Stairway to Paradise
Song
"Stairway to Paradise" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Language | English |
Published | 1922 |
Genre | Broadway song |
Composer(s) | George Gershwin |
Lyricist(s) | Ira Gershwin (written under pen name Arthur Francis) and Buddy DeSylva (publishing under pen name B.G. DeSylva) |
"Stairway to Paradise", also known as "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise", is a song composed in 1922 by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (under the name Arthur Francis) and Buddy DeSylva (under the name of B. G. De Sylva) for the Broadway revue George White's Scandals.[1][2] Popular recordings in 1922–23 were by Carl Fenton; Paul Whiteman; and by Ben Selvin.[3]
Background
The lyrics make it clear that the "steps" on the stairway are dance steps.
Other recordings
- Sarah Vaughan – Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin (1958)
- Pat Boone on his 1958 album Yes Indeed![4]
- Frankie Vaughan – Frankie Vaughan at the London Palladium (1959).[5]
- Liza Minnelli – There Is a Time (1966)
- Joel Grey – Only the Beginning (1967).[6]
- Featured on the tribute album The Glory of Gershwin (1994), a compilation of Gershwin tunes produced by "Fifth Beatle" George Martin to honour Larry Adler, a lifelong friend of Gershwin, on his 80th birthday. Issy Van Randwyck performs the song.
- Michael Feinstein – Michael & George: Feinstein Sings Gershwin (1998)
- Nancy Sinatra on her 2013 album Shifting Gears.
- Michael Ball and Alfie Boe – Together (2016)
- Harpers Bizarre – The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre (1968)
Popular culture
- In the 1951 American film musical An American in Paris it was performed by Georges Guétary, where it was entitled "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise".
- The song is heard in the 2004 Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator, being sung by Rufus Wainwright, in a scene at the Cocoanut Grove night club set in 1927.[7]
References
- ^ "(I'll build a) Stairway to Paradise". Great American Songbook. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
- ^ "Internet Broadway Database". ibdb.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 520. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- v
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- e
- Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls
- An American in Paris
- Gershwin Piano Concerto
- Three Preludes
- Who Cares?
- Blue Monday (1922)
- Porgy and Bess (1935)
- Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
- Concerto in F (1925)
- An American in Paris (1928)
- Second Rhapsody (1931)
- Cuban Overture (1932)
- Strike Up the Band (1934)
- Hoctor's Ballet (1937)
- Three Preludes (1926)
- French Ballet Class (1937)
- "Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did?"
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- "'The Half of It, Dearie' Blues"
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- "Love Walked In"
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- "My One and Only"
- "Nice Work If You Can Get It"
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- "Slap That Bass"
- "Somebody from Somewhere"
- "Somebody Loves Me"
- "Someone to Watch Over Me"
- "Soon"
- "Stairway to Paradise"
- "Stiff Upper Lip"
- "Strike Up the Band"
- "Summertime"
- "Swanee"
- "That Certain Feeling"
- "They All Laughed"
- "They Can't Take That Away from Me"
- "Things Are Looking Up"
- "Tra-la-la"
- "Treat Me Rough"
- "Walking the Dog"
- "Who Cares?"
- "You've Got What Gets Me"
- Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
- By George
- Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book
- Ella Sings Gershwin
- Gershwin Live!
- Gershwin's World
- The Glory of Gershwin
- Ira, George and Joe
- Nice Work If You Can Get It
- Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook
- Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove
- Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin
- Gershwin Prize
- Ira Gershwin (brother)
- Arthur Gershwin (brother)
- Frances Gershwin (sister)
- Gershwin Theatre