Why this tune?
We’re marking the birthday (Nov. 22) of the great American composer Hoagy Carmichael with one of his most famous songs. His melody for “Skylark” was based on a solo by his friend Bix Beiderbecke, an early jazz cornet player who encouraged Hoagy in his musical career. The harmony takes some unexpected harmonic turns, especially in the bridge. Johnny Mercer added an eloquent lyric to complement this musical journey, a call to the skylark to lead the singer to the love they yearn for.
Since its release in 1942 the song has remained popular as a jazz standard and pop classic, with over 700 recordings by artists from many genres, including Bette Midler, k.d. lang, Boz Scaggs, and Aretha Franklin. Carmichael’s own recording of the song is worth a listen. His interpretation is more upbeat than the slow ballad you hear in many other vocal (and instrumental) recordings.
I pulled out the melodica for my version, which I thought would help create a more “vocal” reading of Carmichael’s melody, with Mercer’s lyrics in mind.
Hear my version
Tunes On Tuesday Reel
Check out these recordings
The composer sings his own song
The great Dianne Reeves
A swinging take from Paul Desmond
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and composer 