Poinciana (song)

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Poinciana tree Royal Poinciana.jpg
Poinciana tree

"Poinciana" is a song by Nat Simon with English lyrics by Buddy Bernier and Spanish lyrics written in 1936 by Manuel Lliso.

Contents

Background

The song has been identified as a development of a Cuban folk song entitled "La Canción del Árbol", traditional with new lyrics added by Manuel Lliso in 1936, whose title translates as "the song of the tree", the royal poinciana being a favorite Caribbean flowering plant. [1] [2] However, composer Nat Simon would claim the song's tune came to him while he was dining at the famous Italian restaurant, Mamma Leone's, in Manhattan's Theater District, and that he jotted down a rough draft of the melody on the tablecloth which with Leone's permission he took home to work out the completed melody at his piano. Lyrics for the song were completed in about thirty minutes by Buddy Bernier, who cited as his inspiration a postcard of a royal Poinciana tree he had recently received from Florida. [3]

Reportedly "Poinciana" was largely overlooked for several years, being somewhat longer than a typical contemporary song. Orchestra leader Jerry Wald was a rare early aficionado of the song, and Wald's showcasing of "Poinciana" during his 1943 gig at the Hotel New Yorker has been credited with boosting its profile, [4] [5] "Poinciana" being recorded in 1943 by Glenn Miller with his Army Air Force Band, with three 1944 recordings of the song afforded hit status those by Benny Carter and His Orchestra; Bing Crosby (recorded October 1, 1943); [6] [7] and David Rose and His Orchestra. [8]

Notable recordings

Its popularity reinforced by its appearance in the 1952 film Dreamboat , "Poinciana" has become a standard of Latin jazz: the theme song of pianist Ahmad Jamal – whose version, introduced on the 1958 album At the Pershing: But Not for Me , would be showcased on the soundtrack of the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County [9] [10] – the song has also been recorded by Herb Jeffries, Frank Sinatra, George Shearing, Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond, Sonny Rollins, Johnny Mathis, Shelly Manne, Nat King Cole, Vic Damone, Keith Jarrett, Percy Faith, McCoy Tyner, Diane Schuur, Caterina Valente, Robert Goulet, The Four Freshmen, MFSB, The Manhattan Transfer, Steve Lawrence (his inaugural disc and a chart hit with #21 peak), Nick Brignola, Lew Tabackin, Gerry Mulligan with Chet Baker, Cal Tjader, Jerome Richardson, Shelly Manne, Billy Taylor, Booker Ervin, Aaron Goldberg, Gato Barbieri, Elizabeth Shepherd (musician), Gary Burton, Lou Donaldson, Jeff Hamilton Trio and Vulfpeck. [11] In 1978, disco duo Paradise Express recorded a version which made the top 20 on the disco charts. [12] Paquito D'Rivera and Chano Domínguez also recorded the song.

Related Research Articles

"Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" is a popular song with words and music by Anna Sosenko in 1935. Sosenko was the manager of the singer Hildegarde who adopted the song as her theme.

"Lullaby of Broadway" is a popular song with music written by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, published in 1935. The lyrics salute the nightlife of Broadway and its denizens, who "don't sleep tight until the dawn."

"On the Street Where You Live" is a song with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner from the 1956 Broadway musical My Fair Lady. It is sung in the musical by the character Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who was portrayed by John Michael King in the original production. In the 1964 film version, it was sung by Bill Shirley, dubbing for actor Jeremy Brett.

"Skylark" is an American popular song with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Hoagy Carmichael, published in 1941.

"Out of This World" is an American popular song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Johnny Mercer. It was first recorded by Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and his Orchestra in 1944.

<i>Poinciana</i> (Ahmad Jamal album) 1963 studio album by Ahmad Jamal

Poinciana is an album by jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, mostly recorded at the Spotlite Club in Washington, DC in 1958 and originally released in 1963. The title song is probably the 45 rpm studio version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Only a Paper Moon</span> 1933 popular song

"It's Only a Paper Moon" is a popular song published in 1933 with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose.

"You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me" is a 1932 popular song with music by Harry Warren and the lyrics by Al Dubin, which became a standard. The lyrics of the song were noted for its references to addiction.

"It Could Happen to You" is a popular standard with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was written in 1943 and was introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the Paramount musical comedy film And the Angels Sing (1944).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somebody Loves Me</span> 1924 song by George Gershwin

"Somebody Loves Me" is a popular song, with music written by George Gershwin, and lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva. The song was published in 1924 and featured in George White's Scandals of 1924.

