Blue Room (1926 song) explained
"Blue Room" is a show tune from the 1926 Rodgers and Hart musical The Girl Friend,[1] where it was introduced by Eva Puck and Sammy White.[2] It is also a jazz standard.
Early recordings
- It was recorded by The Revelers on June 8, 1926, and originally released by Victor as catalog number 20082B, with the flip side "Valencia";[3] it was re-released by Victor as catalog number 24707, with the flip side "Dancing in the Dark".[4]
- In June 1927, while the Hamilton Sisters and Fordyce were on tour in England, they recorded two versions of this song: one with The Savoy Orpheans, and the other with Bert Ambrose and His Orchestra.
- Another recording was made on October 17, 1933, by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, and released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 6722, with the flip side "Fidgety Feet".[5]
- Another recording was made on July 16, 1934, by Isham Jones and his orchestra, and released by Victor Records as catalog number 24701A, with the flip side "Georgia Jubilee".[4]
- Another recording was made on December 15, 1936, by Jan Garber and his orchestra, and released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 7870, with the flip side "Moonlight and Roses".[6] The same recording was later released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 5484 and by Conqueror Records as catalog number 9496, both with the flip side "Home on the Range".[7] [8]
- Another recording was made on January 16, 1938, by Benny Goodman and his orchestra, as part of the live Carnegie Hall jazz concert; but it was re-released as a 45 rpm record by Columbia Records as catalog number 39312, with the flip side "Swingtime in the Rockies".[9]
- A recording of the song in a medley with "Am I Blue?" was made on July 14, 1942, by Eddy Duchin and released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36746, with the flip side a medley of "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Pretty Baby".[10]
- Another recording was made by Mark Warnow and released by MGM Records as catalog number 30040, with the flip side "Bess, You Is My Woman".[11]
Later recordings
Use in films and television
- It was featured in the 1948 film Words and Music,[1] where it was sung by Perry Como, who played Eddie Lorrison Anders. Como would later record it twice in 1948: the first on May 29;[1] the second, with Henri René conducting, on December 17.[1] The first recording was included on the soundtrack album of Words and Music;[1] while the second, released as a single, (RCA Victor Records catalog numbers 20-3329-A on 78 rpm[1] [17] and 47-3329-A on 45 rpm,[1] with the flip side "With a Song in My Heart"[1] [17]) reached the position of #18 on the charts.[1] It was also released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number BD 1280.
- In 1946, it was featured in a scene in The Big Sleep starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
- In 1950, it was used in Young Man with a Horn when it was played by Kirk Douglas (dubbed by Harry James).[18]
- In 1970, Cass Elliot covered the song on The Ed Sullivan Show (salute to Richard Rodgers).[19]
Notes and References
- http://www.kokomo.ca/early_years/blue_room.htm Perry Como discography entry for "Blue Room"
- Book: Nolan, Frederick. Lorenz Hart: A Poet on Broadway. 1994. Oxford University Press. New York. 0-19-506837-8. 75. registration.
- http://www.78discography.com/vic20000.html Victor Records in the 20000 to 20499 series
- http://www.78discography.com/vic24500.html Victor Records in the 24500 to 24900 series
- http://www.78discography.com/BRN6500.htm Brunswick Records in the 6500 to 6999 series
- http://www.78discography.com/BRN7500.htm Brunswick Records in the 7500 to 7999 series
- http://www.78discography.com/VOC5000.htm Vocalion Records in the 5000 to 5499 series
- http://www.78discography.com/Conq9000.htm Conqueror Records in the 9000 to 9499 series
- Web site: Columbia Records in the 39000 to 39499 series . 2010-02-28 . https://archive.today/20120527073305/http://www.78discography.com/COL39000.htm# . 2012-05-27 . dead .
- http://www.78discography.com/COL36500.htm Columbia Records in the 36500 to 36999 series
- http://www.78discography.com/MGM30000.htm MGM Records in the 30000 to 30499 series
- http://www.78discography.com/MGM30500.htm MGM Records in the 30500 to 30887 series
- Web site: www.allmusic.com. www.allmusic.com. July 9, 2024.
- Web site: www.allmusic.com. allmusic.com. July 8, 2024.
- http://www.78discography.com/Dec29000.htm US Decca Records in the 29000 to 29499 series
- Web site: www.allmusic.com. www.allmusic.com. July 9, 2024.
- http://www.78discography.com/RCA203000.htm RCA Victor records in the 20-3000 to 20-3499 series
- Web site: Internet Movie Database. imdb.com. June 9, 2017.
- Web site: The Girlfriend / Blue Room By Cass Elliot. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/_ZY39K9Eaog . 2021-12-13 . live. YouTube.
