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{{Short description|1925 song written and composed by Irving Berlin}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2012}}
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox song
| name = Always
| name = Always
| cover =
| cover = File:Always (1925) sheet music.pdf
| caption = Sheet music, 1925
| alt =
| alt =
| type =
| type =
| written = 1925
| written = 1925
| genre = [[Pop music|Pop]]<ref name="Stanley 2022">{{cite book|first= Bob |last= Stanley |year= 2022 |title= Let's Do It - The Birth of Pop Music: A History|chapter= Doing What Comes Naturally: Irving Berlin|publisher= Pegasus Books|location= New York|page= 47}}</ref>
| published =
| published =
| writer = [[Irving Berlin]]
| writer = [[Irving Berlin]]
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| lyricist =
| lyricist =
}}
}}
"'''Always'''" is a popular song written by [[Irving Berlin]] in 1925, as a wedding gift for his wife Ellin McKay, whom he married in 1926, and to whom he presented the substantial [[royalties]]. Although legend (and [[Groucho Marx]]) claims Berlin wrote the song "Always" for ''[[The Cocoanuts]]'', he never meant for the song to be included in that musical, and it wasn't.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bader|first=Robert S.|title=Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage |date=2016|publisher=Northwestern University Press|location=Evanston, IL|page=309|isbn=9780810134164}}</ref>
"'''Always'''" is a popular song written by [[Irving Berlin]] in 1925, as a wedding gift for his wife [[Ellin Mackay]], whom he married in 1926, and to whom he presented the substantial [[royalties]].


==Background==
== Notable recordings ==
Although legend (and [[Groucho Marx]]) claimed Berlin wrote the song "Always" for ''[[The Cocoanuts (musical)|The Cocoanuts]]'', he never meant the song to be included in that musical, and it was not.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bader|first=Robert S.|title=Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage |date=2016|publisher=Northwestern University Press|location=Evanston, IL|page=309|isbn=9780810134164}}</ref> Thematically, it serves as a sequel to Berlin's earlier song "[[When I Lost You]]," which pertained to the death of his first wife Dorothy.
* [[Henry Burr]] on February 10, 1926, and released on Victor 19959.
* [[Nick Lucas]] on February 13, 1926, and released on Brunswick 3088
* [[George Olsen]] & his Music (vocal by trio Edward Joyce, Fran Frey & Bob Rice) on February 16, 1926, and released on Victor 19955.
* Jesse Crawford (organist) on February 25, 1926, and released on Victor 20000
* [[Layton & Johnstone]] released on Columbia UK 4017 in Sep 1926.
* [[Deanna Durbin]] on December 15, 1944, and released on Decca 23397. Deanna performed the song in the 1944 film [[Christmas Holiday]].
* [[Guy Lombardo]] & his Royal Canadians (with vocal by [[Kenny Gardner]]) on January 3, 1947, and released on Decca 23817
* [[Frank Sinatra]] (with orchestra directed by [[Axel Stordahl]]) on January 9, 1947, and released on Columbia 38686, and he also recorded the song for his 1961 album ''[[Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!]]''.
* Tore Faye's Quartet (Victor Molvik, piano – Ole K. Salater, bass – Finn R. Slåtten, bass – Tore Faye, clarinet) in Oslo on December 6, 1954, and released on HMV A.L. 3488.
* [[Hank Garland]] on the album ''Jazz Winds From a New Direction'' in 1960
* [[Bing Crosby]] included the song in a medley on his album ''[[On the Sentimental Side]]'' (1962) and he also recorded the song for his 1965 album ''[[Bing Crosby's Treasury – The Songs I Love]]''
* [[Patsy Cline]] on February 5, 1963, and released posthumously on the Decca album ''[[A Portrait of Patsy Cline]]'' in 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patsified.com/decca.html|title=Patsy Cline's Recording Sessions – The Decca Years|first=William L.|last=Cox|website=Patsified.com|accessdate=8 August 2019}}</ref>
* [[Harry Nilsson]] included it on his 1973 album ''[[A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night]]'' which was arranged and conducted by [[Gordon Jenkins]] and produced by [[Derek Taylor]]. It was released on the [[RCA Victor]] label.
* [[Peggy Lee]] on July 17, 1974, and released on Atlantic 3915
* [[Barbara Cartland]] in 1978 with the [[Mike Sammes Singers]] and the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]] on ''An Album of Love Songs'' State Records, ETAT 22.


The song entered into the public domain on January 1, 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/01/951171599/party-like-its-1925-on-public-domain-day-gatsby-and-dalloway-are-in|title=Party Like It's 1925 On Public Domain Day (Gatsby And Dalloway Are In)|work=NPR|date=1 January 2021}}</ref>
Hit versions have also been recorded by such diverse artists as [[Benny Goodman]], [[Charlie Barnet]], [[Tony Bennett]], [[Patsy Cline]], [[Billie Holiday]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Bill Evans]], [[Billy Corgan]], [[Leonard Cohen]], [[Phil Collins]], [[Machito]] and [[The Ink Spots]]. [[Billy Eckstine]] and [[Sarah Vaughan]] also recorded it as a duet. Bandleader Sammy Kaye recorded it twice, in 1945 with singer Arthur Wright (hit single), and as part of a 1949 LP with singer Tony Alamo. [[Diana Ross & The Supremes]] performed a Motown-styled version of the song in a tribute to Irving Berlin on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''. [[Lynda Carter]] would close her TV specials with the song. [[Mandy Patinkin]] sang the song to his character Rube's daughter in the TV series ''[[Dead Like Me]]''. [[Paul McCartney]] recorded it for his 2012 album ''[[Kisses on the Bottom]]''.<ref name=BillCoverStory>{{cite web|last=Waddell |first=Ray |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/506233/paul-mccartney-the-billboard-cover-story |title=Paul McCartney: The Billboard Cover Story |work=Billboard |page=1 |date=10 February 2012 |accessdate=26 December 2012}}</ref>


