Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: Jazz

Right or Wrong

First recorded by Mike Markel and His Orchestra (1922).
Also recorded by The Original New Orleans Jazz Band (1925), Art “The Whispering Pianist” Gilham (1926), The Golden Gate Orchestra feat. Scrappy Lambert (1927), Emmett Miller and the Georgia Crackers (1929), Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies (1936), Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (1937).
Hit version by George Strait (C&W #1/CAN #1 1984).

From the wiki: “‘Right or Wrong’ first came into being as a jazz ballad in 1921. Composed by Arthur Sizemore and Paul Biese, with words by Haven Gillespie, the song was described by the original sheet music as ‘a beautiful fox-trot ballad.’

“‘Right or Wrong’ was recorded by many early jazz and swing orchestras. The earliest known recording is by Mike Markel and His Orchestra the same year the song was published (1921). Other early, and varied, arrangements were recorded by the Original New Orleans Dixie Jazz Band (1925), Scrappy Lambert (1927), and Peggy English (1928). But the arrangement with the longest lasting influence was recorded by Emmett Miller and the Georgia Crackers in 1929. Miller was an American minstrel show performer (often performing in blackface, which accounts for his obscurity today) and recording artist known for his falsetto, yodel-like voice.

“Miller’s singing style – the odd nasal pitch tone, along with the breaking of lines and bars in a song into a high yodel-like yelp – has been imitated by scores of singers since he first began to record in 1924. Jimmie Rodgers, Gene Autry, Lefty Fritzell, Tommy Duncan, Woody Guthrie, Howlin’ Wolf, Leon Redbone, and Bob Dylan have all been influenced by Miller’s one-of-a-kind vocal abilities. Of equal importance was Miller’s visionary fusion of blues and jazz, country and swing, black and white, comedy and crooning. His Georgia Crackers band, too, served as something of an incubator. Members at the time Miller recorded ‘Right or Wrong’ included Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, and Eddie Lang.

Love for Sale

First recorded by Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians (1930).
Other popular versions by Libby Holman (1931), Sidney Bechet (1947), Billie Holiday (1952, released 1956), Erroll Garner (1953), Charlie Parker (1954), Ella Fitzgerald (1956), Eartha Kitt (1965), Aretha Franklin (1965), Buddy Rich Big Band (1967), Elvis Costello (1980, released 1994), Fine Young Cannibals (1990).

From the wiki: “‘Love for Sale’ was written by Cole Porter from the musical The New Yorkers, satirizing various ‘New York’ types, from high society matrons to con men, bootleggers, thieves and prostitutes during Prohibition. The musical opened on Broadway on December 8, 1930 and closed in May 1931 after 168 performances.

“The pit orchestra featured a young group that had never before appeared on Broadway as the stage band, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, and which also featured the band’s vocalists, the Three Warings, in supporting cast roles on stage as ‘The Three Girl Friends’. ‘Love for Sale’, the most well-known song from the show, was written from the viewpoint of a prostitute advertising ‘love for sale’. Porter’s biographer George Eells refers to it as ‘the minor-keyed song whose lyrics were judged too raw for radio audiences …’

“When the song was first published in 1930, a newspaper called it ‘in bad taste’. Radio stations avoided it. Despite this, popular Hit Parade recordings were released, first, in December 1930 by Waring’s Pennsylvanians & the Three Waring Girls (based on their stage performance) and, then, by vocalist Libby Holman in February 1931.

The Entertainer

First performed by Scott Joplin (1902).
First recorded (as “Easy Winner”) by The Blue Boys (1928).
Also recorded by Joshua Rifkin (1970).
Hit version by Marvin Hamlisch (US #3/MOR #1 1973).

