Stairway to the Stars

"Stairway to the Stars" is a popular song composed by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli,^[1] with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. It was based on a theme from Malneck and Signorelli's 1934 instrumental piece, "Park Avenue Fantasy."^[2]

Hit recordings in 1939 were by Glenn Miller, Kay Kyser, Jimmy Dorsey and by Al Donohue.^[3] The Glenn Miller recording on RCA Bluebird reached no. 1 on the Your Hit Parade chart.

Notable recordings

• Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, vocals by Ray Eberle (May 9, 1939)
• Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra (June 29, 1939)
• The Ink Spots – 1939 NBC radio Broadcast (July 12, 1939)
• Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra, vocals by Bob Eberly (1939)
• Kay Kyser and his Orchestra, vocals by Harry Babbitt (1939)
• Al Donahue and his Orchestra, vocals by Paula Kelly (1939)
• Carmen Cavallaro – Decca (1947)
• Dinah Washington with Chubby Jackson's Orchestra (1947)
• Buddy DeFranco quartet – New York (1953)
• Benny Goodman – An Album of Swing Classics (1955)
• Bud Powell – Piano Interpretations by Bud Powell (1956)
• Sarah Vaughan – At Mister Kelly's (1957)
• Lee Konitz – Very Cool 1957
• Ella Fitzgerald – Hello, Love (1960)
• Johnny Mathis – I'll Buy You a Star (1961)
• Milt Jackson and Wes Montgomery – Bags Meets Wes! (1962)
• Stan Kenton – Adventures In Jazz (1962)
• Bill Evans – Moon Beams (1962)
• Dexter Gordon – Our Man in Paris (1963)
• Johnny Hartman – I Just Dropped by to Say Hello (1964)
• Natalie Cole – Don't Look Back (1980)
• Mel Tormé – An Evening with Mel Tormé (1994)
• Ian Shaw – The Abbey Road Sessions (2011)

Notable uses

• Major theme in the motion picture Some Like It Hot, directed by Billy Wilder.

References