Fitzgerald has forever been associated with Summertime, one of the most popular songs from Porgy and Bess, even though it wasn’t written for her. There have been an estimated 25,000 versions of the opera’s opening aria, making it the most covered song in the world since Gershwin wrote it in 1934.
Where did the song Summertime originate?
Written in 1934, ‘Summertime’ was one of the first compositions George Gershwin worked on for his brand-new opera Porgy and Bess. The jazz-inspired song is a lullaby for Clara to sing to her child, and it is reprised several more times throughout the opera.
How many versions of Summertime are there?
Summertime might be one of the most covered songs in history. Recorded at least 25,000 different times, per the New York Times, it’s a beautiful tune, written, of course, by Gershwin for Porgy And Bess.
What song did Will Smith sample in Summertime?
The song’s instrumentation samples “Summer Madness” by Kool & the Gang, particularly the rising F# octaves played on an ARP 2600 synthesizer.
What is George Gershwin’s most famous song?
Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
At 25, Gershwin wrote what is arguably his most famous work: Rhapsody in Blue.
How many times has Summertime been covered?
George Gershwin’s (USA) jazz standard “Summertime” (lyrics by DuBose Heyward), recorded by US soprano Helen Jepson (1904–97) for Gershwin’s 1935 opera Porgy and Bess, has been covered 214 times, according to WhoSampled.com.
What is the overall texture of Summertime?
The texture of the piece is melody dominated homophony, with some variation added in the second verse by the introduction of the choir, and a counter-melody on the violin.
Is Summertime by Sublime a cover?
Composition. “Doin’ Time” samples “Summertime” by George Gershwin, composed for the opera Porgy and Bess. The track heavily samples a cover of “Summertime” by jazz flautist Herbie Mann, a live bossa nova version from his album Herbie Mann at the Village Gate.
What’s the story behind Porgy and Bess?
What is the Story of Porgy and Bess? Set in the 1930s in an African-American Charleston neighborhood known as Catfish Row, Porgy and Bess centers on the tragic love story of the cripple beggar Porgy and beautiful Bess, who longs to turn away from her former life as a prostitute and cocaine addict.
Why is it called Rhapsody in Blue?
The name of the piece, too, was originally An American Rhapsody; Rhapsody in Blue was suggested by George’s brother, Ira, who as George’s lyricist always had a way of finding words that went with his brother’s music.
Where was Summertime written?
The work was radical in various ways: Gershwin wanted to create an opera in the European tradition, but to borrow from African-American blues, jazz and spirituals, as well as from the life and language of black people in South Carolina.
