Best: The 40s</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Mercer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Johnny Mercer</a> (1946) – 3.09 – Available on Capitol Collector's Series</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra</a> (1947)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_My_Baby_(and_One_More_for_the_Road)#cite_note-pc1a-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[2]</a> – 3:07 – Available on The Essential Frank Sinatra: The Columbia Years</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cab_Calloway" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cab Calloway</a> (1951) – 3:20 – As a single, with Shot Gun Boogie; available on Hi-De-Ho and Other Movies (2004)</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Laine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frankie Laine</a> (1951) – 3:39 – On "One For My Baby" and available on The Legend at His Best</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Arlen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harold Arlen</a> (1952) – 4:15 – Available on Too Marvelous For Words: Capitol Sings Johnny Mercer</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlene_Dietrich" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marlene Dietrich</a> (1954) – 4:07 – Available on Love Songs</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra</a> (1954) – 4:05 – Recorded for the soundtrack to the film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_at_Heart_(1954_film)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Young at Heart</a>; available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra_in_Hollywood_1940%E2%80%931964" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra in Hollywood 1940–1964</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_James" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harry James</a> (1955) - 3:38 – Available on Jazz Session (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Records" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Columbia</a> CL 669)</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Bennett" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tony Bennett</a> (1957) – 3:10 – A chart single, recorded live; a later studio version appeared in 1992 on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfectly_Frank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Perfectly Frank</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Billie Holiday</a> (1957) – 5:42 – Available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_for_Distingu%C3%A9_Lovers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Songs for Distingué Lovers</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Horne" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lena Horne</a> (1957) – 3:24 – Available on Bluebird's Best: The Young Star</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Della_Reese" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Della Reese</a> (1957) – 4:02 – On Melancholy Baby; available on The Singles Collection 1955-1962</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Belafonte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harry Belafonte</a> (1958) – 4:34 – Available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belafonte_Sings_the_Blues" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Belafonte Sings the Blues</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra</a> (1958) – 4:23 – Available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra_Sings_for_Only_the_Lonely" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely</a>; a piano-only rehearsal version is available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Capitol_Years_(1990_Frank_Sinatra_album)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Capitol Years</a> box set</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fred Astaire</a> (1959) - 3:02 – Available originally on Now [Kapp 1165 / 3049]</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jula_De_Palma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jula De Palma</a> (1959) – 3:24 – On "Buone Vacanze", available on Jula in Jazz 2</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_London" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Julie London</a> (1959) – 4.10 – Available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Number_Please" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Your Number Please</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Como" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Perry Como</a> (1960) – 3:45 – Available on the long play record <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_Smooth" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">So Smooth</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Fitzgerald" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ella Fitzgerald</a> (1960) – 4:18 – Available on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Fitzgerald_Sings_Songs_from_Let_No_Man_Write_My_Epitaph" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs from Let No Man Write My Epitaph</a></li></ul>