From the wiki: “‘The Entertainer’, a classic piano rag, was composed in 1902 by Scott Joplin. It was sold first as sheet music. Later, in the 1910s, it enjoyed sales as a ‘piano roll’ to be played/reproduced on player pianos. It was not until 1928 when ‘The Entertainer’ was first recorded by blues and ragtime musicians, The Blue Boys, playing on mandolin and guitar. The Blue Boys were Matthew Prater and Napoleon Hayes, from Vicksburg, MS, and they combined their recording into a medley with ‘Creole Belle’, titling it ‘Easy Winner’.

Body and Soul

First recorded by Jack Hylton (Feb 1930).
Hit versions by Libby Holman (US #3 1930), Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra (US #1 1930), Louis Armstrong (US #7 1930), Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse (US #87 2011).
Also recorded by Coleman Hawkins (1939), Billie Holiday (1957).

From the wiki: “The popular jazz standard, ‘Body and Soul’, was written in 1930 by Johnny Green (music) with lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton. It was composed in New York City for the British actress and singer Gertrude Lawrence, who introduced it first on stage to London audiences. ‘Body and Soul’ would also be first recorded in London by the orchestra of Jack Hylton, the ‘British King of Jazz’, on February 7, 1930.

“In the US, the song was first performed on stage by Libby Holman in 1930 Broadway revue, Three’s a Crowd. The tune grew quickly in popularity and, by the end of 1930, at least 11 American bands had recorded it, including a release by Holman with the Brunswick Records studio orchestra. The Paul Whiteman Orchestra, featuring Jack Fulton on vocals, recorded the most popular version; Louis Armstrong would the first jazz musician to record ‘Body and Soul’, in October 1930.

Moonglow

First recorded by Joe Venuti & His Orchestra (1933).
Hit versions by Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra (US #8 1934), Cab Calloway & His Cotton Club Orchestra (US #7 1934), Duke Ellington & His Orchestra (US #2 1934), Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (US #1 1934), The Benny Goodman Quartet (US #8 1936).
Also recorded by Ethel Waters (1934), Bing Crosby (1956), Sarah Vaughn (1962).
Also recorded (as “Moonglow & Theme from Picnic“) by George Cates (US #4 1956), Morris Stoloff (US #1 1956).

From the wiki: “‘Moonglow’ (also known as ‘Moonglow and Love’) was written in 1933 by Will Hudson and Irving Mills with lyrics by Eddie DeLange. It was first recorded by Joe Venuti & His Orchestra in 1933, with subsequent recordings in the following year by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Cab Calloway, Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra, Benny Goodman and his orchestra, Ethel Waters, and Art Tatum. The song has since become a jazz standard, performed and recorded numerous times by a wide array of musical talents.

“In the 1950s a medley of the song and George Duning’s ‘Theme from Picnic‘, orchestrated by Johnny Warrington, became quite popular, especially in instrumental recordings by Morris Stoloff, conductor of the Picnic motion picture soundtrack by the Columbia Pictures Orchestra. Duning wrote the film’s theme to counterpoint ‘Moonglow’. Stoloff’s ‘Moonglow & Theme from Picnic‘ spent three weeks at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Darktown Strutters’ Ball

First recorded (as “At the Darktown Strutters’ Ball”) by Six Brown Brothers (US #10 1917).
Other hit versions by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (US #2 1917), The Jaudas’ Society Orchestra (US #9 1918), Ted Lewis and His Band (US #12 1927), Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers (R&B #7 1948), Lou Monte (US #7 1954), Joe Brown & the Bruvvers (UK #34 1959), Ted Mulry & His Gang (AUS 1976).
Also recorded by Coleman Hawkins (1933), Ella Fitzgerald (1936), Fats Waller (1939), Alberta Hunter (1978).

From the wiki: “‘Darktown Strutters’ Ball’ was written by Shelton Brooks. First published in 1917, the song has been recorded many times and is considered a Popular and Jazz standard. There are many variations of the title, including ‘At the Darktown Strutters’ Ball’, ‘The Darktown Strutters’ Ball’, and just ‘Strutters’ Ball’.

