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“Vocalist Armstrong
delivers a sincere ‘Sweet Lorraine’
as Peterson’s trio supports him
with grace and depth.” |
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- Ben Maycock
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Written
in 1928, ”Sweet Lorraine” found
modest popularity with a recording
by
Rudy Vallee and his Heigh-Ho
Yale Collegians. In that same year
clarinetist Jimmie Noone’s Apex
Club Orchestra made an instrumental
recording of the song for the Vocalion
label. Further recordings were made
Isham Jones and His Orchestra
(1932), and jazz violinist Joe Venuti
(1933).
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It was
Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra’s
1935 Brunswick recording, however,
that made the pop charts for one
week in October, rising to number
seventeen. For
Teddy Wilson it would be one
of the first of dozens of hits he
would produce in the 1935-1937 time
frame.
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“Sweet Lorraine” was Clifford
Burwell’s only hit composition.
He worked as a pianist for several
popular bands including
Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut
Yankees.
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Mitchell Parish is best known
for penning the lyrics to “Star
Dust” in 1929, but “Sweet Lorraine”
was his first hit.
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The endurance of “Sweet Lorraine”as
a favorite among jazz performers
may be attributed, at least in part,
to Nat “King” Cole, who kept the
song in the limelight with his popular
recordings. Cole’s fondness for
“Sweet Lorraine” began as a Chicago
teenager listening to clarinetist
Jimmie Noone play. This was undoubtedly
sometime after Noone’s group was
called “Jimmie Noone’s Apex Club
Orchestra,” as the Apex Club was
raided and closed down for serving
alcohol during prohibition in 1930.
Nat was 13.
“Sweet Lorraine” would play a
memorable part in Cole’s transition
from piano player to vocalist. The
legend, which also reveals the source
of his royal nickname, is told by
Leslie Gourse in the liner notes
for
The Nat “King” Cole
Trio: The MacGregor Years, 1941-1945.
Initially Cole’s main
interest was piano, but in 1938,
while performing in a Los Angeles
nightclub, a tipsy customer asked
him to sing, and Cole refused.
The customer
insisted. Bob Lewis, the club
owner, told Nat to sing–or else.
So Nat sang “Sweet Lorraine”
… [and the] customer and everyone
else liked the way Nat sang.
Bob Lewis put a tinsel crown
on Nat’s head and said, “I crown
you Nat ‘King’ Cole.”
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Musical analysis of
“Sweet Lorraine”
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| Original
Key |
F major,
with a modulation to Bb major during the
bridge |
| Form |
A - A - B
- A |
| Tonality |
Major |
| Movement |
85% ascending
step-wise with downward skips not exceeding
a major 3rd |
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Comments
(assumed
background)
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This melody is extremely motivic and uses
the same pattern. The “A” motif consists
of an ascending scale, followed by a skip
of a downward third, from which the pattern
repeats. In the “B” section (bridge), the
motif is a simple scale moving up a fourth
by step, then returning. This makes for
a tune that “stays in the ear” and is easy
to learn.
Harmonically the “circle of fifths” is
used extensively, bearing some resemblance
to, among others, “Somebody Else Is Taking
My Place,” “Charleston,”
and “All
of Me.” The I chord is followed
by either a VI7 chord (“A” section) or a
III7. In either case, the progression cycles
back to the tonic key in a predictable fashion.
This tune should pose few problems for
the experienced performer. The novice will
find familiarity with scale patterns and
the circle of fifths to be useful.
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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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 My dad used to play “Sweet Lorraine” very rhythmically
on the piano. I loved Nat “King” Cole’s version,
and I had to find a way for a girl to sing it. The
song lends itself to being sung by an observer,
so I just altered the lyrics: “He just found joy,
he’s as happy as a baby boy.” I never tire of singing
it.
Nancy
King, jazz vocalist
www.nancykingjazz.com
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Instrumentalist?
Add a comment and we'll credit you with a link
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“Sweet Lorraine”
was included in these films:
- Something's Gotta Give (2003,
Stephane Grappelli)
And on stage:
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Click on a CD for more details
at Amazon.com
Nat “King” Cole
The Complete After Midnight Sessions
1999, Blue Note
Original recording, 1956, Capitol Records
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| This is Cole’s jazziest vocal album,
featuring his trio--John Collins (g) and
Charlie Harris (b)--with guests Lee Young
(d), Willie Smith (as), Harry Edison (tp),
Stuff Smith (v), and Juan Tizol (tb). They
cover three of the top standards, including
one of Cole’s signature songs, “Sweet Lorraine.” |
Kenny Barron Trio
Lemuria-Seascape
2001, Candid Records
Original recording, 1991, Black Lion Productions
Ltd
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| “Sweet Lorraine” succumbs to pianist
Barron’s gentle touch, while bassist Ray
Drummond and drummer Ben Riley give her
a little nudge. |
Louis Armstrong/Oscar Peterson
Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson
1997, Polygram 539060
Original recording, 1957
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| The old guard meets the new guard
with surprisingly touching results. Vocalist
Armstrong delivers a sincere “Sweet Lorraine”
as Peterson’s trio supports him with grace
and depth. |
Lester Young Trio
Lester Young Trio
1946, Polygram 521650
Original recording, 1946
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| While the album is billed as a trio
effort, this rendition of the song is performed
by a sextet that features Nat “King” Cole
at the piano and a young Dexter Gordon,
no doubt star-struck to be playing sax next
to Young. Cole’s touch is deft and Young’s
sax is breezy and romantic. |
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The period of the late 1930s and early ‘40s was
a time of great interest in jazz. A number of indie
record companies appeared, allowing their artists
a freedom rarely granted by the big companies. In
1940, the Hot Record Society produced an album featuring
New Orleans jazz veteran Sidney Bechet along with
Chicago jazz stalwart Muggsy Spanier. The rhythm
section consisted of ex-Ellington
bassist Wellman Braud and guitarist Carmen Maestren
(from Tommy Dorsey’s band), an unusual combination.
The recordings came out in a 12” 78 rpm album,
a novelty for jazz music at that time. Their version
of “Sweet Lorraine” is memorable not so much for
solo work but for the wonderful interplay between
the instrumentalists, who created a beautiful, mellow
ensemble sound rarely heard from a pickup group.
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 “Sweet Lorraine” may be found in:
1 page including the following types of information: music analysis.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: history, performers and style discussion.
Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.
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