There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder

Last updated

"There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" is a 1928 song sung by Al Jolson in the early Warner Bros. talking picture The Singing Fool the same year. The song, along with "Sonny Boy" and "I'm Sitting on Top of the World", which were also in The Singing Fool, were big hits for Jolson. [1] The song was written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose and Dave Dreyer.

According to John A. Lomax in his "American Ballads and Folk Songs" published in 1934, from the song "Goin' Home". The line "Got a rainbow tied all 'round my shoulder" refers to the "Rainbow" as "the arc of a swinging pick, probably going so fast it becomes red hot." This song is in the section entitled "Songs from Southern Chain Gangs".

The original lyrics and music of the song entered the public domain in the United States in 2024. [2]

Other notable recordings

Related Research Articles

"Back in Your Own Backyard" is a popular song. Officially the credits show it as written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer; in fact, Billy Rose was exclusively a lyricist, Dreyer a composer, and Al Jolson a performer who was often given credits so he could earn some more money, so the actual apportionment of the credits would be likely to be music by Dreyer, lyrics by Rose, and possibly some small contribution by Jolson.

"Thinking of You" is a popular song, composed by Harry Ruby with lyrics by Bert Kalmar. It was introduced in the Broadway show, The Five O'Clock Girl (1927) when it was sung by Mary Eaton and Oscar Shaw.

"A Hundred Years from Today" is a popular song published in 1933 with music by Victor Young and lyrics by Ned Washington and Joe Young. The song was included in the London production of Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1934.

"Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" is a popular song published in 1929. The music was written by Joe Burke and the lyrics by Al Dubin for the 1929 musical film Gold Diggers of Broadway when it was sung by Nick Lucas. Gold Diggers of Broadway is a partially lost film, and the scene featuring the song is one of the only surviving scenes of the movie.

"The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)" is a popular song composed by Isham Jones with lyrics by Gus Kahn. The song was recorded by Isham Jones' Orchestra on December 21, 1923, at Brunswick Studios in New York City, and published on January 7, 1924. On January 17 in Chicago, Jones recorded another version, with Al Jolson on lead vocals. Both versions made the charts that Spring, with Jolson's peaking at number 2, and Jones' at number 5. Sophie Tucker recorded her version February 1924, released on Okeh 40054.

"I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)" is a popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Roy Turk. The song was published in 1928. Versions by Nick Lucas, Aileen Stanley and, most successfully, Ruth Etting, all charted in America in 1929.

"Don't Take Your Love from Me" is a popular song written by Henry Nemo and published in 1941. Mildred Bailey first recorded this song in 1940 before publication. It was introduced that year by singer Joan Brooks.

"I Had the Craziest Dream" is a popular song which was published in 1942. The music was written by Harry Warren, the lyrics by Mack Gordon.

"I May Be Wrong " is a popular song. The music was written by Henry Sullivan, the lyrics by Harry Ruskin. The song was published in 1929 and it was included in the musical revue Murray Anderson's Almanac which ran for 69 performances at Erlanger's Theatre on Broadway in 1929. It is said that the song was written on-demand for John Murray Anderson.

"Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon, and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea" is a popular song. The music was written by Jule Styne, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song was published in 1947, and was further popularized in the 1948 movie Romance on the High Seas, where it was sung by Doris Day accompanied by the Page Cavanaugh Trio. The lyrics deal with a person who is through with love and therefore metaphorically wants to throw everything away in a box into the sea.

"When You're Smiling" is a popular song written by Larry Shay, Mark Fisher and Joe Goodwin. First published in 1928, it bears resemblance to the Spanish Canción "Amapola" by José María Lacalle García. Early popular recordings were by Seger Ellis (1928), Louis Armstrong (1929), and Ted Wallace & His Campus Boys (1930).

"Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" (also known as "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and Dream Your Troubles Away)") is a popular song written by Harry Barris with lyrics by Ted Koehler and Billy Moll, published in 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Loves My Baby</span>

"Everybody Loves My Baby", also known as "Everybody Loves My Baby, but My Baby Don't Love Nobody but Me", is a popular and jazz standard song composed by Spencer Williams in 1924. Lyrics were written by Jack Palmer.

"Flamingo" (1940) is a popular song and jazz standard written by Ted Grouya with lyrics by Edmund Anderson and first recorded by singer Herb Jeffries and the Duke Ellington Orchestra on December 28, 1940, for Victor Records. This briefly reached the Billboard charts in 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runnin' Wild (1922 song)</span> 1922 single by Original Memphis Five

"Runnin' Wild" is a popular song first composed and recorded in 1922, written by Arthur Harrington Gibbs with lyrics by Joe Grey and Leo Wood.

"Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" is a 1944 song performed as a duet by The Ink Spots, featuring Bill Kenny, and Ella Fitzgerald. Their recording was made on August 30, 1944 for Decca Records. The song was written by Allan Roberts (lyrics) and Doris Fisher (melody). The name of the song originates from a quotation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow from the poem "Rainy Day". The song has also been included in the soundtrack for several videogames.

Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)" is a song composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Gus Kahn. It was introduced in 1929 by Ruby Keeler (as Dixie Dugan) in Florenz Ziegfeld's musical Show Girl. The stage performances were accompanied by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. On the show's opening night in Boston on June 25, 1929, Keeler's husband and popular singer Al Jolson suddenly stood up from his seat in the third row and sang a chorus of the song, much to the surprise of the audience and Gershwin himself. Jolson recorded the song a few days later on July 6, 1929, and his rendition rose to number nine on the charts of the day.

"Coquette" is a 1928 fox trot jazz standard. It was composed by Johnny Green and Carmen Lombardo, with lyrics by Gus Kahn. Guy Lombardo had great success with the song in 1928.

"Dear Old Southland" is a 1921 jazz standard. It was composed by Turner Layton, with lyrics by Henry Creamer. It uses basically the same melody as the song Deep River. Popular recordings in 1922 were by Paul Whiteman and by Vernon Dalhart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someone Else May Be There While I'm Gone</span> Song

"Someone Else May Be There While I'm Gone" is a World War I era song written by Irving Berlin and published as sheet music in 1917. The song, recorded by Al Jolson for Columbia Records on September 19, 1916 was very popular that year. Jolson recorded it again for Decca Records on December 5, 1947.

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 . Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p.  235. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  2. "Public Domain Day 2024 | Duke University School of Law". web.law.duke.edu.
  3. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  4. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  5. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  6. "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  7. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1979. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  8. "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.