“The song was first performed in 1917 by Sophie Tucker in her Vaudeville routine. It was first recorded on May 9 that same year by the Six Brown Brothers, a comedic musical ensemble. The best-selling early recording by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band was recorded on May 30, 1917. It would be this version that was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006.

Mood Indigo

First recorded (as “Dreamy Blues”) by The Harlem Footwarmers (1930).
Also recorded by The Jungle Band (1930), Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra (1930), Paul Robeson (1937), Ella Fitzgerald (1957).
Hit version by The Norman Petty Trio (US #14 1954).

From the wiki: “‘Mood Indigo’ was written by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard. Ellington is said to have claimed ‘I wrote [‘Mood Indigo’] in 15 minutes while I was waiting for my mother to finish cooking dinner.’

“Ellington’s biographer, Terry Teachout, described the song as ‘an imperishable classic, one of a handful of songs that come to mind whenever Ellington’s name is mentioned anywhere in the world.’ The tune was composed for a radio broadcast in October 1930 and was originally titled ‘Dreamy Blues’. It was ‘the first tune I ever wrote specially for microphone transmission,’ Ellington recalled. ‘The next day wads of mail came in raving about the new tune.’ Renamed ‘Mood Indigo’, it went on to became a jazz standard.

“‘The Harem Footwarmers’ was the name of Ellington’s orchestra while recording for Okeh Records. For other recording sessions for other, competing labels, the Ellington band became known as ‘The Jungle Band’ (for Brunswick Records), and ‘Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra’ (for Victor Records). Three versions of ‘Mood Indigo’ – two titled the same – with three similar line-ups for three different record labels, all recorded and released by Ellington around the same time in 1930.

Wheel of Fortune

First recorded by Johnny Hartman (1951).
Hit versions by The Bell Sisters (US #10 1952), Eddie Wilcox Orchestra feat. Sunny Gale (US #13/R&B #2 1952), Dinah Washington (R&B #3 1952), Bobby Wayne (US #6 1952), Kay Starr (US #1 1952), Susan Raye (C&W #10 1972).

From the wiki: “‘Wheel of Fortune’ was written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss, and was originally recorded in 1951 by Johnny Hartman. The song was also used as the theme to the television series Wheel of Fortune.

“Several different covers of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ were released and charted in 1952. Although recorded in Dec. 1951, the Bell Sisters’ cover did not chart until 1952. The Eddie Wilcox/Sunny Gale recording first charted in Feb. 1952. Dinah Washington, and Bobby Wayne, also released charting covers in 1952. But it was Kay Starr who topped Billboard Best Seller chart with her recording of ‘Wheel of Fortune’, which spent a total of 22-weeks on the Hit Parade.

“Country singer Susan Raye (‘L.A. International Airport’) returned the song to the charts with her 1972 cover.”

Yeh Yeh

First recorded by Mongo Santamaria (1963).
Hit versions by Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames (UK #1 1964/US #21 1965), Matt Bianco (UK #13 1985).
Also recorded by Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan (1963), Hugh Laurie (2013), Diana Krall & Georgie Fame (2015).

From the wiki: “‘Yeh Yeh’ is a Latin Soul tune first composed as an instrumental by Rodgers Grant and Pat Patrick, and first recorded by Mongo Santamaría (‘Watermelon Man‘) on his 1963 album Watermelon Man. Lyrics were written for ‘Yeh Yeh’ shortly thereafter by Jon Hendricks for the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, and recorded by them at the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival.

“The vocal arrangement of ‘Yeh Yeh’ was taken to the top of the UK Singles Chart by Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames (‘Peaceful‘), breaking The Beatles’ long-term hold on the #1 spot (five weeks, with ‘I Feel Fine’). A month later, ‘Yeh Yeh’ appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart to peak at #21. (The US single edited out the saxophone solo break.)

Harlem Nocturne

First recorded by Ray Anthony & His Orchestra (1939).
Hit versions by Herbie Fields (1953), The Viscounts (US #52 1959 |US #39 1966).
Also recorded by Johnny Otis (1945), Mel Torme (1963), Duke Ellington (c. 1970?).

