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“I made two records
of only versions of
Lush Life!
Eventually there will be seven records,
yeah.” |
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- Tony Scott
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In
1933 a teenage Billy Strayhorn started
work on “Lush Life.” He would fine-tune
his composition over the next few
years and in 1938, at the Stanley
Theater in Pittsburgh, Strayhorn
played the piano and sang for
Duke Ellington. Ellington’s
son, Mercer, would later recall
that “Lush Life” and “Something
to Live For” were responsible
for Ellington hiring Strayhorn in
early 1939. It would mark the beginning
of their legendary collaboration.
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In 1939 “Lush Life” could boast
lyrics but no title. Strayhorn frequently
played the song at parties but it
was a pet project and was not intended
for publication. On November 13,
1948, however, Billy Strayhorn (piano)
with vocalist Kay Davis performed
“Lush Life” in the last of seven
Ellington Carnegie Hall concerts.
The difficult-to-find Duke Ellington-Carnegie
Hall, November 13, 1948, released
in 1991 on Vintage Jazz Classics,
contains the first documented performance
of “Lush Life” with Billy Strayhorn
on piano and Kay Davis singing.
Recording by other artists began
soon after that. An initial Nat
“King” Cole B-side, rearranged in
a Latin impressionistic style, infuriated
Strayhorn. To make matters worse,
Cole’s misreading of the lyrics
irked the usually unflappable Strayhorn
and resulted in an angry phone call.
Strayhorn recorded “Lush Life”
on piano without vocal (except for
a wordless chorus behind him) in
1961 (The
Peaceful Side, 1996 Capitol
Records). He recorded solo piano
and vocal in 1965 (Lush
Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn,
1992, Red Baron). Ellington himself
never played “Lush Life.”
Additional reading on Billy Strayhorn
and the origin of “Lush Life” may
be found in David Hajdu’s Strayhorn
biography
Lush Life: A Biography of Billy
Strayhorn.
“Lush Life” was also the title
for a 1993 made-for-TV film starring
Jeff Goldblum, Forest Whitaker,
and Kathy Baker.
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For a teenager living in Pittsburgh, Strayhorn’s
lyrics are remarkably worldly. Their jaded sophistication
and inner rhyming sound a bit like
Cole Porter though they are not considered derivative
and are often praised by both critics and well-known
lyricists.
The musical form of “Lush Life” is quite complex.
The verse takes an A-A-B form, with the A sections
containing seven bars and the B section containing
fourteen. As with
Hoagy Carmichael’s “Star
Dust,” the verse has become an integral part
of the composition. The thirty-two bar refrain usually
plays just a little longer than the verse and has
an A-B-A’-C format.
The years Strayhorn spent fine-tuning his composition
are readily apparent. His meandering melody is intricately
supported by ingenious chord progressions and, in
combination with well-crafted lyrics, creates an
unusual but enduring work of art. For fifteen years
Strayhorn held this project close, not realizing,
and perhaps not wishing, that “Lush Life” would
become one of the top jazz standards of all time.
-JW
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Musical analysis of
“Lush Life”
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| Original
Key |
Db major.
Brief false key changes to Ab major and
D in mm.30-33; otherwise, it does not stray
far from the original tonic. |
| Form |
A – A – B
– C1 – C2
(C1 and C2 designate the refrain) |
| Tonality |
Primarily
major |
| Movement |
Primarily
stepwise, with a few intervals of a third
and fourth. There is a fair amount of chromaticism
mixed with repeated notes. |
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Comments
(assumed
background)
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The song is extremely sophisticated, both
melodically and harmonically, particularly
in the “C” sections, where Strayhorn uses
variations on a single motif to build interest
while maintaining structural consistency.
Harmonic movement is often chromatic, creating
chord substitutions for functional voice-leading
chords and harmonic extensions in the melody,
particularly in the “C” sections. Also noteworthy
are the irregular phrases; none are eight
measures long. The “A” sections consist
of seven-measure phrases; “B” is fourteen,
and the “C” sections are twelve measures
each. Success in mastering this piece lies
in learning Strayhorn’s melody thoroughly
over the original harmonic progression.
This is not one that can be “faked” easily. |
K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com
Check out K. J. McElrath's book of Jazz Standards Guide Tone Lines at his web site (www.bardicle.com). |
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 I
can identify with the lyrics of “Lush Life” because
there was a period of my life when I was a lush.
But it’s the melody that I listen to first when
I hear a song, and then I pray that the lyrics are
good. The melody and chords of “Lush Life” are challenging,
and the lyrics are fantastic.
Sheila
Jordan, jazz vocalist
www.sheilajordanjazz.com
Are you a
published Vocalist or Instrumentalist?
Add a comment and we'll credit you with a link
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“Lush Life”
was included in these films:
- Dead Again (1991, Kenneth
Branagh)
- Living Out Loud (1998, Queen
Latifah)
- Sidewalks of New York (2001,
Chet Baker)
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Click on a CD for more details
at Amazon.com
John Coltrane
Lush Life
1990, Orig. Jazz Classics #131
Original recording, 1958, Prestige Records
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| If there can be more than one definitive
rendition of the song this has to be one
of them. Saxophonist Coltrane is joined
by pianist Red Garland and trumpeter Donald
Byrd for a hypnotic 13-minute take on the
ballad. |
Tony Scott
Lush Life
1996, Sony
Original recordings, 1981-1984
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| Tony Scott devotes the entire album
to the song playing it on several reeds,
singing and reciting the lyrics, combining
it with a blues composition, and also contributing
an outstanding solo piano version. |
Kevin Mahogany
My Romance
1998, Warner Brothers 47025
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| Singer Kevin Mahogany delivers a
soul-stirring rendition of the ballad. His
overwhelmingly full-bodied instrument and
crystal enunciation make this a vocal classic. |
Jaki Byard
Out Front!
1994, Original Jazz Classics 1842
Original recording, 1961
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| Multi-instrumentalist Byard plays
piano on this scintillating take that is
equal parts eclectic and reverential. |
Chris Connor
…Sings Lullabys for Lovers
2003, Toshiba EMI
Original recording, 1954, Bethlehem
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| Currently available only as a pricey
import, this CD contains the definitive
recording of “Lush Life,” just as Strayhorn
might have imagined it. The Vinnie Burke
Quartet provides a minimalist setting for
Connor’s smoky alto. Ron Odrich’s flute
hovers over the proceedings like a long-lost
dream. |
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Two early recorded examples of Strayhorn’s composition
provide a very interesting contrast in jazz performance.
Both are from 1953 and feature trumpet players.
The first is by swing-era trumpeter Harry James,
who, following his departure from the powerhouse
Benny Goodman Orchestra, formed his own big
band which he led up until his death in 1983. James
plays the tune with his typical fat tone and heavy
vibrato, hewing close to the melody.
The second version, by the West Coast, cool jazz
group featuring Russ Freeman (piano) and Chet Baker
(trumpet), is the total opposite of James’ big band
performance. Baker, like James, sticks closely to
the melody, but his style is lighter and almost
vibratoless, and Freeman provides the perfect foil
for his clean style.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
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This section shows the jazz standards
written by the same writing team. Click on a name
to see all of a writer's jazz standards.
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Additional information on “Lush Life” may be found in:
1 paragraph including the following types of information: history, music analysis and performers.
23 pages including the following types of information: history, lyric analysis, music analysis, performers, recordings and song writer discussion.
Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.
2 pages including the following types of information: anecdotal, history, music analysis and song lyrics.
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