“Blue Skies”
A Reason To Smile
When we started Steady four years ago this week, on the heels of the January 6 insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol, it was to help us all make sense of the chaos and distinguish what was a threat from what was noise. But we didn’t want it all to be dire news and analysis. So we introduced A Reason to Smile.
This week’s reason is one of my all-time favorites and a favorite of the song’s composer, Irving Berlin. It is hard to do anything but smile when listening to the song “Blue Skies.”
Berlin originally wrote it for the unsuccessful Broadway musical “Betsy,” which ran for a mere 39 shows. But its short run didn’t hurt the song’s popularity. The following year it was repurposed for the first talking movie, “The Jazz Singer.”
And then a who’s who of American singers and musicians recorded the song, including Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald. Take a listen to Ella’s version, which offers a master class in vocal improvisation.
Even some country crooners got in on it. Willie Nelson’s rendition appeared on his sterling album of standards, “Stardust.” He and Kenny Rogers, on the upright bass, sang it as a duet during a tribute to Dolly Parton.
Besides loving the song and needing a serious infusion of positivity, I chose “Blue Skies” this week because of Berlin. He was an immigrant. He and his family came to the United States in 1893 to escape the Russian pogroms. And he was an invaluable addition to the great American melting pot.
In celebration of Berlin’s 100th birthday, my former colleague Walter Cronkite said of the composer: He “helped write the story of this country, capturing the best of who we are and the dreams that shape our lives.”
Speaking of blue skies — I mentioned last week that I had joined the social media platform Bluesky. If you are so inclined, feel free to follow me there.
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Stay Steady,
Dan
Dan, Thank you. You are my reason to smile. With all that has happened in your life the past months with the passing of your beautiful wife, and the current political nightmare going on, you still take time to comment and then to hold us Steady by reminding us we need to smile. and music is a huge help in that.
Thank you, for the essay, Dan Rather. Surely, Sir, we will follow you on Blue sky.
What really bothers me and quite frankly concerns me are the Dark Skies over the United States of America.
So many bad omens, makings of disaster waiting to happen.
Songs, music etc is nice and gives a momentary relief, great feeling and reprieve from the present state of affairs. But the big picture coming out of Washington is a bad production, Sir. Not sure how to save ourselves from that.
I am sorry, it is all so very repulsive.
My two cents
Thank you