From the wiki: “‘Harlem Nocturne’ was written by Earle Hagen and Dick Rogers in 1939. The song was adopted by bandleader Randy Brooks the next year as his theme song, but was first recorded in 1939 by Ray Anthony & His Orchestra. Hagen was a trombonist in Ray Noble’s band at the time. He had been inspired by Duke Ellington’s saxophone player Johnny Hodges and wrote ‘Harlem Nocturne’ for Noble’s sax man Jack Dumont, originally titling it ‘Duke’s Soup’. The name change was suggested by the publisher.

Frankie and Johnny

First recorded (as “Frankie and Johnnie”) by Gene Greene & Charley Straight (1912).
First US recording by Al Bernard (1921).
Also recorded by Mississippi John Hurt (1928), Mae West (1933).
Popular versions by Ted Lewis & His Band (US #9 1927), Brook Benton (US #20/MOR #6/R&B #14 1961), Mr. Acker Bilk (UK #42 1962), Sam Cooke (US #14/MOR #2/R&B #4/UK #30 1963), Elvis Presley (US #25/UK #21 1966).

From the wiki: “The song ‘Frankie and Johnny’ (sometimes spelled ‘Frankie and Johnnie’; also known as ‘Frankie and Albert’ or just ‘Frankie’) was inspired by one or more actual murders. One took place in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1899 when Frankie Baker, a 22-year-old woman, shot her 17-year-old lover Allen (also known as ‘Albert’) Britt in the abdomen. The song has also been linked to Frances ‘Frankie’ Stewart Silver, convicted in 1832 of murdering her husband Charles Silver in Burke County, North Carolina. Popular St Louis balladeer Bill Dooley composed ‘Frankie Killed Allen’ shortly after the Baker murder case. The first published version of the music to ‘Frankie and Johnny’ appeared in 1904, credited to and copyrighted by Hughie Cannon, the composer of ‘Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey’.

“In 1934, John A. & Alan Lomax counted some 300 published versions in their American Ballads And Folk Songs. Comment of the Lomaxes: ‘No one has ever publicly heard the same version twice, unless from two convict performers who shared the same cell for years.’ These 300 variations begged for a doctorate’s degree paper, finally written by Bruce Buckley who makes a clear distinction between the Frankie & Albert’s following the St. Louis facts and the more popular fantasy variation, ‘Frankie & Johnny’, published in 1912.

Petite Fleur (Little Flower)

First recorded by The Sidney Bechet All-Stars (1952).
Hit version by Chris Barber’s Jazz Band (US #5/R&B #28/UK #3/SWE #1 1959).

From the wiki: “‘Petite Fleur’ was written by Sidney Bechet, one of the first important soloists in jazz, and first recorded by the Sidney Bechet All Stars in January, 1952.

“The song became an international hit in 1959 with the UK recording of Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, featuring the clarinet of Monty Sunshine. A Top-5 hit in both the US and UK, ‘Petite Fleur’ also topped the Swedish music sales chart for 12 weeks.”

Whipped Cream

First recorded by The Stokes (1964).
Hit version by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (US #68/MOR #13 1965).

From the wiki: “‘Whipped Cream’ was written by Allen Toussaint (‘Yes, We Can Can‘, ‘Java‘, ‘I Like It Like That‘). (Naomi Neville, the credited writer, was one of two pseudonyms used by Toussaint to honor his parents, Clarence and Naomi, who had always been supportive of his music.)

“In 1964, in the midst of a two-year stint in the military, Toussaint took his army band into the studio and, under the name of The Stokes, recorded ‘Whipped Cream’.

“A year later, Herb Alpert jumped on the melody for his Tijuana Brass, recording it note-for-note, creating a memorable album cover, a hit single (and 1965’s #1 hit album), and the original theme song for the TV sensation The Dating Game.”

