Serenade in Blue

"Serenade in Blue" is a 1942 big band song composed by Harry Warren, with lyrics written by Mack Gordon. It was introduced in the 1942 film Orchestra Wives by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, sung by Lynn Bari in the film but dubbed by Pat Friday.

Background

Glenn Miller and His Orchestra released the song as an RCA Victor 78, 27935-A, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard pop singles chart.^[1]

The RCA Victor recording by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra featured vocalist Ray Eberle^[2] with backing vocals by The Modernaires.^[3] This record was the year's eleventh-best selling recording in the United States according to Billboard magazine, after having spent fifteen weeks on the Billboard charts.^[4]

Notable recordings

(Johnny Weaver) ON 23RD February 2019
Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
Al Caiola
Chris Connor - I Walk with Music (2002)
Vic Damone (1954)
Doris Day - Doris Day's Sentimental Journey (1964)
Billy Eckstine Big Band (April 21, 1947)
Dinah Shore
Frances Langford
Jimmy Dorsey
Paul Whiteman
Erroll Garner (May 12, 1950)
Stan Getz - West Coast Jazz (1955)
Jackie Gleason - Body and Soul (1995)
Benny Goodman - Benny Goodman and His Great Vocalists, Dick Haymes on vocals, Legacy/Columbia, 1995
Dexter Gordon - Landslide (1962)
Dick Haymes - Richard the Lion-Hearted - Dick Haymes that is! (1960)
Harry James - Soft Lights, Sweet Trumpet (Columbia CL 6207, 1952)
Bert Kaempfert - Serenade in Blue (1967)
Syd Lawrence - Remembers Glenn Miller (1989)
Lou Levy Trio in 1955
Gloria Lynne
Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (with vocal refrain by Ray Eberle and The Modernaires). It was recorded in Chicago on May 20, 1942 and was released by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on RCA Victor Records as a 78 single, catalogue number 27935A, reaching #2 on the Billboard charts.
Peter Nero in 1962
Oscar Peterson Trio - Plays Harry Warren (1954), Pastel Moods (1956)
André Previn and David Rose - Like Blue (1960)
Jimmy Rowles Trio - Rare, But Well Done with Art Mardigan and Red Mitchell (1954)
Doc Severinsen - The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen, Vol. II (1987)
Frank Sinatra - Sinatra and Swingin' Brass (1962)
Mel Torme and George Shearing
Leslie Uggams
Brad Kane (dubbing Danny Strong) and Royal Crown Revue in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode Superstar (2000).
Randy Weston Trio - With These Hands (1956)

References

^ Song artist 6 - Glenn Miller.
^ 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 A.
^ Serenade in Blue. Second Hand Songs.
^ "The Year's Top Recordings". The Billboard. 55 (1): 27. January 2, 1943. ISSN 0006-2510

Glenn Miller and His Orchestra

Number one hits

1939	"Stairway to the Stars" "Over the Rainbow" "In the Mood"
1940	"Tuxedo Junction" "The Woodpecker Song"
1941	"Song of the Volga Boatmen" "Chattanooga Choo Choo" "Elmer's Tune"
1942	"A String of Pearls" "Moonlight Cocktail" "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo"
1943	"That Old Black Magic"

Other notable songs

"American Patrol"
"Anvil Chorus"
"At Last"
"Blueberry Hill"
"Caribbean Clipper"
"Crosstown"
"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me)"
"Here We Go Again"
"I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem"
"I Know Why (And So Do You)"
"It Must Be Jelly ('Cause Jam Don't Shake like That)"
"Jukebox Saturday Night"
"Little Brown Jug"
"Moonlight Becomes You"
"Moonlight Serenade"
"The Nearness of You"
"A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"
"Pennsylvania 6-5000"
"Perfidia"
"St. Louis Blues"
"Serenade in Blue"
"Skylark"
"Sunrise Serenade"
"(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover"

Albums

Chicago Jazz Classics (1943)
Up Swing (1944)
Smoke Rings (1944)
Glenn Miller (1945)
Glenn Miller Masterpieces, Volume II (1947)
Glenn Miller Plays Selections From the Film "The Glenn Miller Story" (1954)
The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
The Glenn Miller Carnegie Hall Concert (1958)
Pure Gold (1975)
In the Digital Mood (1983)

Members

Vocalists	Marion Hutton Ray Eberle Tex Beneke Jack Lathrop Ernie Caceres Kay Starr Dorothy Claire Paula Kelly The Modernaires Skip Nelson
Musicians	Al Klink Al Mastren Paul Tanner Toby Tyler Tommy Mack Frank D’Annolfo Howard Gibeling Jimmy Priddy Wilbur Schwartz Stanley Aronson Hal McIntyre Tex Beneke Ernie Caceres Jimmy Abato Gabe Galinas Hal Tennyson Benny Feman Babe Russin Skip Martin Johnny Austin Lou Mucci Bob Price Charlie Hill Legh Knowles Mickey McMickle Clyde Hurley Johnny Best Zeke Zarchy Charles Frankhauser Billy May Ray Anthony Alec Fila Bill Graham Steve Lipkins Allan Reuss Arthur Ens Dick Fisher Jack Lathrop Bobby Hackett Bill Conway Chummy MacGregor Bob Spangler Cody Sandifer Frankie Carlson Maurice Purtill Rollie Bundock Tony Carlson Trigger Alpert Doc Goldberg
Arrangers	Jerry Gray Bill Finegan Glenn Miller Billy May
Composers	Glenn Miller Harry Warren Mack Gordon

Army Air Force
band alumni

Media

Films	The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935) Sun Valley Serenade (1941) Orchestra Wives (1942) Upbeat in Music (1943) The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
Publications	125 Jazz Breaks for Trombone (1927) Glenn Miller's Method for Orchestral Arranging (1943)