Detour Ahead (song)

Detour Ahead is a jazz standard with words and music credited to Herb Ellis, John Frigo, and Lou Carter.

The song was written in 1947 while Carter, Ellis and Frigo were part of The Soft Winds, a group they created after leaving Jimmy Dorsey’s orchestra.

In 1949 Billie Holiday recorded the song with Tiny Grimes’ Sextet.

While officially credited to Carter, Frigo, and Ellis, there is no agreement in whether all three composed the song.

The original lyrics compare love’s progress to a motor trip – the perfect metaphor in 1950s America.