I´LL REMEMBER APRIL
Music: Gene De Paul- Lyrics: Don Raye
Year: 1942
Origin of the song
Dick Foran sang ‘I’ll Remember April’ for Anne Gwynne in the film Ride ‘em Cowboy, a farce produced by Universal Pictures, directed by Arthur Lubin, and starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. It was released on 13 February 1942 in New York. For the music enthusiasts, the film had different appeal. Ella Fitzgerald, who was debuting in cinema interpreting a maid, sang ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’, and the famous vocal group Merry Macs, ‘Rockin’ and Reelin’’, other De Paul and Raye’s song.
There are two films called I’ll Remember April: a mystery film of 1945, which wasn’t released in Spain, directed by Harold Young and starring Gloria Jean and Kirby Grant (who also sang the title’s song), and another version with Pat Morita and Haley Joel Osment set in California during the II World War, which was called Soldados de papel (2000) in Spain.
The compositor Gene de Paul is the author of the music of the songs of the film ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ (1954), the score of the Broadway musical Li’l Abner (1956), both works with the songwriter Johnny Mercer, and great hits such as ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’ (1941), ‘Cow Cow Boogie’ (1943), ‘Star Eyes’ (1943), ‘Irresistible You’ (1944), ‘Mister Five by Five’ (1944), and ‘Teach Me Tonight’ (1954). The lyrics of ‘I’ll Remember April’ seems to be based on a poem by Patricia Johnston.
Versions in the top charts
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PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1941.08.28 |
1942.03.21 |
1 |
23 |
Woody Herman (voc) |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1947.01.10 |
Bud Powell (p), Curley Russell (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
1949.12.12 |
George Shearing (p), Marjorie Hyams (vib), Chuck Wayne (g), John Levy (b), Denzil Best (d) |
|
|
1950.07.05 |
Charlie Parker (as), Bernie Leighton (p), Ray Brown (b), Buddy Rich (d), Joe Lippman Orchestra |
|
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1950.09.16 |
Charlie Parker (as), Al Haig (p), Tommy Potter (b), Roy Haynes (d), Tommy Mace (ob),
string section In Carnegie Hall, New York |
|
|
1950.10.13 |
Red Norvo (vib), Tal Farlow (g), Charles Mingus (b) |
|
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1954.11.09 |
Bob Brookmeyer (vtb), Stan Getz (ts), John Williams (p), Bill Anthony (b), Frank Isola (d) |
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1955.09.19 |
Erroll Garner (p), Eddie Calhoun (b), Denzil Best (d) |
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1955.10.24 |
Chet Baker (tp), Gerard Gustin (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Nils-Bertil Dahlander (d) |
|
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1956.02.17 |
Clifford Brown (tp), Sonny Rollins (ts), Richie Powell (p), George Morrow (b), Max Roach (d) |
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1957.05.21 |
Kenny Dorham (tp), Sonny Rollins (ts), Hank Jones (p), Oscar Pettiford (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
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1957.11.03 |
Sonny Rollins (ts), Wilbur Ware (b), Elvin Jones (d) |
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1958.03.?? |
Hampton Hawes (p), Scott LaFaro (b), Frank Butler (d) |
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1960.07.26 |
Herbie Mann (fl), Leo Ball, Jerry Kail, Ziggy Schatz (tp), Johnny Rae (vib), Knobby Totah (b), Rudy Collins (d), Ray Barretto, Ray Mantilla, Michael Olatunji (per) |
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1972.08.04 |
Jim Hall (g), Ron Carter (b) |
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1973.11.?? |
Joe Pass (g) |
|
|
Keith Jarrett Trio |
1993.03.30 |
Keith Jarrett (p), Gary Peacock (b), Jack DeJohnette (d) |
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2000.10.20 |
Lee Konitz (as), Alan Broadbent (p) |
|
|
Bucky Pizzarelli |
2006.05.17 |
Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli (g) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1955.10.?? |
Johnny Hartman (voc), Howard McGhee (tp), Ralph Sharon (p), Jay Cave (b), Christy Febbo (d) |
|
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1956.05.?? |
Julie London (voc), Pete King Orchestra |
|
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1961.09.12 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Pete Candoli, Vito Mangano, Uan Rasey, Zeke Zarchy (tp), Milt Bernhart, Dick Nash, Dick Noel (tb), John Cave, Vincent DeRosa, Richard Perissi (tpa), Gene Cipriano, Justin Gordon, Harry Klee, Ronnie Lang, Theodore Nash, Babe Russin, Wilbur Schwartz (r), Bill Miller (p), Al Viola (g), Joe Comfort (b), Irving Cottler (d), Emil Richards (per), string section, Axel Stordahl (dir) |
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|
Andy Bey |
2000.12.12 |
Andy Bey (voc, p), John Sneider, Earl Gardner (fis), Steve Turre (tb), Marty Ehrlich (fl, cl), Paul Meyers (g), Victor Lewis (d), Mino Cinelu (per), string section |
On cinemas
The song 'I'll Remember April' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Ride ‘em Cowboy |
Galopa, muchacho |
1942 |
Dick Foran |
|
Phantom Lady |
La dama desconocida |
1944 |
Background music |
|
Christmas Holiday |
Luz en el alma |
1944 |
Background music |
|
Ladies Courageous |
Heroínas anónimas |
1944 |
Background music |
|
I'll Remember April |
No se estrenó en España |
1945 |
Kirby Grant and Gloria Jean |
|
Criss Cross |
El abrazo de la muerte |
1949 |
|
|
Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo García |
Quiero la cabeza de Alfredo García |
1974 |
|
|
The Great McGonagall |
El gran McGonagall |
1974 |
Erroll Garner |
|
Sorcerer |
Carga maldita |
1977 |
Charlie Parker |
|
The Color Of Money |
El color del dinero |
1986 |
Charlie Parker |
|
Captain America: The First Avenger |
Capitán América: El primer vengador |
2011 |
Woody Herman Orchestra |