==[[Lyrics]]==
In 1928, this song was featured multiple times in the Universal partial talkie feature ''[[Lonesome (film)|Lonesome]]''. This love story is about 2 strangers who meet one day on Coney Island. He plays a 78 rpm disk in his apartment and she also thinks of the song on her own. There is an on screen display of lines of the melody, accompanied by the lyrics. ''[[Lonesome (film)|Lonesome]]'', directed by [[Paul Fejos]].<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019109/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1928)]</ref>
[[File:Always by Irving Berlin in Lonesome (1928).webm|thumb|right|The song featured at the end of [[Lonesome (1928 film)|''Lonesome'']] (1928)]]
In 1942 it was used as the theme music for the film ''[[The Pride of the Yankees]]''. It was also used in the 1945 film ''[[Blithe Spirit (1945 film)|Blithe Spirit]]'', based on the [[Noël Coward]] play.<ref>{{IMDb title|38363|Blithe Spirit (1945)}}</ref>
<poem>
Everything went wrong,
And the whole day long
I'd feel so blue.
For the longest while
I'd forget to smile,
Then I met you.
Now that my blue days have passed,
Now that I've found you at last -

I'll be loving you Always
With a love that's true Always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand
Always.
Always.

Days may not be fair Always,
That's when I'll be there Always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But Always.
</poem><ref name=":0" />

==Popular culture==
*The song is an important plot element in [[Noël Coward]]'s play ''[[Blithe Spirit (play)|Blithe Spirit]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2004/legit/reviews/blithe-spirit-6-1200529325/|title=Blithe Spirit|last=Wolf|first=Matt|date=28 March 2004|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref>
*It also features in the 1944 film ''[[Christmas Holiday]]'', in which it is sung by [[Deanna Durbin]].
*The song is featured in the 1942 [[Lou Gehrig]] biopic ''[[The Pride of the Yankees]]'', starring [[Gary Cooper]] and [[Teresa Wright]]. During a nightclub scene, it's played by [[Ray Noble]] and His Orchestra and sung by Bettye Avery.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Always by Irving Berlin |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/irving-berlin/always}}</ref>
*An instrumental version of the song is used as a frequent background theme for episodes of [[Jackie Gleason]]'s TV series, ''[[The Honeymooners]]'' (1955-56).
*In the 1980 "Father and Daughter Night" episode of ''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]'', Stephanie, Archie, and Murray perform the song.<ref>{{Citation |last=Martin |first=Dick |title=Father and Daughter Night |date=1980-02-17 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870249/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |series=Archie Bunker's Place |others=Carroll O&apos;Connor, Martin Balsam, Danielle Brisebois}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:1925 songs]]
[[Category:1925 songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Irving Berlin]]
[[Category:Songs written by Irving Berlin]]
[[Category:Frank Sinatra songs]]
[[Category:Patsy Cline songs]]
[[Category:Liza Minnelli songs]]
[[Category:Paul McCartney songs]]
[[Category:Guy Lombardo songs]]
[[Category:Pop standards]]
[[Category:Pop standards]]

Latest revision as of 15:14, 2 July 2024

"Always"
Sheet music, 1925
Song
Written1925
GenrePop[1]
Songwriter(s)Irving Berlin

"Always" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1925, as a wedding gift for his wife Ellin Mackay, whom he married in 1926, and to whom he presented the substantial royalties.

Background

[edit]

Although legend (and Groucho Marx) claimed Berlin wrote the song "Always" for The Cocoanuts, he never meant the song to be included in that musical, and it was not.[2] Thematically, it serves as a sequel to Berlin's earlier song "When I Lost You," which pertained to the death of his first wife Dorothy.

The song entered into the public domain on January 1, 2021.[3]

Lyrics

[edit]
The song featured at the end of Lonesome (1928)

Everything went wrong,
And the whole day long
I'd feel so blue.
For the longest while
I'd forget to smile,
Then I met you.
Now that my blue days have passed,
Now that I've found you at last -

I'll be loving you Always
With a love that's true Always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand
Always.
Always.

Days may not be fair Always,
That's when I'll be there Always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But Always.

[4]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Stanley, Bob (2022). "Doing What Comes Naturally: Irving Berlin". Let's Do It - The Birth of Pop Music: A History. New York: Pegasus Books. p. 47.
  2. ^ Bader, Robert S. (2016). Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press. p. 309. ISBN 9780810134164.
  3. ^ "Party Like It's 1925 On Public Domain Day (Gatsby And Dalloway Are In)". NPR. 1 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Always by Irving Berlin".
  5. ^ Wolf, Matt (28 March 2004). "Blithe Spirit". Variety. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  6. ^ Martin, Dick (1980-02-17), Father and Daughter Night, Archie Bunker's Place, Carroll O'Connor, Martin Balsam, Danielle Brisebois, retrieved 2023-12-14
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