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“The appeal to
jazz musicians is not the lyrics
… so much as the repeated-note melody
of the bridge combined with the
riff-like melody in the A section.” |
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- C. Andrι Barbera
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The
musical comedy Funny Face
opened to rave reviews on November
22, 1927. That night
Adele Astaire and
Allen Kearns would introduce
“’S Wonderful!” a song that would
immediately bewitch the Alvin Theater
audience.
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Funny Face starred comedian
Victor Moore and the brother and
sister team of Fred and
Adele Astaire. Originally titled
Smarty, the musical was overhauled
after a disappointing opening at
Philadelphia’s Shubert Theatre.
The new title was
Fred Astaire’s affectionate
nickname for his sister.
With music and lyrics by George
and Ira Gershwin and a book written
by Fred Thompson and Paul Gerard
Smith, the revamped musical would
go on to enjoy a successful run
of 244 performances. Included in
the original score along with “S’Wonderful!”
were hits such as “Funny Face,”
“Let’s Kiss and Make Up,” “He Loves
and She Loves,” and “My One and
Only (What Am I Gonna Do?)”
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Immensely popular from the outset,
“’S Wonderful!” hit the pop charts
twice in 1928. Its first appearance
of the year was courtesy of Crank
Crumit who took it to fifth place
that January. The song struck success
again in March when an Ipana Troubadors
recording reached twelfth place.
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The Astaire siblings, on the
other hand, were not to share in
the same good fortune enjoyed by
“S’Wonderful.” While vacationing
in the summer of 1928 Fred was a
passenger in a serious automobile
accident, and Adele was badly burned
in a boating accident, requiring
weeks to recuperate in hospital.
Despite the setbacks they were both
in London that fall for another
263 performances of Funny Face.
The 1957 Paramount film
Funny Face is generally
well-reviewed and was based on an
unproduced play named Wedding
Day and also starred Fred Astaire,
this time with Audrey Hepburn. The
songs were mostly Gershwin, four
of which were in the original show.
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Arguably, the lyrics are what make “S’Wonderful!”
so wonderful. The slurred transformation of words
such as “It’s Wonderful”(“S’Wonderful”) and “It’s
Marvelous” (“S’Marvelous”), coupled with clipped
syllables from words in the verse (“fashion” becomes
“fash”, “emotion” becomes “emoshe”), creates a whimsical
wordplay within a sophisticated song. In such context
the lyrical device is clever, not just cute, making
it memorable to the listener.
Interestingly, the song appeals to jazz musicians
despite its lack of musical complexity. As with
many standards, it is the listener’s knowledge of
the lyrics that makes “S’Wonderful!” a recognizable
and enjoyable target for jazz arrangements. The
simplicity of the song offers musicians a good vehicle
to showcase their improvisational skills. In Wayne
Schneider’s
The Gershwin Style: New Looks at the Music of George
Gershwin, contributor C. Andrι Barbera says,
“S Wonderful!” is George Gershwin’s
most skeletal song. The appeal to jazz musicians
is not the lyrics … so much as the repeated-note
melody of the bridge combined with the riff-like
melody in the A section.
The appeal of this simplicity is twofold: it
allows the musician more freedom to improvise, and
it takes the emphasis off the melody, accentuating
the rhythmic and harmonic progressions. -JW
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Musical analysis of
“'S Wonderful!”
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| Original
Key |
Eb major
with false key change to G major in the
bridge |
| Form |
A1 – A2 –
B – A3 |
| Tonality |
Major throughout;
almost completely pentatonic; range of only
an octave |
| Movement |
“A” is based
on a downward minor third repeated twice,
followed by a downward interval or step
up. “B” is all step-wise over a three-note
range. |
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Comments
(assumed
background)
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There is some speculation that this very
simple melody was inspired, influenced by,
or based on canonical chants that Gershwin
heard as a boy in the synagogue or possibly
in a Yiddish theatre production. Certainly
the downward minor third could be the “mother
of all intervals,” existing in virtually
all folk music traditions, work chants,
field hollers and sacred chants. It’s even
one that children seem to know innately
(“nah-nah-nah”). In addition, the pentatonic
scale is the most ancient of all recorded
musical scales. Underneath its “skeletal”
simplicity, there is something almost mystical
about this tune. Wedded to the sophisticated
harmonic progression (I – bii˚7 – ii7 –
V7 – I) and Ira’s petulant and witty lyric
(itself based on Yiddish dialect), this
is a powerful piece of music. |
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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As far as “’S Wonderful!” I guess it remains a favorite
as most all the Gershwin tunes do. It’s at once
sophisticated, happy, clever, and has all the features
that make the Gershwins’ music timeless. It lends
itself to endless interpretations and interesting
variations.
Jean
Ronne, jazz pianist
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“'S Wonderful!”
was included in these films:
- Rhapsody in Blue (1945, )
- An American in Paris (1951,
Gene Kelly)
- Funny Face (1957,
Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn)
And on Broadway:
- My One and Only (1983, at
the St. James Theater, 767 performances)
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Click on a CD for more details
at Amazon.com
George Van Eps
Mellow Guitar
1999, Euphoria Records
Original recording, 1956
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| When Van Eps’ debut album was released
it was a sensation among jazz fans at a
time when great jazz filled the airwaves.
The master seven-string guitarist is not
only an extraordinary technician but a creative
genius, and the orchestral backing, used
subtly and occasionally, is masterful. Great
selections throughout. |
Diana Krall
The Look of Love
2001, Universal
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| The Canadian pianist and torch singer
gives the song her trademark smolder. Her
husky voice and eloquent playing draw listeners
in and hold them entranced. |
John Pizzarelli
All of Me
1992, Novus 63129
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| This album hails from the early
days of the prolific guitarist and singer.
Pizzarelli’s version of “S’Wonderful” swings
with the best of them. |
Sonny Stitt
Kaleidoscope
1991, Original Jazz Classics 60
Original recording, 1950
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| Saxophone master Stitt delivers
a straight-ahead, solid offering, full of
robust phrasing and playful asides. Though
the sound quality is not pristine the bebop
shines through. |
Red Garland
Manteca
1991, Original Jazz Classics 428
Original recording, 1958
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| Pianist Garland, bass player Paul
Chambers, and drummer Arthur Taylor are
joined by conga player Ray Barretto in a
version that stands out for its exceptional
solos. |
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George Gershwin’s catchy tune was around for
eleven years before
Benny Goodman recorded it with his quartet in
1938. The next year, vocalist Lee Wiley, along with
some of Eddie Condon’s gang, did a slow version
for a Gershwin tribute album.
In one of the many sessions of standards that
Coleman Hawkins recorded in 1944, his version of
“’S Wonderful” is performed by a swinging group
including hot trumpeter and frequent colleague Roy
Eldridge and pianist
Teddy Wilson (also on Goodman’s version). (There
are two takes from this session on different CDs
listed below.) The following year Artie Shaw’s big
band recorded an excellent arrangement of the tune,
featuring the leader on clarinet. It wasn’t until
1950 with Stan Getz’s rendition that this tune began
to be recorded again with frequency.
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 “'S Wonderful!” may be found in:
1 page including the following types of information: lyric analysis.
2 paragraphs including the following types of information: music analysis.
3 paragraphs including the following types of information: music analysis.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: summary, lyric analysis and music analysis.
3 pages including the following types of information: history and song lyrics.
3 paragraphs including the following types of information: lyric analysis.
2 paragraphs including the following types of information: lyric analysis and music analysis.
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