Willow Weep for Me

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Willow Weep for Me is the title of a ballad composed by Ann Ronell (music and text) in the swing rhythm of the Tin Pan Alley era from 1932. It developed into a jazz standard and evergreen .

History of origin

After Ann Ronell was allowed to interview her role model George Gershwin for the school newspaper of her famous Radcliffe College , he found her a job as a pianist on Broadway after finishing school in 1927 . Inspired by giant willow trees on the campus of her former school, she wrote the song Willow Weep for Me and brought him to the music publisher of Irving Berlin .

Ronell believed that songs should focus on the simple and nice little things in life. The poetic text lives from alliterations like “Willow” and “Weep” and “bend your branches”. No direct rhyme forms were used, but indirect ones. Willow Weep for Me is a 32- bar ballad in the song form AABA, which was originally written in G major (with changes to C major ). The B part has a minor character. The lamentation produced in the well-crafted song remains vague, however. The sung willow should weep for the singer and whisper in the wind and remember the past dreams of love. The dream of a lovely summer is over.

Ted Fiorito - Willow Weep for Me

Irving Berlin's music publishing partner Saul Bornstein was critical because of the conspicuous orientation towards Gershwin and the complex rhythm changes. But when Berlin heard the song himself, he was enthusiastic and passed it on to Ted Fiorito.

Publication and Success

Ted Fiorito recorded the single Willow Weep for Me / More Beautiful Than Ever ( Brunswick Records 6422) on October 1, 1932 with singer Muzzy Marcellino in San Francisco and reached 17th place on the US pop hit parade after its release in December 1932 .

Cover versions

Cab Calloway - Willow Weep for Me

With at least 185 versions, Willow Weep for Me is a much covered song. The first and most successful cover version comes from Paul Whiteman with singer Irene Taylor (November 17, 1932; Victor 24187), who also came onto the market in December 1932 and advanced to second place. It had already found its way to England on January 24, 1933, where it was recorded by Bert Ambrose & His Orchestra (with singer Sam Browne). Cab Calloway came on the market with its recording (January 16, 1941) in February 1941. Stan Kenton's version (July 25, 1946) helped the title establish itself as the jazz standard. Art Tatum presented it during its live performance on April 2, 1949 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles . The ballad was also sung in the Marx Brothers film Love Happy (US premiere on October 12, 1949), for which Ann Ronell had written the music. Arnett Cobb brought out another jazz version (January 19, 1951). Billie Holiday sang the first of at least 13 versions on September 3, 1954 (LP Lady Sings the Blues with Barney Kessel , guitar). Other versions were made at the Newport Jazz Festival (July 6, 1957) and the Monterey Jazz Festival (October 5, 1958). Even Ella Fitzgerald sang it during the Newport Jazz Festival (July 6, 1957). On July 23, 1957, the song was also recorded by Louis Armstrong (with the trio of Oscar Peterson ). In the same year Sarah Vaughan recorded the ballad live (August 1957), the following year Frank Sinatra (LP Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely ; May 19, 1958).

But not only in jazz, but also across styles, it has been adopted in other music genres. Ray Charles recorded the title with David Fathead Newman (November 5, 1958), followed by Lou Rawls (January 1962) and Sam Cooke (LP Mr. Soul ; February 1963). There was a folk music version by the British duo Chad & Jeremy (September 1964), which put the song on the charts again (15th place in the USA). Versions of the Lettermen (March 1965) and the Alan Price Set (November 1966) also appeared. Other versions are from Booker T. & the MG's (October 1968) and James Brown (May 1969).

Early instrumental versions of the title come from jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams (accompanied by only one bass; March 18, 1949), Kenny Clarke ( Bohemia After Dark , June 28, 1955) and the Modern Jazz Quartet ( Fontessa ; January 22, 1956). This was followed by Gene Harris with his Three Sounds (16 September 1958), but also in a quartet with Stanley Turrentine . Oscar Peterson took Willow Weep for Me as the starting point for (only subtly accompanied) solos on the double bass . Wes Montgomery recorded it live in the "Half Note" club in New York on June 25, 1965, a studio version was made 2 years later on June 26, 1967. The live title was only released on the posthumously released Montgomery LP Willow Weep for Me (September 1969); it received the Grammy Award for best jazz album. Dexter Gordon (Paris; May 23, 1963) and Stéphane Grappelli / Barney Kessel ( Limehouse Blues ; Paris, June 23 and 24, 1969) were other performers.

In the movie In the Line of Fire - The Second Chance (German premiere on October 28, 1993), Clint Eastwood plays an aged bodyguard who sits down at the piano in one scene and plays Willow Weep for Me to relax .

Similar songs

On March 19, 1939, the Count Basie Orchestra first recorded for Columbia Records . The piece Taxi War Dance was also recorded, with Count Basie being given as the author; however, it is built on the harmonies of "Willow Weep for Me" . Even Paul Bley plays own pieces based on Ronells composition.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b song portrait (jazzstandards.com)
  2. ↑ Tighe E. Simmers, Tin Pan Alley Girl: A Biography of Ann Ronell 2009, pp. 19 ff.
  3. ^ Allen Forte, The American Popular Ballad of the Golden Era , 1995, p. 319
  4. ↑ on the piano, the right and left hands must play different tempos
  5. ↑ Ted Giola, The Jazz Standards , 2012, pp. 460 f.
  6. ↑ Ted Giola, The Jazz Standards , 2012 p. 461
  7. ↑ Hans-Jürgen Schaal, Jazz-Standards , 2001, p. 548
  8. ↑ H.-J. Schaal Jazz-Standards , p. 547