"Happy As The Day Is Long"
The songs written by the great Harold Arlen have always been favorites of jazz musicians, because Arlen understood the jazz language, and used it liberally when crafting his melodies and chord progressions. Perhaps his greatest body of work is the catalog of songs that he and lyricist Ted Koehler wrote for various musical reviews during the early 1930's. These songs, introduced by the likes of Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington, the Nicholas Brothers and Ethel Waters, remain some of the greatest efforts ever produced by Tin Pan Alley -- "Stormy Weather," "I've Got The World On A String," "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea," "I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues," and our feature number, "Happy As The Day Is Long."
Arlen and Koehler penned this song for the 22nd Cotton Club Parade in 1933. Other Arlen-Koehler tunes from this show include "Get Yourself A New Broom (And Sweep The Blues Away)," "Raisin' The Rent," and the immortal "Stormy Weather." Originally Cab Calloway's orchestra was scheduled to accompany the show, but other obligations (due no doubt to Cab's meteoric rise to fame) kept him away from the Cotton Club. So Duke Ellington accepted the club owners' offer to rejoin the stage show -- the spot that first boosted Ellington to stardom four years earlier.
Needless to say, the popularity of the Cotton Club Parade's songs meant that good bands and singers were eager to record them. Here are three of the best versions of "Happy Is The Day Is Long":
Harold Arlen was himself a talented singer, and even though he never made the big time, he sang for years with Leo Reisman's Orchestra in Manhattan. Reisman led one of the top radio orchestras of th day, catering to a variety of high-class musical tastes. His version of "Happy As The Day Is Long," with Arlen providingthe vocal (along with banter by Reisman) was recorded on May 2, 1933 for Victor.
Download Leo Reisman-Harold Arlen - Happy As The Day Is Long.mp3
Duke Ellington's Orchestra, along with vocalist Ivey Anderson, recorded the song for Brunswick exactly one week after Leo Reisman and Harold Arlen - May 9, 1933. At the same session, Ellington also recorded the other three major tunes from the show. Duke takes the tune at somewhat of a more leisurely pace than Reisman; perhaps his tempo is the one used for the live stage performance of the tune. Still, Ivey Anderson's relaxed delivery meant that she had to work hard in order to fit in all of the words.
Download Duke Ellington - Happy As The Day Is Long.mp3
Our final version was recorded over a year later for Decca, in September of 1934, by the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. Benny Carter's arrangement had probably become a specialty number for the band, due to its breakneck tempo and thrilling solos by trombonist Keg Johnson, tenorist Ben Webster and trumpeter Henry 'Red' Allen. Fletcher's lax discipline on the bandstand often meant that the band exhibited more raw jazz feeling than ensemble precision, but on this recording the reeds soar through their fleeting unison lines, and the trumpets spit out the melody like angry mobsters emptying their Tommy guns.
Wow, this is so great! Thanks!!
Posted by: Kevin Kidney | November 02, 2008 at 10:08 PM
great a variety of high-class musical tastes.
Posted by: Wicked Broadway Tickets | January 27, 2009 at 07:49 AM
I'm lovin' all of this website.
Was wonder though, if I could somehow get the lyrics to songs here too.
Looking all over for the lyrics to "HAPPY AS THE DAY IS LONG".
Just heard the song for the first time over the radio, sung by
Rebecca Kilgore.
If you could help, I'd appreciate it.
and keep on inspiring me,
Sue
Posted by: Sue | February 15, 2009 at 01:46 PM