Blue Skies

The next song I'd like to show you is "Blue Skies", a 1926 composing by Irving Berlin, made as an addition for the not very successfull Rodgers&Heart Musical "Betsy".



It was an immediate hit, and the recording of Ben Selvin & his Knickerbockers of 1927 was a #1 in the US:





From the same year is this obsure version by Josephine Baker, showing her lack of talent once again:





After some quiet years in the early 30s, Benny Goodman bought Fletcher Hendersons songbook and waxed this marvelous arrangement in 1935, which couldn't be reached by his mid 40s version featuring Art Lund by far:





In between, the song also often was played in a less uptempo style, like in this version from 37 by Maxine Sullivan, featuring Frank Newton on trumpet:





Also the Western Swing Scene discovered it in the late 30s, being a #1 hit for Moon Mullican. But here is the incredible version by Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys, which I think is one of the best of all times!





The best known version - besides the Glenn Miller arrangement - was recorded in 1940 by Tommy Dorsey, featuring the young Frank Sinatra on vocals:





In 1946, even a movie was named after it, with already aged crooner Bing Crosby singing the title theme:



Over the years, many, many artists recorded "Blue Skies", all Big Bands had it in their repertoire, and most of the retro recordings of the Great American Songbook since the 80s by Pop or Rock artists showed this title on the cover. So you would scroll this post for hours to listen to all I have and even longer for all ever recorded.



The last time, when "Blue Skies" hitted the Charts was in 1978, when Willie Nelson had with this Live-recording a #1 in the Country charts:





The last mentionable version I know is Lyle Lovetts smooth one of 1994:



Enjoy!