Cast Your Fate to the Wind

Written and first recorded by The Vince Guarldi Trio (US #22/MOR #9 1962).
Also recorded by Quincy Jones (1963 |1971).
Other hit versions by Mel Torme (as “Cast Your Fate to the Winds” AUS #13 1964), Sounds Orchestral (US #10/MOR #1/UK #5 1964).

From the wiki: “‘Cast Your Fate To The Wind’ is a jazz instrumental with music composed and first recorded by Vince Guaraldi. It won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963. Included on the album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, the title on the label contained a printing error and, at least some copies of the album, read: ‘Cast Your Faith To The Wind’, an unintentionally comic twist to the sentiment of the song.

“In Australia, a vocal version by Mel Tormé (with lyrics by Carel Werber) was a hit in 1963. In 1965 the British group Sounds Orchestral redirected the song away from jazz to more of a ‘nightclub sound’. That version attained #5 in the UK, #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was #1 for three weeks in May 1964 on the US Easy Listening chart.

Gaucho

Based on “Long As You Know You’re Living Yours” by Keith Jarrett (1974).
Hit album version by Steely Dan (1980).

From the wiki: “During the two-year span during which the album Gaucho was recorded, Steely Dan was plagued by a number of creative, personal and professional problems: MCA, Warner Bros. and Steely Dan waged a three-way legal battle over the rights to release the album; during the course of the Gaucho sessions, while walking home late one Saturday night, Becker was hit by a car and sustained multiple fractures in one leg, a sprain in the other leg, as well as other injuries.

“On top of all that, after the Gaucho album was released, Jazz musician Keith Jarrett threatened the band with legal action for the writing credit to the title song ‘Gaucho’. Jarret won, with his name added to the songwriting credits beginning with the release of the Citizen Steely Dan 1972-1980 box set in 1993.”

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!

First recorded by The Cannonball Adderley Quintet (US #11 1966).
Other hit versions by The Mauds (US #85 1967), Larry Williams & Johnny “Guitar” Watson (US #96/R&B #23 1967), Marlena Shaw (US #58/R&B #33 1967), The Buckinghams (US #5 1967).
Also recorded by James Brown (1967), The Buddy Rich Big Band (1968).

From the wiki: “‘Mercy, Mercy, Mercy’ is a song written by Joe Zawinul in 1966 for Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley and his album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at ‘The Club’. The song was released as a promotional single for the album and became a surprise hit, reaching #11 on the Billboard charts in Feb. 1967. ‘Mercy, Mercy, Mercy’ song has been re-recorded numerous times, most notably by The Buckinghams who reached # 5 in August 1967, adding lyrics to the tune.

“The theme of the song on the original recording is performed by Zawinul himself, playing it on a Wurlitzer electric piano previously used by Ray Charles.

“‘Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” was first covered by the Mauds in 1967, using an arrangement of the original instrumental with lyrics written especially for them by Curtis Mayfield. The Mauds were part of the mid-1960s Chicago ‘garage band’ scene that included The Buckinghams, The Cryan Shames, New Colony Six, The Ides of March, and Shadows of Knight – a collection of groups that was able to chart 30 national hit singles between them from 1966-1968.

“In fact, it was Knight’s frontman Jimy Sohns who first discovered and championed The Mauds in 1966. ‘I rehearsed the first line-up of The Mauds when Jimy was still in high school and hand-picked them to replace us (the Shadows of Knight as the house band) when we left The Cellar (the famous teen club in Arlington Heights, IL) to play other places,’ remembers Sohns. The single attained regional popularity (via WLS-AM and WCFL-AM radio airplay) but stalled at #85 on the Billboard Hot 100 due to the better marketing and distribution of the Buckinghams’ single which used the Mauds’ arrangement – although with different lyrics – and peaked at #5 on the Hot 100.

“Other early vocal arrangements were released by Larry Williams & Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson (released February, 1967) and Marlena Shaw (released March, 1967).

