SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
Music: George Gershwin- Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
Year: 1926
Origin of the song
The musical Oh Kay! premiered on 8 November 1926 at the Imperial Theatre in New York. In a memorable performance, Gertrude Lawrence presented the song ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ to the audience. The show was a great success and two hundred and fifty-six performances were made. The following year, he crossed the Atlantic and in London continued the triumph with another two hundred and fourteen performances.
The work title of the production was Mayfair and then Cheerio, but finally became Oh, Kay! It is believed that the name Kay referred to a friend of George Gershwin's, the pianist and composer Kay Swift, the first woman to write and premiere a musical on Broadway, Fine and Dandy (1930).
George originally composed ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ to be performed at a fast pace, but during rehearsals he played it more slowly, and immediately transformed it into the warm and melancholy song we know today. According to the critics, Gertrude Lawrence's performance, dressed in a maid's uniform and singing ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ to a rag doll, moved the audience.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
George Gershwin |
1926.11.08 |
1927.03.19 |
1 |
17 |
Instrumental |
|
1926.11.12 |
1927.03.12 |
7 |
3 |
Fran Frey, Bob Borger, Bob Rice (voc) |
|
|
1927.10.25 |
1927.02.05 |
11 |
2 (one week) |
Gertrude Lawrence (voc), Tom Waring (p) |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1945.03.09 |
Coleman Hawkins (ts), Howard McGhee (tp), Sir Charles Thompson (p), Allan Reuss (g), John Simmons (b), Denzil Best (d) |
|
|
1946.09.23 |
Ike Quebec (ts), Shad Collins (tp), Keg Johnson (tb), Ram Ramirez (p), John Collins (g), Milt Hinton (b), J.C. Heard (d) |
|
|
1947.04.29 |
Erroll Garner (p), Red Callender (b), Harold 'Doc' West (d) |
|
|
1949.04.02 |
Art Tatum (p) |
|
|
Art Tatum |
1949.07.13 |
Art Tatum (p) |
|
1950.04.16 |
Art Tatum (p) |
|
|
1955.09.29 |
Donald Byrd (tp), Frank Foster (ts), Hank Jones (p), Paul Chambers (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
1956.02.06 |
Stéphane Grappelli (vn), Maurice Vander (clv), Pierre Michelot (b), Baptiste 'Mac Kac' Reilles (d) |
|
|
1961.01.20 |
Stanley Turrentine (ts), Horace Parlan (p), George Tucker (b), Al Harewood (d) |
|
|
1962.04.17 |
Roland Kirk (ts, manz, stritch, fl), Herbie Hancock (p), Vernon Martin (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
1968.04.?? |
Oscar Peterson (p) |
|
|
1998.??.?? |
Keith Jarrett (p) |
|
|
2000.??.?? |
Dave Brubeck (p) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1939.11.13 |
Lee Wiley (voc), Fats Waller (org) |
|
|
Lee Wiley |
1944.10.07 |
Lee Wiley (voc), Max Kaminsky (tp), Miff Mole (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Ernie Caceres (bars), Gene Schroeder (p), Jack Lesberg (b), Cozy Cole (d) |
|
1944.12.14 |
Lee Wiley (voc), Eddie Condon (g, dir), Bobby Hackett (cnt), Billy Butterfield, Max Kaminsky (tp), Jack Teagarden (tb), Ernie Caceres (bars), Gene Schroeder (p), Bob Haggart (b), George Wettling (d) |
|
|
Lee Wiley |
1945.02.17 |
Lee Wiley (voc), Billy Butterfield, Max Kaminsky (tp), Lou McGarity (tb), Pee Wee Russell (cl), Ernie Caceres (bars), Jess Stacy (p), Jack Lesberg (b), George Wettling (d) |
|
1945.07.30 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Mark McIntyre (p), George Van Eps (g), John Ryan (b), Ray Hagan (d), Axel Stordahl Orchestra |
|
|
1950.09.12 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Ellis Larkins (p) |
|
|
1955.02.28 |
Chet Baker (tp, voc), Bud Shank (fl), Russ Freeman (p), Red
Mitchell (b), Bob Neal (d), string section |
|
|
1955.04.?? |
Chris Connor (voc), J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding (tb), Herbie Mann (fl, ts), Ralph Sharon (p), Joe Puma (g), Milt Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d) |
|
|
1956.07.06 |
Jeri Southern (voc), Toots Camarata Orchestra |
|
|
1957.03.20 |
Sarah Vaughan (voc), Hal Mooney Orchestra |
|
|
1958.12.?? |
Keely Smith (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
|
|
1959.03.26 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Don Fagerquist (tp), Dick Nash, Tommy Pederson, James Priddy, George Roberts (tb), James Decker, Vincent DeRosa (tpa), Ronnie Lang (as), Ed Gilbert (tu), Paul Smith (p), Barney Kessel (g), Joe Comfort (b), Mel Lewis, Alvin Stoller (d), string section, Nelson Riddle (dir) |
|
|
1959.05.22 |
Blossom Dearie (p, voc), Kenny Burrell (g), Ray Brown (b), Ed Thigpen (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'Someone to Watch Over Me' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL
TITLE |
TITLE IN
SPAIN |
YEAR OF
PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Mr. Skeffington |
El señor Skeffington |
1944 |
|
|
Rhapsody in Blue |
Rapsodia en blue |
1945 |
|
|
Dark Passage |
La senda tenebrosa |
1947 |
|
|
Young Man With A Horn |
El trompetista |
1950 |
Phil Morrison Orchestra and Kirk Douglas (dubbed by Harry James, tp) |
|
The Glass Menagerie |
El zoo de cristal |
1950 |
|
|
An American in Paris |
Un americano en París |
1951 |
|
|
Young at Heart |
Siempre tú y yo |
1954 |
Frank Sinatra |
|
The Helen Morgan Story |
Para ella un solo hombre |
1957 |
Ann Blyth (dubbed by Gogi Grant) |
|
Beau James |
Locuras de Nueva York |
1957 |
|
|
Star! |
La estrella |
1968 |
Julie Andrews with Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
|
A Safe Place |
Un lugar seguro |
1971 |
Dinah Shore |
|
Manhattan |
Manhattan |
1979 |
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas (dir) |
|
Deal of the Century |
El contrato del siglo |
1983 |
Nikka Costa |
|
After Hours |
Jo, ¡qué noche! |
1985 |
|
|
The Witches of Eastwick |
Las brujas de Eastwick |
1987 |
|
|
Man on Fire |
Bala blindada |
1987 |
|
|
Beyond Therapy |
Tres en un diván |
1987 |
Yves Montand; Lena Horne; Linda Ronstadt |
|
Someone to Watch Over Me |
La sombra del testigo |
1987 |
Sting; Gene Ammons, Richard Wyands, Doug Watkins & J.C. Heard; Roberta Flack |
|
Jennifer Eight |
Jennifer 8 |
1992 |
Willie Nelson |
|
Mr. Holland's Opus |
Profesor Holland |
1995 |
Jean Louisa Kelly |
|
Return to Me |
Hechizo del corazón |
2000 |
Benny Carter Orchestra |
|
Liam |
Liam |
2000 |
Julia Deakin |
|
Fame |
Fama |
2009 |
Kay Panabaker; Asher Book |