Tunes on Tuesday: It Might As Well Be Spring

Why this tune?

As the weather gets colder in DC, I turned to an American classic about spring by Rodgers and Hammerstein, written for the 1945 film “State Fair.” “It Might As Well Be Spring” is not really about spring as a season, but as a metaphor for joy and new beginnings. There
are many other songs with a similar theme. “You Must Believe In Spring” by Michel
Legrand with words by Alan & Marilyn Bergman is a fine example.

Oscar Hammerstein’s lyric tells a wistful story of a young woman feeling “starry-eyed and vaguely discontented,” restless to be somewhere else. Richard Rodgers’ music works with or
without the words, and at any tempo: fast as he intended, or slow as appeared in the film. I think the lyric works at any tempo as well: The singer feels “so gay, In a melancholy way,”
which leaves plenty of room for interpretation.

I played it as a ballad this time, adding some extra tension in the opening bars.

Tunes On Tuesday Reel

Check it out!

Complete track

Lauren Henderson with Glenn Zaleski

Bill Evans