Good Morning, Class of '64
Awesome Autumn - Marilyn Parker |
Emily Bronte
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night's decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
How there you sat in summer-time,
May yet be in your mind;
And how you heard the green woods sing
Beneath the freshening wind.
Though the same wind now blows around,
You would its blast recall;
For every breath that stirs the trees,
Doth cause a leaf to fall.
Yellow Leaf - Cathy Hillegas |
The Top Twenty Instrumentals
from the Fifties
http://www.streetarticles.com/music/50s-top-100-instrumentals
from the Fifties
http://www.streetarticles.com/music/50s-top-100-instrumentals
- The Third Man Theme - Guy Lambardo/Anton Karas (1) 1950
- Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado (1) 1955
- The Poor People of Paris - Les Baxter (1) 1956
- Tequila - Champs (1) 1958
- Blue Tango - Leroy Anderson (1) 1951
- Autumn Leaves - Roger Williams (1) 1955
- Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle (1) 1956
- Moonglow & Theme from Picnic - Morris Stoloff (1) 1956
- Unchained Melody - Les Baxter (1) 1955
- Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny (1) 1959
- Patricia - Perez Prado (1) 1958
- The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez (1) 1959
- Delicado - Percy Faith (1) 1952
- The Crazy Otto - Johnny Maddox (2) 1955
- So Rare - Jimmy Dorsey (2) 1957
- Ebb Tide- Frank Chacksfield (2) 1953
- Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett (2) 1956
- Canadian Sunset - Hugo Winterhalter (2) 1956
- April In Portugal - Les Baxter (2) 1953
- Melody of Love - Billy Vaughn (2) 1955
Autumn Leaves and Acorns - Sharon Foster |
Part of you died each year when the leaves
fell from the trees and their branches were bare
against the wind and the cold, wintery light.
But you knew there would always be the spring,
as you knew the river would flow again after it
was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed
the spring, it was as though a young person died for
no reason.
Ernest Hemingway
A Moveable Feast
Autumn Leaves - #6
Autumn Leaves was originally a French
song from 1945, "Les feuilles mortes"
("The Dead Leaves").
It's been recorded many times as a
vocal and instrumental. In 1955 Roger Williams
made the song a number-one hit in the
United States in 1955,
the only piano instrumental to ever
reach number one.
It sold over two million copies.
Roger Williams' father was a Lutheran minister
and his mother a music teacher.
He first played the piano at age three.
In high school, at his father's insistence,
he became interested in boxing.
After breaking his nose several times and
receiving other injuries, he returned to music.
He served in the Navy during WWII
(he also boxed while in the Navy)
and studied Jazz Piano at Julliard.
He was known as the "Pianist to the Presidents"
having played for nine administrations
beginning with Harry S. Truman.
Billboard magazine ranks him as the top
selling piano recording artist in history with
18 gold and platinum albums.
In 2010 Roger Williams was inducted into
the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
At that time, "Autumn Leaves" was the
best-selling piano solo record of all time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn_Leaves_%28song%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Williams_%28pianist%29
Roger Williams - 1955
Autumn Leaves - Varga Mari |
where there are Octobers.
L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables
Reached #2 on the Billboard chart
and #7 on the R&B chart.
Hugo Winterhalter was an easy listening
arranger and composer.
He taught school for many years
before turning professional.
He arranged and conducted recording
sessions for many famous singers
and had some chart hits of his own.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Sunset
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Winterhalter
Hugo Winterhalter - 1956
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Sunset
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Winterhalter
Hugo Winterhalter - 1956
Autumn Leaves - Julie Galante |
The time when everything bursts
with its last beauty,
as if nature had been saving up
as if nature had been saving up
all year for the grand finale.
Lauren DeStefano
Wither
Lauren DeStefano
Wither
So Rare - #15
So Rare is a song from 1937, and since
that time has been recorded by numerous artists,
but it became a late-career hit in 1957 for
Jimmy Dorsey, reaching #2 on Billboard
magazine's pop charts. It became the highest
charting song by a big band during the first decade
of the rock and roll era.
Jimmy Dorsey died that same year.
Shortly before his death, he was awarded a gold
record for "So Rare". Jimmy Dorsey is considered
one of the most important and influential alto
saxophone players of the Big Band and Swing era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_Rare
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey - 1957
Autumn Leaves Lie in a Pile - Taylor S. Kennedy |
the year's last,
loveliest smile.
William Cullen Bryant
Indian Summer
Tequila #4
- The word "Tequila" is spoken three times throughout the tune.
- Reached #1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts
- Won the Grammy Award in 1959 for Best R&B Performance
The Champs technically formed after
recording "Tequila". Studio executives
at Gene Autry's Challenge Records formed
the band to record a B-Side for the
"Train to Nowhere" single.
It was intended as a throwaway track but
became more famous than its A-side.
"Tequila" went to No. 1 in just three weeks
and the band became the first group
to go to the top with an instrumental
that was their first release.
recording "Tequila". Studio executives
at Gene Autry's Challenge Records formed
the band to record a B-Side for the
"Train to Nowhere" single.
It was intended as a throwaway track but
became more famous than its A-side.
"Tequila" went to No. 1 in just three weeks
and the band became the first group
to go to the top with an instrumental
that was their first release.
The Champs - 1958
Fall Leaves - Irina Sztukowski |
their leaves fall off,
then encourage them to
try again next year.
Chad Sugg
Patricia - #11
Became the last record to ascend to #1 on the
Billboard Jockeys and Top 100 charts.
Also number one on the R&B Best Sellers
for two weeks.
(Prado re-recorded and re-charted
the song in a 1962 "twist" version.)
Perez Prado was a Cuban bandleader, musician
(singer, organist and pianist), and composer.
His orchestra was the most popular in mambo.
His son, Pérez Prado, Jr., directs the
Pérez Prado Orchestra in Mexico City
to this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_%28Perez_Prado_song%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9rez_Prado
Perez Prado - 1958
Became the last record to ascend to #1 on the
Billboard Jockeys and Top 100 charts.
Also number one on the R&B Best Sellers
for two weeks.
(Prado re-recorded and re-charted
the song in a 1962 "twist" version.)
Perez Prado was a Cuban bandleader, musician
(singer, organist and pianist), and composer.
His orchestra was the most popular in mambo.
His son, Pérez Prado, Jr., directs the
Pérez Prado Orchestra in Mexico City
to this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_%28Perez_Prado_song%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9rez_Prado
Perez Prado - 1958
Watercolor Leaves - Walter Jennings |
and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings,
now for October eves!
Humbert Wolfe
A Wooded Path in Autumn - Hans Anderson Brendekilde |
so precious as autumnal sunshine
by staying in the house.
[Notebook, Oct. 10, 1842]
Nathaniel Hawthorne
The American Notebooks
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