| "I'm Beginning to See the Light" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Published | 1944 by Grand Music Corp |
| Songwriter(s) | Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James |
"I'm Beginning to See the Light" is a popular song and jazz standard, with music by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James and lyrics by Don George, published in 1944.[1]
1945 recordings
[edit]- Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra recorded the song in New York City on December 1, 1944, with vocal by Joya Sherrill.[2] It was released as RCA Victor 20-1618 in early 1945 on a 78rpm record backing "Don't You Know I Care".[3] The recording went to No. 4 on the Harlem Hit Parade chart in Billboard and reached No. 6 on the pop chart.[4][2]
- A competing recording by Harry James and his Orchestra for Columbia Records, with lead vocals by Kitty Kallen, reached No. 1 for two weeks in January 1945.[5][2] James' version also reached No. 7 on Billboard's Second Annual High School Survey in 1945.[6]
- Ella Fitzgerald and The Ink Spots, featuring singer Bill Kenny, recorded a version for Decca Records that was on the pop song hits list for six weeks in 1945 and reached No. 5.[2]
Other notable recordings
[edit]- Oscar Alemán (1946)
- Gerry Mulligan on Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 2 (1953)
- Count Basie and Joe Williams on The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards (1956)
- The Hi-Lo's on Under Glass (1956)
- Mel Tormé on Mel Tormé at the Crescendo (1957)
- Connie Francis on Who's Sorry Now? (1958)
- Peggy Lee on Things Are Swingin' (1958)
- Johnnie Ray on 'Til Morning (1958)
- Joanie Sommers on Positively the Most! (1960)
- Mary Stallings and Cal Tjader on Cal Tjader Plays, Mary Stallings Sings (1961)
- Bobby Darin on Oh! Look at Me Now (1962); featured in the 1996 film Swingers
- Frank Sinatra on Sinatra and Swingin' Brass (1962)
- Clare Fischer on Songs for Rainy Day Lovers (1967)
- Rosemary Clooney and Woody Herman on My Buddy (1983)
- Natalie Cole on Take a Look (1993)
- Dee Dee Bridgewater on Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album (1996)
- Royce Campbell on Get Happy (2007)
- Sutton Foster on Wish (2009)
- Joe Jackson on The Duke (2012)
References
[edit]- ^ "I'm Beginning to See the Light". SecondHandSongs. n.d. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "I'm Beginning to See the Light (1944)". JazzStandards.com. n.d. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ Abrams, Steve; Settlemier, Tyrone (July 27, 2014). "RCA Victor 78rpm numerical listing discography: 20-1500 - 20-2000". The Online Discographical Project. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 185. ISBN 978-0898201604.
- ^ Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 1, side B, Track 2.
- ^ Smith, Kathleen E.R. (March 28, 2003). God Bless America: Tin Pan Alley Goes to War. The University Press of Kentucky. p. 167. ISBN 0-8131-2256-2.
