Blue Skies (song)

"Blue Skies" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1926.

History
The song was composed in 1926 as a last-minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical Betsy. Although the show only ran for 39 performances, "Blue Skies" was an instant success, with audiences on opening night demanding 24 encores of the piece from star Belle Baker. During the final repetition, Ms. Baker forgot her lyrics, prompting Berlin to sing them from his seat in the front row.

In 1927, the music was published and Ben Selvin's recorded version was a #1 hit. That same year, it became one of the first songs to be featured in a talkie, when Al Jolson performed it in The Jazz Singer. Another version of the song was recorded by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra in 1935 [Victor Scroll 25136]. 1946 was also a notable year for the song, with a Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire film taking its title, and two recorded versions by Count Basie and Benny Goodman reaching #8 and #9 on the pop charts, respectively. Crossing genres, Willie Nelson's recording of "Blue Skies" was a #1 country music hit in 1978. It was a major western swing and country standard already in 1939, by Moon Mullican, and in 1962 by Jim Reeves.

"Blue Skies" is one of many popular songs whose lyrics use a "Bluebird of happiness" as a symbol of cheer: "Bluebirds singing a song -- Nothing but bluebirds all day long."

Recorded versions

 * George Olsen (1927)
 * Judy Garland
 * Oscar Aleman
 * Don Shirley Trio (Water Boy)
 * Irving Kaufman (singer) (1927)
 * Ben Selvin (1927)
 * Josephine Baker (1927)
 * Fritz Kreisler (1927)
 * Maxine Sullivan (1937)
 * Moon Mullican (1939)
 * Slim Gaillard (1940–1942)
 * Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra (with vocal by Frank Sinatra) (1941)
 * Betty Hutton (1944)
 * Count Basie and his orchestra (with vocal by Jimmy Rushing) (1946)
 * Bing Crosby (1946)
 * Benny Goodman and his orchestra (instrumental, with Bunny Berigan trumpet solo) (1935)
 * Benny Goodman and his orchestra (with vocal by Art Lund) (1946)
 * Frank Sinatra (1946)
 * Donald Peers with two pianos. Recorded at Royal Albert Hall, London, on June 13, 1949 as the first song of a medley along with "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" and "If You Were the Only Girl in the World". The medley was released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number B 9792.
 * Art Tatum (1949)
 * Dinah Washington (1954)
 * Mel Torme (1954)
 * Doris Day
 * "Verden Rundt's" All Star Band (A. Skjold (trombone) - K. Bergheim (tenor) - Knut Hyrum (baritone) - I. Børsum (bass), Carsten Klouman (piano) - K. O. Hoff (drums). Recorded in Oslo on March 28, 1955. It was released by A/S Nera on the Musica label as catalog number RA-9009. The B side was "Jumpin' at the Woodside".
 * The McGuire Sisters (1957)
 * Ella Fitzgerald (1958)
 * Della Reese (1960)
 * Freddy Cannon (1960)
 * Jim Reeves (1962)
 * Bobby Darin (1962)
 * Johnny Rivers (1962)
 * Frank Ifield (1964)
 * Lainie Kazan (1966), from her album "Right Now!"
 * Willie Nelson (1978), from his album of standards, ''Stardust
 * Rosemary Clooney
 * Kiri Te Kanawa (1986)
 * Cassandra Wilson (1988)
 * Nancy LaMott (1991)
 * Lyle Lovett (1994)
 * Dr. John (1995) album "Afterglow"
 * Marina Lima (1995)
 * Eva Cassidy (1996)
 * Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (1996)
 * The Swingle Singers (1996)
 * Lea Delaria (1998)
 * Groove Armada (1999), under the title "Inside My Mind (Blue Skies)"
 * Mercury Rev (2001)
 * Fiona Apple and Brad Mehldau (2002) – unreleased, but performed at Club Largo.
 * Brent Spiner (2002), performing as Lt. Cmdr. Data in the movie Star Trek Nemesis.
 * Steve March Tormé "The Essence of Love"
 * Curtis Stigers (2003)
 * Caetano Veloso (2004)
 * Robert Glasper (2004)
 * Debby Boone (2005)
 * Rod Stewart (2005)
 * Lori Cullen (2006)
 * Deborah Cox (2007)
 * Erich Von Kneip (2007)
 * Gloria Gibson (2008)
 * Sarah Davies (2008)
 * Diane Schuur (2008)
 * mote (2009)
 * Phillip Kangari (2008)
 * Hoboken Charter School (2010)
 * Barbara Ireland (2010)
 * Brandi Carlile (2012)

Selected appearances in film

 * The Jazz Singer (1927)
 * Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938)
 * Blue Skies (1946)
 * White Christmas (1954)
 * Glengarry Glen Ross (1994)
 * With Honors (1994)
 * Edge of Seventeen (1998)
 * Patch Adams (1998)
 * Star Trek Nemesis (2002)
 * The Aviator (2004)
 * Hollywoodland (2006)
 * The Good Shepherd (2006)
 * Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
 * Kommissar LaBréa - Tod an der Bastille (2009)