Jeepers Creepers (song)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jeepers Creepers (expression of astonishment, English corruption of the expression Jesus Christ! ) Is a song that was written by Harry Warren for the American musical comedy Going Places from 1938 . The lyrics of the song are from Johnny Mercer . The song was initially recorded for the film by Louis Armstrong ; it hit the US charts in February 1939 (# 12) in Armstrong's record version. It has been covered by many other artists and has become a jazz standard . The song was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Song in 1939 .

background

The song is used in the film Going Places by the horse trainer Gabe, played by Louis Armstrong, to make a wild horse of the same name manageable. The horse instructor reportedly composed the song specifically for the horse.

While preparing to write the lyrics, Mercer heard Henry Fonda shout "Jeepers Creepers"; For him that was the starting point for the rest of the text, a praise for the eyes of loved ones.

It was Harry Warren's second Academy Award nomination, after winning the Academy Award for Lullaby of Broadway , and Mercer's first. The song was also used in the version by Paul Whiteman and his Swing Wing for the 2001 horror film Jeepers Creepers of the same name .

Cover versions

The song was covered many times, for example by Al Donahue , who entered the charts with it like Larry Clinton in 1938: Donahue's interpretation stayed at number 1 on the Billboard Pop Charts for 13 weeks. This was followed by Billie Holiday , Bing Crosby , Dave Brubeck , Frank Sinatra and Les McCann . Tom Lord lists 307 versions in the field of jazz alone.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jeepers Creepers, at urbandictionary.com. Retrieved December 28, 2013 .
  2. ^ Gerhard Klußmeier : Jazz in the Charts. Another view on jazz history. Liner notes and booklet for the 100 CD edition. Membrane International GmbH. ISBN 978-3-86735-062-4
  3. ^ Songs by Johnny Mercer, at Hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 28, 2013 .
  4. ↑ Entry at jazzstandards.com
  5. ^ The 11th Academy Awards (1939) Nominees and Winners, at Oscars.org. Retrieved December 28, 2013 .
  6. ↑ Philip Furia, Michael L. Lasser America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs for Broadway, Hollywood, and and Tin Pan Alley Taylor & Francis 2006, p. 152
  7. ↑ Jeepers Creepers Soundtrack, at imdb.com. Retrieved December 28, 2013 .
  8. ↑ Charts 1938
  9. ↑ Billie Holiday - Jeepers Creepers, at Hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 2, 2013 .
  10. ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, accessed December 28, 2013)