Song 111 - The Continental - Con Conrad and Herb Magidson

We've reached February and whilst the latest storm is hitting the UK, Jules's jukebox is turning its attention to the Oscars and for the next month will feature a selection of winners of the Best Original Song Category. I know that this year's Oscars have already created much debate over diversity in the choice of nomination, but this blog will stay away from politics and concentrate on the wonderful songs that have won Oscars over the years. For those who are following the Jukebox creation, you will already know that I have added a few Oscar winning songs to the Jukebox already as the relationship between score and screen is an important one for me in the journey of appreciating music.

To kick off the Oscar appreciation month of music; I am going to go back to the very beginning, which sounds like a line from Do-re-me, but I promise you it isn't. The first Oscar for best original song was given to The Continental, in 1934 taken from the film The Gay Divorcee. Written by Con Conrad and Herb Magidson, the song was introduced and sung by the lovely Ginger Rogers, Erik Rhodes and Lillian Miles; and also featured as a 20 minutes dance section between Ginger and Fred Astaire near the end of the film.

The film itself was up for best picture in the same year and is based on a 1932 musical called Gay Divorce by Dwight Taylor. Rogers plays Mini Glossop who is seeking a divorce from her husband who she hasn't seen in a number of years.  It was the 10th picture that Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger had performed in together.

To hear the timeless Ginger Roger
The Continental, sung by Ginger Roger

To watch the best dancers ever
Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger dance The Continental

Oscar for Best Song: 1934
Song title: The Continental
Written by Con Conrad and Herb Magidson

Song 106 - Over the rainbow - Judy Garland

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Over the rainbow needs very little introduction. Written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburgh, it was written for the file The Wizard of Oz and has become one of the most iconic songs of all time. Though many artist had sung it; this song belongs to wonderful Judy Garland, who sang it in the Wizard of Oz right after Toto is condemned by the town spinster, Miss Gluch and she is told by Aunty Em to find a place where you won't get into any trouble. The only place Dorothy can think that matches this is somewhere far, far way, behind the moon, beyond the rain... Somewhere over the rainbow.

Over the rainbow became Judy Garland's signature tune, she was only 17 when the film was release and won her the Juvenile Oscar in 1940 and her song won the Oscar for  best original song in the same year. Performing it for the next 30 years of her life, Garland never changed the arrangements of the song and always performed it like she performed it for the film.  In a letter to Harold Arlen, Garland wrote: Over the rainbow has become part of my life. It's so symbolic of everybody's dreams and wishes that I'm sure that's why some people get tears in their eyes when they hear it. I've sung it thousands of times and it's still the song that's closest to my heart.  I really don't have to say anything more but perhaps a little fact that it was until 1956 that MGM released the Wizard of Oz soundtrack and the original version of Over the rainbow was available.

Without argument, Judy Garland's recording is the best, however there has been many covers of the songs by an array of different artists due to the universal message of hope and following your dreams. One of the most noticed covers in recent times and a version that I have fallen in love with is Irasel Kamakawiwo'ole's, which was released in 2004 as a single. Using the ukulele as the accompanying instrument, which gives the song a reggae chilled out feel to this version that works. Kamakawiwo'ole's version has gone on to sell over 4 million of digital sales (up until 2014) something unfortunately Irasel didn't see how successful his version has been, as he died in 1997. For me, I remember the song being used in the series of ER when they killed off Dr. Mark Green. I wept buckets but found this version of the song.

To hear Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz:
Somewhere over the rainbow - Judy Garland as Dorothy

To hear Irasel Kamakawiwo'ole's version:
Somewhere over the rainbow - Irasel Kamakawiwo'ole

Written by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburgh
Performed by Judy Garland as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, released 1939.
Album: The Wizard of Oz, released 1956.