Jo Stafford - 'Manhattan Serenade'

By Request...
Here is another of Jo Stafford's early recordings (1942) from her days with Tommy Dorsey.
075405 MANHATTAN SERENADE Victor 72962

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Line-Up...
Ziggy Elman, Chuck Peterson, Jimmy Blake, Jimmy Zito, Danny Vanelli, tp;
Tommy Dorsey, George Arus, Jimmy Skiles, Dave Jacobs, tb;
Fred Stulce, Harry Schuchman, as;
Bruce Snyder, Heinie Beau, Don Lodice, ts;
Leonard Atkins, William Ehrenkranz, Leonard Posner, Seymore Miroff, Paul Poliakine, Sam Ross, Bernhard Tinterow, vin;
Harold Bemko, cello;
Ruth Hill, harp;
Milt Raskin, p; Clark Yocum, g; Phil Stevens, b; Buddy Rich, d;
Jo Stafford, vocals;
Aircheck, September 17, 1942

MANHATTAN SERENADE
Words: Harold Adamson
Music: Louis Alter

Lyrics;
I have a memory of a lovely refrain
And in my heart it will forever remain
Our song was like a blue white gem
My darling, do you remember?

That night in Manhattan was the start of it
We lived it and we loved every part of it
The glow of moonlight in the park
The lights that spell your name
The autumn breeze that fanned the spark
That set our hearts aflame

^Our kiss was a sky-ride to the highest star
We made it without touching a handlebar
And I gave you my love
To the melody of the music, the madness
That made our Manhattan serenade

(Rep from ^)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Tommy
• Dorsey
• Jo
• Stafford
• Manhattan
• Serenade
• Swing
• Band

[hep2jive]

and what an era!

[trooper7h]

hep2jive,

It was a great era musically - and rightly called the "American Song Book" era.. The Bands and their singers just kept rolling out hit after hit.

Thank you for your comment.:)

Best wishes,

trooper7h

[LosAngeleno1959]

"Johnny Fontane will never get that part"

[greaserman44]

such a cool song!!! have any of you ever seen the tom and jerry episode, Mouse in Manhattan? this song is in it.

[Yoankeebzz]

was wonderful

[yarbles67]

@greaserman44

my brother (illustrator) gave my mom an awesome illustration from that episode. bassically, a still of two champagne flute glasses on a platter on a table for two w/ the Manhattan lights as the back drop. that whole episode was a true work of art.

[fran753951]

Una Exelencia el tema. Is Very Excelent.

[gabondras]

:D

[JaBiTiCaR]

Tom and Jerry lol , love this music

[Towncarguy52]

@gueibor She was gorgeous!  No, you're not out of line whatsoever.

[Towncarguy52]

Wow... a sunny, fall, Sunday afternoon sitting by an open window listening to Jo Stafford from 1942.... Does it possibly get any better than this?

[TijmenLeone]

It can't be impossible to get the tom and jerry version of the manhattan serenade. Maybe someone can ask WB for it, or maybe someone can use pieces of the song in this clip and reconstruct it or so. Plz put it online if it works. Or contact me

[TomthatiscalledTom]

She threw it all away just ta make me look ridikulus! And a man in my position can't afford to made ta look ridikulus! Now you get da Hell outta here! And if that Goombah tries any rough stuff, you tell him...I 'aint no band leader!

[GermanOperaSinger]

@schnellguy Most people know Johnny's character was based off of Frank Sinatra, but did you know that the 'bandleader' mentioned in the film was actually based off none other than Tommy Dorsey! Sinatra was part of Dorsey's band for 3 years but mysteriously left in 1942. Rumor has it that Sammy Giancana from the Chicago Outfit bribed Dorsey to let Frank go.