"Don't Blame Me" is a popular song with music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was part of the 1932 show Clowns in Clover and was published in 1933. Popular versions that year were recorded by: Ethel Waters, Guy Lombardo, and Charles Agnew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody's Sweetheart Now</span> Song

"Nobody's Sweetheart", also known as "Nobody's Sweetheart Now" and "You're Nobody's Sweetheart Now", is a popular song, written in 1924, with music by Billy Meyers and Elmer Schoebel, and lyrics by Gus Kahn and Ernie Erdman. The song is a jazz and pop standard.

"How Deep Is the Ocean?" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1932. The song was developed from an earlier Berlin song "To My Mammy" which was sung by Al Jolson in his film Mammy (1930). In the earlier song, the lyrics include the questions "How deep is the ocean? / How high is the sky?" and this was the genesis of "How Deep Is the Ocean?".

"What's New?" is a 1939 popular song composed by Bob Haggart, with lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was originally an instrumental tune titled "I'm Free" by Haggart in 1938, when Haggart was a member of Bob Crosby and His Orchestra. The tune was written with a trumpet solo, meant to showcase the talents of band-mate Billy Butterfield. Crosby's orchestra recorded "I'm Free" the same day it was written.

"Indian Summer" is an American standard originally written as a piano piece by the prolific composer Victor Herbert. Al Dubin wrote lyrics for the tune in 1939, twenty years after Herbert wrote the tune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Surrender Dear</span> 1931 song by Harry Barris and Gordon Clifford

"I Surrender Dear" is a song composed by Harry Barris with lyrics by Gordon Clifford, first performed by Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra with Bing Crosby in 1931, which became his first solo hit. This is the song that caught the attention of William Paley, president of CBS, who signed him for $600 a week in the fall of 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margie (song)</span> 1920 single by Original Dixieland Jazz Band

"Margie", also known as "My Little Margie", is a 1920 popular song composed in collaboration by vaudeville performer and pianist Con Conrad and ragtime pianist J. Russel Robinson, a member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Lyrics were written by Benny Davis, a vaudeville performer and songwriter. The song was introduced by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1920 as Victor 78, 18717-A, in a medley paired with "Singin' the Blues". The B side was "Palesteena". The ODJB recorded their instrumental version on December 1, 1920.

"Just You, Just Me" is a song from the 1929 musical film Marianne, composed by Jesse Greer with lyrics by Raymond Klages. It was introduced by Marion Davies and Lawrence Gray. The song has had many revisions after its first appearance and has become a jazz standard, having been recorded instrumentally by Red Norvo, Stan Tracey, Oscar Peterson and Lester Young, Buddy Rich, Artie Shaw, Les Paul, Benny Carter, Buddy Bregman, Tex Beneke, Coleman Hawkins, Harry James, Erroll Garner, Benny Goodman, Earl Hines, Joe Pass, Buddy Tate and Abdullah Ibrahim, Les Brown, Bill Evans, Bill Coleman and Duke Ellington.

"The Moon of Manakoora" is a popular song written by Frank Loesser (lyrics) and Alfred Newman (music) for the 1937 Paramount film The Hurricane starring Dorothy Lamour. Lamour sang the song in the film and also made a commercial recording of it. The song "The Moon of Manakoora" is considered a standard and was Loesser's first success as a lyric writer.

<i>At the Black Hawk 1</i> 1960 live album by Shelly Manne & His Men

At the Black Hawk 1 is a live album by drummer Shelly Manne's group Shelly Manne & His Men, recorded at the Black Hawk in San Francisco, California, in 1959 and released on the Contemporary label. The album was the first volume of four originally released in 1960. In 1991, the albums were re-released on CD with bonus tracks along with a fifth volume of unreleased recordings, and a Complete Live at the Black Hawk box set was released in 2010.

References

  1. Giddins, Gary (2018). Bing Crosby: Swinging on a Star: the war years, 1940-1946. NYC: Little Brown & Co. ISBN   978-0316887922.
  2. Ted Gioia, The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire p. 337 2012 "... 1996 Poinciana Composed by Nat Simon, with lyrics by Buddy Bernier And what exactly, you ask, is a Poinciana? ... They based the song on a Cuban folk tune named "Cancion del Arbol", which translates as—yes, you guessed it!"
  3. Racine Journal-Times 22 March 1944 "'Poinciana' Theme Written on Restaurant Tablecloth" by Jack Gaver p.2
  4. Lincoln Star 8 June 1944 "Corporal Writes Song Hits" by p.7
  5. Billboard vo 56 #28 (8 July 1944) p.4
  6. "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  7. Gilliland, John (January 15, 1972). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #10". UNT Digital Library.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 . Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p.  568. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  9. Garcia, Gilbert (January 14, 1999). "Ahmad's Blues". Phoenix New Times.
  10. Hodgins, Paul (October 16, 2018). "Jazz Great Ahmad Jamal Comes to Orange County". Voice of OC.
  11. Poinciana | Vulfpeck.
  12. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 198.