BYE BYE BLACKBIRD
Music: Ray Henderson- Lyrics: Mort Dixon
Year: 1926
Origin of the song
The compositor Ray Henderson and the songwriter Mort Dixon were associates from 1923 until 1927. ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’ was their most popular song, although their first collaboration, ‘That Old Gang of Mine’ (1923) had a notable success too.
Bennie Kruger’s orchestra and the singers Nick Lucas and Gene Austin were the first musicians to record ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’, with a difference of two days between them. Austin’s version was top of the charts, where it remained for three weeks.
‘Annabelle’ (1923), ‘Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue’ (1925), ‘I'm Sitting on Top of the World’ (1925), ‘The Birth of the Blues’ (1926), ‘The Varsity Drag’ (1927), ‘You're The Cream In My Coffee’ (1928), ‘Button Up Your Overcoat’ (1929), ‘You Are My Lucky Star’ (1929), ‘I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All’ (1929), ‘Keep Your Sunny Side Up’ (1929), ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ (1931), and ‘Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries’ (1931) are a sign of Ray Henderson’s talent as a musician. For his part, Dixon is the author of the lyrics of ‘Nagasaki’ (1928) and ’You’re My Everything’ (1931).
Versions in the top charts
|
IPERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1926.04.21 |
1926.09.04 |
2 |
7 |
Unidentified (voc) |
|
|
1926.04.23 |
1926.08.14 |
4 |
4 |
Nick Lucas (g, voc), unidentified (p) |
|
|
1926.04.29 |
1926.07.31 |
12 |
1 (three weeks) |
Gene Austin (voc), Dave Franklin (p), unidentified (vn) |
|
|
Leo Reisman Orchestra |
1926.05.09 |
1926.09.25 |
1 |
11 |
Instrumental |
|
Russ Morgan Orchestra |
1947.12.27 |
1948.02.28 |
2 |
20 |
Ed, Gene, Joe & Vic Ames
(voc), Milt Herth Trio |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1956.06.05 |
Miles Davis (tp), John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d) |
|
|
1957.08.25 |
Jimmy Smith (org), Kenny Burrell (g), Donald Bailey (d) |
|
|
1959.11.06 |
Ben Webster (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Ray Brown (b), Ed Thigpen (d) |
|
|
1961.04.21 |
Miles Davis (tp), Hank Mobley (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d) |
|
|
1968.04.?? |
Oscar Peterson (p) |
|
|
Rahsaan Roland Kirk |
1975.05.14 |
Roland Kirk (ts, fl, tp), Pat Patrick (bars), Arthur Jenkins, Hilton Ruiz, Richard Tee (tec), Cornell Dupree, Hugh McCracken, Keith Loving (g), Francisco Centeno, Metathias Pearson, Bill Salter (b), John Goldsmith, Sonny Brown, Steve Gadd (d), Lawrence Killian (cng), Ralph MacDonald (cng, per) |
|
Milt Jackson Quintet |
1976.03.22 |
Teddy Edwards (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Cedar Walton (p), Ray Brown (b), Billy Higgins (d) |
|
1977.07.13 |
Roy Eldridge (tp), Oscar Peterson (p), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b), Bobby Durham (d) |
|
|
Keith Jarrett Trio |
1991.10.12 |
Keith Jarrett (p), Gary Peacock (b), Jack DeJohnette (d) |
|
Benny Golson Sextet |
1992.10.05 |
Eddie Henderson (tp), Curtis Fuller (tb), Benny Golson (ts), Mulgrew Miller (p), Ray Drummond (b), Tony Reedus (d) |
|
Kenny Garrett Quintet |
1992.??.?? |
Kenny Garrett (as), Joe Henderson (ts), Kenny Kirkland (p), Charnett Moffett (b), Brian Blade (d) |
|
Jacky Terrasson Trio |
1994.06.?? |
Jacky Terrasson (p), Ugonna Okegwo (b), Leon Parker (d) |
|
Ray Brown Trio |
1996.10.17 |
Ray Brown (b), Benny Green (p), Gregory Hutchinson (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1955.05.10 |
Peggy Lee (voc), Dick Cathcart (tp), Eddie Miller (ts), Matty Matlock (cl), Dick McDonough (g), Nick Fatool (d) |
|
|
1957.??.?? |
Julie London (voc), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Leatherwood (b), Jimmy Rowles Orchestra |
|
|
1957.12.18 |
Helen Merrill (voc), Mike Simpson (fl, cl, ts), Dick Marx (p), Freddy Rundquist (g), John Frigo (b), Jerry Slosberg (d) |
|
|
1958.08.04 |
Carmen McRae (voc), Irving Markowitz (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Fred Kelin, Don Corrado, Dick Berg, Tony Miranda (tpa), Don Abney (p), Mundell Lowe (g), Aaron Bell (b), Ted Sommer (d) |
|
|
1959.10.26 |
Bill Henderson (voc), Ramsey Lewis (p), Eldee Young (b), Red Holt (d) |
|
|
1960.06.21 |
Etta Jones (voc), Frank Wess (fl, ts), Richard Wyands (p), Skeeter Best (g), George Duvivier (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
Mel Tormé |
1977.06.?? |
Mel Tormé (voc), Chris Gunning Orchestra |
|
2000.05.15 |
Patricia Barber (voc, p), Marc Johnson (b), Adam Nussbaum (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'Bye Bye Blackbird' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
The Roaring Twenties |
Los violentos años veinte |
1939 |
|
|
Mr. Skeffington |
El señor Skeffington |
1944 |
A orchestra |
|
Street with No Name |
La calle sin nombre |
1948 |
|
|
Thieves Highway |
Mercado de ladrones |
1949 |
|
|
Pete Kelly’s Blues |
Los blues de Pete Kelly |
1955 |
Martin Milner, Lee Marvin and others |
|
F.B.I. Story |
El F.B.I. contra el imperio del crimen |
1959 |
Background music |
|
Palm Springs Weekend |
Buscando millonario |
1963 |
Jerry Van Dyke and Ty Hardin |
|
Lo sbarco di Anzio |
La batalla de Anzio |
1968 |
|
|
Isadora |
Isadora |
1968 |
|
|
What’s the Matter with Helen? |
¿Qué le pasa a Helen? |
1971 |
Debbie Reynolds |
|
Class of ’44 |
Curso del 44 |
1973 |
The Smart Set |
|
Julia |
Julia |
1977 |
A band |
|
The Cheap Detective |
Un detective barato |
1978 |
Background music |
|
Lonely Hearts |
Corazones solitarios |
1982 |
Myrtle Roberts and Irene Hewitt;
background music |
|
Billy Bathgate |
Billy Bathgate |
1991 |
|
|
River Runs Through It |
El río de la vida |
1992 |
|
|
Sleepless in Seattle |
Algo para recordar |
1993 |
Joe Cocker |
|
People I Know |
Relaciones confidenciales |
2002 |
Jon Hendricks; Rickie Lee Jones |
|
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days |
Cómo perder a un chico en diez días |
2003 |
|
|
King Kong |
King Kong |
2005 |
Peggy Lee |
|
The History Boys |
History Boys |
2006 |
|
|
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl |
Kit Kittredge: Sueños de periodista |
2008 |
Eddie Graff |
|
Public Enemies |
Enemigos públicos |
2009 |
Diana Krall |