For an ode to innocence and domestic bliss, the story of “Tea For Two” surprisingly leads us to financial embezzlement, the Manson murders, a dilapidated East Hampton mansion, and heroin addiction.

But no dramatic life event should overshadow the talent and spirit of vocalists Doris Day, Anita O’Day, and Edith Beale; each woman brought something unique to “Tea For Two.” And in telling the story of the song, we are treated to the insights of legendary Nashville jazz pianist Beegie Adair.

Sources:
“Tea For Two,” Marion Harris, 1924
“Let Me Off Uptown,” the Gene Krupa Band with Anita O’Day and Roy Eldridge, 1942
“Tea For Two,” Duke Ellington, 1943
“Tea For Two,” the Gene Krupa Band with Anita O’Day, 1946
“It’s A Great Feeling,” Doris Day, 1949
“Tea For Two,” Doris Day, 1950
“Have You Met Miss Jones,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1956
“Let’s Face The Music and Dance,” Anita O’Day, 1956
“Tea For Two,” Anita O’Day, 1958
“Tea For Two (live at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival),” Anita O’Day, 1958
“Pillow Talk,” Doris Day, 1959
“The Way You Look Tonight,” Anita O’Day, 1959
“Have You Met Miss Jones,” Anita O’Day, 1960
“The Way You Look Tonight,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1963
“God Only Knows (instrumental),” The Beach Boys, 1966
“Tea For Two,” Edith Beale from the film Grey Gardens, 1975
“Tea For Two,” Beegie Adair and Jack Jezzro, 2010

Dick Cavett, March 1979
The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder, January 1980
60 Minutes, June 1980
Fresh Air with Terry Gross, 1987

“Anita O’Day: Yesterday and O’Day,’ Lara Pellegrinelli Jazz Times April 25, 2019
Singing Jazz: The Singers and Their Styles, Bruce Crowther and Mike Pinfold
Heroes and Villians: Essays on Music, David Hajdu
High Times, Hard Times, Anita O’Day
“Doris Day’s Public Image,” Hadley Freeman The Guardian May 14, 2019
The Poets of Tin Pan Alley, Philip Furia

Theme Songs
“Let’s Face The Music And Dance,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
“Let’s Face The Music And Dance,” Nelson Riddle, 1966

For this special holiday episode of Let’s Face The Music, we discover the origin of the happiest sad Christmas song. First introduced by Judy Garland, the song was recorded three times by Frank Sinatra – most shockingly for a war film, soundtracking a brutal execution scene.

Sources:
Chris Willman, “The history of a popular holiday song,” January 8, 2007
Seamus Sweeney, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: The Execution Scene from The Victors,” December 20, 2018

Audio
Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, Fresh Air, NPR 1989
Hugh Martin, Fresh Air, NPR 2006

Judy Garland Lux Radio Theater, December 2, 1946
Judy Garland The Judy Garland Show, December 22, 1963
Frank Sinatra “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1949
Frank Sinatra “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1957
Frank Sinatra “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1963
Dave Brubeck “The Trolley Song,” 1955
Percy Faith, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1966

Theme Songs
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Nelson Riddle, 1966

On this episode of Let’s Face The Music, we hear early versions of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” that left those involved bitter and disappointed. And we find out from Nashville composer and arranger Larissa Maestro how Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong were able to bring new life to the tune, one of the last songs George Gershwin ever wrote.

Sources:
Philip Furia, Ira Gershwin: The Art of the Lyricist, 1996
Charles Waring, “Cheek To Cheek: Celebrating The Perfect Partnership of Ella and Louis,” April 9, 2010
Tad Hershorn, Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice, 2011
Michael Feinstein, The Gershwins And Me, 2012
Tom Maxwell, “The Story of Ella and Louis: 60 Years Later,” Nov 7, 2016

audio:
Fred Astaire “They Can”t Take That Away From Me,” 1937
Fred Astaire “Shall We Dance,” 1937
Shall We Dance excerpts 1937
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong “You Won”t Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart),” 1946
Thelonious Monk “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” 1947
Frank Sinatra “They Can”t Take That Away From Me,” 1954
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong “They Can”t Take That Away From Me,” 1956
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong “Stompin At The Savoy,” 1957
Jimmy Smith “”S Wonderful,” 1957
Art Pepper “Fascinating Rhythm,” 1957
Ella Fitzgerald “The Song Is Ended,” 1958
Ella Fitzgerald “They Can”t Take That Away From Me,” 1959
Oscar Peterson Trio “Easter Parade” 1960

