WHAT´S NEW?
Music: Bob Haggart- Lyrics: Johnny Burke
Year: 1939
Origin of the song
In October 1938, Bob Haggart, arranger and double bass player for the Bob Crosby orchestra, composed 'I'm Free' and the band recorded the song for Decca label shortly afterwards. Haggart wrote the trumpet solo with Billy Butterfield in mind, also a member of the group.
The following year, the music publishers decided it could become a vocal success and commissioned Johnny Burke to write the lyrics. Thus was born 'What's New?', which Bing Crosby led to number two on the popularity charts. Billy Butterfield recorded the piece several more times: with pianist Jess Stacy in 1939, Eddie Condon in 1944, and his own band in 1947.
Bob Haggart is also the author of two well-known songs, 'South Rampart Street Parade' (1937) and 'Big Noise from Winnetka' (1940). Johnny Burke began his career as a lyricist in New York, where he worked with Harold Spina between 1932 and 1936. His songs, recorded by the orchestras of Guy Lombardo, Fats Waller, Ben Pollack, Paul Whiteman and Ozzie Nelson, were moderately successful. In Hollywood, he collaborated with Arthur Johnston and Jimmy Monaco before becoming a regular lyricist for Jimmy Van Heusen, with whom he won an Oscar in 1944.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
Bob Crosby Orchestra |
1938.10.19 |
1939.09.02 |
8 |
10 |
Instrumental |
|
1939.06.30 |
1939.10.12 |
10 |
2 (two weeks) |
Bing Crosby (voc), John Scott Trotter Orchestra |
|
|
Hal Kemp Orchestra |
1939.07.24 |
1939.10.28 |
5 |
11 |
Nan Wynn (voc) |
|
Benny Goodman Orchestra |
1939.08.16 |
1939.11.11 |
6 |
7 |
Louise Tobin (voc) |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1938.10.19 |
Bob Crosby (dir), Billy Butterfield, Zeke Zarchy, Sterling Bose (tp), Ward Silloway, Warren Smith (tb), lrving Fazola (cl), Matty Matlock (cl, as), Joe Kearns (as), Eddie Miller (cl, ts), Gil Rodin (ts), Bob Zurke (p), Nappy Lamare (g), Bob Haggart (b), Ray Bauduc (d) |
|
|
1950.02.18 |
Charlie Parker (as), Red Rodney (tp), Al Haig (p), Tommy Potter (b), Roy Haynes (d) |
|
|
1952.04.07 |
Milt Jackson (vib), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
|
1955.01.18 |
Clifford Brown (tp), Richie Powell (p), Barry Galbraith (g), George Morrow (b), Max Roach (d), Neal Hefti Orchestra |
|
|
1955.07.11 |
Stan Kenton (p, dir), Al Porcino, Ed Leddy, Bobby Clark, Sam Noto, Stu Williamson (tp), Bob Fitzpatrick, Carl Fontana, Don Kelly, Gus Chappell, Kent Larsen, Ralph Blaze (tb), Lennie Niehaus, Charlie Mariano (as), Bill Perkins, Dave Van Kriedt (ts), Don Davidson (bars), Max Bennett (b), Mel Lewis (d) |
|
|
Milt Jackson Quintet |
1956.01.23 |
Milt Jackson (vib), Lucky Thompson (ts), Hank Jones (p), Wendell Marshall (b), Kenny Clarke (d) |
|
1958.03.04 |
Cannonball Adderley (as), Nat Adderley (cnt), Junior Mance (p), Sam Jones (b), Jimmy Cobb (d) |
|
|
1960.04.30 |
Ramsey Lewis (p), Eldee Young (b), Red Holt (d) |
|
|
1965.09.22 |
Wynton Kelly (p), Wes Montgomery (g), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d) |
|
|
Anthony Braxton Quartet |
1974.05.29 |
Anthony Braxton (as, cl), Tete Montoliu (p), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b), Albert Heath (d) |
|
Sonny Stitt- Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis Sextet |
1981.11.11 |
Sonny Stitt, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (ts), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Eddie Higgins (p), Donn Mast (b), Duffy Jackson (d) |
|
Terry Gibbs Trio |
2005.??.?? |
Terry Gibbs (vib), Joey DeFrancesco (org), Gerry Gibbs (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1939.08.16 |
Benny Goodman (cl, dir), Ziggy Elman, Gordon Griffin, Corky Cornelius (tp), Red Ballard, Vernon Brown, Bruce Squires (tb), Toots Mondello, Buff Estes (as), Bus Bassey, Jerry Jerome (ts), Fletcher Henderson (p), Arnold Covey (g), Artie Bernstein (b), Nick Fatool (d), Louise Tobin (voc) |
|
|
1939.09.26 |
Jess Stacy (p, dir), Billy Butterfield (tp), Les Jenkins (tb), Irving Fazola (cl), Eddie Miller (ts), Sid Weiss (b), Don Carter (d), Teddy Grace (voc) |
|
|
1949.04.21 |
Tadd Dameron (p, dir), Miles Davis (tp), J.J. Johnson (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Benjamin Lundy (ts), Cecil Payne (bars), John Collins (g), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Kay Penton (voc) |
|
|
1954.12.24 |
Helen Merrill (voc), Clifford Brown (tp), Danny Banks (fl, bars), Jimmy Jones (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Bobby Donaldson (d), Quincy Jones (dir) |
|
|
1955.08.25 |
Billie Holiday (voc), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Benny Carter (as), Barney Kessel (g), Jimmy Rowles (cel), John Simmons (b), Larry Bunker (d) |
|
|
1957.10.11 |
Joe Williams (voc), Jimmy Mundy Orchestra |
|
|
1957.10.14 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Louis Bellson (d) |
|
|
1957.10.28 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Stan Getz (ts), Frank DeVol Orchestra |
|
|
1958.06.24 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
On cinemas
The song 'What’s New?' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Dive Bomber |
El
escuadrón de la muerte / Bombarderos en picado |
1941 |
Jane Randolph |
|
Captains Of The Clouds |
Capitanes de las nubes |
1942 |
Background
music |
|
Night Unto Night |
Alma en tinieblas |
1949 |
Background music |
|
Torch Song Trilogy |
Trilogía de Nueva York |
1988 |
Billie Holiday |