“Summertime” by George Gershwin
We’re in the middle of summer and it has brought to mind (made me remember) the song “Summertime.” This is a song that was part of a well-known musical (show or movies with singing) called Porgy and Bess, and was written in 1935 by the famous composer (someone who writes music) George Gershwin. This song is now a standard, which is song that most people recognize and is played and performed a lot.
George Gershwin wrote this song to sound like a spiritual. A spiritual is a style of song that was originally developed by African American slaves (people owned by other people and forced to work without pay) to express religious feelings and later, as a part of their protest (expressing disagreement) against slavery. Today, you’ll hear spirituals in churches and other places of religious worship.
This version of “Summertime” is performed by two jazz legends (extremely famous people): Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
~ Lucy
“Summertime”
written by George Gershwin
performed by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
Summertime,
And the living is easy
Fish are jumping
And the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy’s rich
And your ma’s good looking
So hush (be quiet) little baby
Don’t you cry
One of these mornings
You’re going to rise up (to wake up in the morning) singing
Yes, you’ll spread (open to its fullest) your wings
And you’ll take to (go to) the sky
But (un)til that morning
There’s nothing can harm (hurt) you
Yes, with daddy and mommy standing by (nearby and watching or waiting)
Summertime,
And the living is easy
Fish are jumping
And the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy’s rich
And your ma is good looking
So hush little baby
Baby, don’t you cry
Reader comments (10)
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I will listen this video after work. “Summertime” reminds me another popular song named “Summerbreeze”. Enjoy your summer, Lucy~
Thanks to you for the Gershwin lullaby.
It is very enjoyable.
Nice song. Thks
I have no words to describe this song and the feelings that are taken up when I am listening it. I was so young first time I listen it and I was concious that it was a masterpice
of music.
Yes, I have seen Porgy and Best in the Teatro de la Opera of Madrid, the first year it was inagurated, and it was perfomaced by a very good company from USA that was incredible.
Also the picture was great, it was made several years ago. Great music, great feelings, so good fun. I like it very much, and I like all George Gershwin music, I think he is one of the best compositors of last century.
Thank you Lucy, good choice as ever.
The version I know is the one performed by Janis Joplin, so I was expecting a sentence like “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Don’t you cry, Cry.”
Thanks
Listening Ella Fitzgerald makes you feel that singing is easy. She had a special gift for singing.
Listening a Gershwin music played by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong is a God blessing.
I have just heared this song sung by Ela and Louis. This is the best exemple that the word “synergy” means. In my view this song is wonderful by itself but sung by either of them becomes in amazing, and sung by the two together is a divine thing. I haven’t seen the movie, but you can be sure that I’ll see it very soon. I’ve found in the internet that the movie is starring by Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandright and Samy Davis Jr, amongst many others. Thanks Lucy for this moment that you have made me remember others times in my life many years ago. Not happier, but younger.
In my previus message I forgot to mention the title of movie. It is “Porgy and Bess”, of course.
this song remind me a famous movie named”purple” 🙂 nice movie nice song