Norman Granz, interview with Binny Lum, 1960
Louis Armstrong, Desert Island Discs, BBC, 1968
Ella Fitzgerald, interview with Bill McNeil, 1971
Michael Feinstein, Broadway or Bust, PBS, 2012

Theme Music:
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Nelson Riddle, 1966

How did experimental saxophonist John Coltrane take a popular song from musical theater and transform it into a work of jazz transcendence that would go on to be a radio hit? More importantly, why did he even try?

On this episode of Let’s Face The Music, we trace the origins of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound Of Music on Broadway to a New York City jazz club then back to The Sound Of Music on the silver screen. Taking us on this journey are pianist Michael Feinstein, Dame Julie Andrews, and Nashville saxophonist Bruce Ervin.

Sources:
Ingrid Monson “Doubleness and Jazz Improvisation: Irony, Parody, and Ethnomusicology,” 1994
Scott Anderson “My Favorite Things,” 1996
Lewis Porter John Coltrane, 1998
Blair Jackson, “Classic Tracks,” 1999
Caryl Flinn The Sound of Music BFI Film Classics, 2015
Tom Santopietro The Sound Of Music Story, 2015
Library of Congress Magazine, May/June 2018

audio:
“Getting To Know You,” Marni Nixon, The King & I, 1956
“My Favorite Things” Percy Faith, 1959
“My Favorite Things” Mary Martin, 1959
Julie Andrews The Garry Moore Show, 1960
“My Favorite Things” John Coltrane, 1960
“Giant Steps,” John Coltrane, 1960
“Naima,” John Coltrane, 1960
“Tonight, Marni Nixon, West Side Story, 1961
Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett, Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, 1962
“My Favorite Things” Jack Jones, 1964
“Show Me,” Audrey Hepburn / Marni Nixon 1964
“Exit Music” My Fair Lady, 1964
“Grand Waltz” and “My Favorite Things” The Sound Of Music, 1965

Oscar Hammerstein interview with Tony Thomas, 1960
Julie Andrews The Dick Cavett Show, 1971
Julie Andrews Michael Parkinson 1974
Michael Feinstein Library Of Congress, 2014
Julie Andrews Home Work, 2019

Theme Music:
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Nelson Riddle, 1966

What inspired a white Jewish schoolteacher to write a song depicting the horror and brutality of lynching in the 1930’s? And why did vocalist Billie Holiday choose such a polarizing song as the final number for so many of her concert appearances?

We will hear a powerful speech by a Vice-Presidential Candidate, memories from the son of the songwriter, and the voice talents of Nashville singer Kyshona Armstrong as we explore the story behind the song “Strange Fruit.”

Sources:
“Strange Fruit,” David Margolick, Vanity Fair, September 1998
“Strange Fruit: The First Great Protest Song,” Dorian Lynsky, The Guardian, February 2011
“Billie Holiday”s Label Wouldn”t Touch Strange Fruit,” Kat Eschner, Smithsonian Magazine, April 2017
“Strange Fruit,” Cary O”Dell, Library of Congress
“Strange Fruit,” Julia Blackburn, Library of Congress

Audio:
“Strange Fruit” Billie Holiday, 1939
“Strange Fruit (live),” Billie Holiday, 1945
“What A Little Moonlight Can Do,” Billie Holiday, 1949
“Apples Peaches & Cherries,” Peggy Lee, 1953
“Strange Fruit,” Billie Holiday, 1956
Strange Fruit, California Newsreel, 2002
Soul Music, BBC, Nov 2013
Democracy Now, January 2017
Loose Women, August 2017
The Life Of A Song, Financial Times, Nov 2017
Angela Davis, May 2019
Kamala Harris, June 2020

Theme Music:
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
“Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Nelson Riddle, 1966