“An instrumental arrangement of ‘Mercy, Mercy, Mercy’. featuring James Brown on keyboards, was released in 1967. The following year, a live arrangement of ‘Mercy, Mercy, Mercy’ was featured on the 1968 Buddy Rich Big Band album, Mercy, Mercy, recorded at Caesars Palace in 1968. The album received acclaim as the ‘finest all-round recording by Buddy Rich’s big band.'”

Night in Tunisia

First recorded (as “Interlude”) by Sarah Vaughn w/ The Dizzy Gillespie Septet (1944).
Also recorded by The Boyd Raeburn Orchestra (1944).
“Night in Tunisia” first recorded by Dizzy Gillespie (1945).
Also recorded by The Charlie Parker Septet (1946), Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker (1949), and Miles Davis (1955).

From the wiki: “Dizzy Gillespie began writing the then-unnamed tune while he was performing with Benny Carter in New York in 1942. During a break in a show, Gillespie composed the basics of the song on piano. According to To Be or Not to Bop: Memoirs of Dizzy Gillespie, Dizzy was sitting at the piano playing chord progressions when he noticed the notes of the chords formed a melody with a Latin/Oriental feel. Adding a Bebop-style rhythm to the melody, Gillespie came up with what would become ‘Night in Tunisia’.

My Girl’s Pussy

Written and first recorded (as “Pussy”) by Harry Roy & His Bat Club Boys (1931).
Also recorded by R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders (1978).

From the wiki: “Harry Roy was born Harry Lipman in Stamford Hill, London, England, and began the study of the clarinet and alto saxophone at the age of 16. He and his brother Sidney formed a band which they called The Darnswells, with Harry on saxophone and clarinet and Sidney on piano. During the 1920s they performed in several prestige venues such as the Alhambra and the London Coliseum, under names such as The Original Lyrical Five and The Original Crichton Lyricals. They spent three years at the Café de Paris, and toured South Africa, Australia and Germany.

“By the early 1930s, Harry Roy was fronting the band under his own name, and broadcasting from the Café Anglais and the Mayfair Hotel. In 1931 he wrote and sang ‘My Girl’s Pussy’, which has since been the subject of many cover versions and remakes, including a novelty 78-rpm 10-inch single released in 1980 by R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders (after its 1978 appearance on R. Crumb and his Cheap Suit Serenaders No. 3 long-play album).”

Since I Fell For You

Written and first recorded by The Buddy Johnson Orchestra with Ella Johnson (1946).
Hit versions by Annie Laurie with Paul Gayten & His Trio (US #20/R&B #3 1947), Lenny Welch (US #4/MOR #3 1963).
Also recorded by Dinah Washington (1947), The Harptones (1953).

From the wiki: “‘Since I Fell for You’ is Blues ballad composed by Buddy Johnson in 1945 and first popularized by his sister, Ella Johnson, with The Buddy Johnson Orchestra. It has since gone on to become a Jazz and Pop standard, becoming a particular favorite of vocalists. Annie Laurie with Paul Gayten & His Trio recorded it in 1947, charting in the R&B Top 5. Dinah Washington also covered ‘Since I Don’t Have You’ in 1947 with no chart impact, Eartha Kitt in 1950, Julie London in 1964, Shirley Horn in 1987, and Etta Jones in 1998. It was the 1963 Lenny Welch cover that reached reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100, far and away his biggest career hit.

Spooky

Co-written and first recorded (as an instrumental) by Mike Sharpe (US #57 1967).
Other hit versions by Classics IV (US #3 1967 |UK #46 1968), Atlanta Rhythm Section (US #17 1979).

From the wiki: “‘Spooky’ was originally an instrumental song performed by saxophonist Mike Sharpe (Shapiro), written by Shapiro and Harry Middlebrooks, Jr., which first charted in 1967 hitting #57 on the US pop charts.

“The best-known version was created by The Classics IV when guitarist James Cobb and producer Buddy Buie added lyrics centering on a ‘spooky little girl’. Cobb (along with bandmates Robert Nix and Dean Daughtry) later became part of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, re-recording and charting ‘Spooky’ again in 1979.”

Baby It’s Cold Outside

First performed by Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban and Red Skelton & Betty Garrett (Neptune’s Daughter, 1949).
Hit versions by Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark (US #4 1949), Margaret Whiting & Johnny Mercer (US #4 1949), Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (US #9 1949), Dean Martin (1959) and Blossom Dearie & Bob Dorough (1979), Dean Martin & Martina McBride (MOR #7/C&W 36 2006).

From the wiki: “Frank Loesser wrote the duet in 1944 and premiered the song with his wife, Lynn Garland, at their Navarro Hotel housewarming party, and performed it toward the end of the evening, signifying to guests that it was nearly time to end the party. Lynn considered it ‘their song’ and was furious when Loesser sold the song to MGM. The movie it appeared in, Neptune’s Daughter, featured two performances of the song: one by Ricardo Montalbán and Esther Williams, and the other by Red Skelton and Betty Garrett, the second of which has the roles of ‘wolf and mouse’ reversed. These performances earned Loesser an Academy Award for Best Original Song.”

Moondance

Inspired by “Midnight Blue” by Kenny Burrell (1963).
Hit version by Van Morrison (1970 |US #92 1977).

From the wiki: “‘Moondance’ was written by Van Morrison and first appeared as the title track on his 1970 album Moondance. According to Morrison, the song started as a jazz saxophone instrumental. ‘I used to play this sax number over and over, anytime I picked up my horn,’ he said.

“Inspiration for ‘Moondance’ song could be traced to Kenny Burrell’s 1963 recording, ‘Midnight Blue’. There are a couple of elements that feed this presumption: the bass line, rhythm guitar and even the whole groove of ‘Moondance’ follows Burrell’s instrumental (and, to a lesser degree, Johnny Lytle’s 1966 Jazz recording, ‘Selim’). Morrison did not release ‘Moondance’ as a single until November 1977, seven and a half years after the album was released.

I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die-Rag

Inspired by “Muskrat Ramble” by Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five (1926).
Also recorded (as “Muskrat Ramble”) by Dean Martin (1950).
Popular version by Country Joe & The Fish (1967).

From the wiki: “‘Muskrat Ramble’ was written by Kid Ory and first recorded by Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five (including Ory, on trombone) in 1926. The song served as the B-side to Armstrong’s first solo outing as a recording artist, ‘Heebie Jeebies’. In 2001, the heirs of Kid Ory launched a lawsuit against Country Joe McDonald, claiming that the music of ‘I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag’ constituted plagiarism of ‘Muskrat Ramble’. In 2005, courts ruled in McDonald’s favor primarily because the original 1926 recording had fallen into the public domain.

Killer Joe

First recorded by The Jazztet (1960).
Hit version by Quincy Jones (US #74/MOR #29/R&B #47 1969).

From the wiki: “‘Killer Joe’ was composed by tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, co-founder (with trumpeter Art Farmer) of the Jazz sextet ‘The Jazztet’. The Jazztet was ‘famous for nicely structured, precise yet soulful pieces and a swinging style,’ and benefited from having a set of strong compositions by Golson including ‘Killer Joe’ (reviewed as being ‘lean and mean, with Farmer’s muted horn in the lead and horns blowing softly over a bridge where the rhythm is suspended’). The Jazztet played at the Newport Jazz Festival in June 1960 and the first Atlantic City jazz festival two days later, and won Down Beat magazine’s ‘International Critics Poll New Star’ award in 1960 for Jazz groups.

“In 1969, Quincy Jones recorded ‘Killer Joe’ for the Walking in Space album. His production featured Ray Brown on bass and Grady Tate on drums. Released as a single, it charted in the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970; also charting #47 on the R&B chart and #29 on the MOR chart.”