| | Origin and Chart Information |
| “Sinatra enjoyed a succession of several dozen hits with the Dorsey band, his first being the ballad ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams’...” | |  | - JW |
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| | The 1939 recording of “All or Nothing at All” is sometimes credited asFrank Sinatra’s first hit, but in actuality it didn’t make the charts until its re-release four years later in 1943. Harry James had hiredFrank Sinatra after hearing him on a New York radio station, and they recorded the song shortly before Sinatra left to join Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra in 1940. Sinatra enjoyed a succession of several dozen hits with the Dorsey band, his first being the ballad “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” which hovered at eighteenth place on the charts for one week. In 1942 Sinatra struck out on his own, appearing that year on the charts with “Night and Day.” | | | | | | | In the late 1930’s and throughout the 1940’s Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote mostly forBing Crosby, and Crosby’s films and were so successful that they became know as the Gold Dust Twins. Not all their compositions were written for films. “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” and “Imagination” (1939) were both written for the Tommy Dorsey band, and neither had any screen affiliation. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| More information on this tune... |
|  Robert Gottlieb, Robert Kimball
Reading Lyrics
Pantheon
Hardcover: 736 pages
(This book contains a short biography of Johnny Burke and over eight pages of his lyrics, including those for “Polka Dots and Moonbeams.”) | |
| See theReading and Research page for this tune for additional references. |
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- Jeremy Wilson |
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| This section suggests definitive or otherwise significant recordings that will help jazz students get acquainted with“Polka Dots and Moonbeams.” These recordings have been selected from theJazz History andCD Recommendations sections. |
Frank Sinatra’s 1940 recording of “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” is one of his best ballad performances and perhaps the best-loved version of the song. Sarah Vaughan’s tender 1957 version ( Swingin' Easy) represents a very different approach, but an equally effective one. The influential ballad style of guitarist Wes Montgomery, meanwhile, is well represented on a landmark performance of the tune from 1960 ( The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery). Noah Baerman - Jazz Pianist and Educator |
| Music and Lyrics Analysis |
While there is no doubt that “Polka Dots andMoonbeams” has an appealing melody, it is a wonderthat the song is so often performed with lyricsas corny as they are. William Zinsser inEasy to Remember: The Great American Songwritersand Their Songs describes the words as “…toocute for any but the strongest stomach…” He mayhave been referring to lyrics such as:
and
The literal meaning of the lyrics, however, maybe somewhat irrelevant to a vocalist. InSinging Jazz: The Singers and Their Styles,by Bruce Crowther and Mike Pinfold, vocal artistStacey Kent is quoted as saying,
-JW
| | OriginalKey | F major;false key change to A major in the bridge | | Form | A1 – A2 –B – A2 | | Tonality | Primarilymajor | | Movement | It movesprimarily step-wise, ascending and descending,with occasional leaps and skips; melodiccontour is very wave-like. | Comments (assumedbackground) | | This is not one of Van Heusen’s more sophisticatedpieces; however, because of its relativesimplicity, jazz performers have been ableto use substitutions and extended harmonies.The harmonic sequence in the first halfof “A” and the entirety of “B” is basedon I – vi – ii7 – V7 – I (“BlueMoon,” “HeartAnd Soul”). Contemporary players havesubstituted iii for I in mm. 3-4 of “A”. In the second half of “A,” the ii7 proceedsto III7 as a dominant, leading to vi. Today,a vii˚7 is usually inserted before the III7(Dm7b5 - G7 in the original key). On itsway back to the tonic, Van Heusen used arather tasteful and unusual sequence. Insteadof simply going vi – ii7 – V7 – I (whichworks, but is bland sounding), the progressionascends by step so that vi is followed bybVII9 (a substitution for V7 and a “common-tonemodulation,” since the 9th of this chordcorresponds to the root tone of the tonickey). Modulation into the new key of section“B”–a major third higher than the tonic(from F major to A major in the original)--isaccomplished via a seventh chord a halfstep lower than I (vii7 functioning as V7of the new key). Returning to the tonickey for the final “A” is easily accomplishedthrough the cycle of fifths. | | K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com |
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Gil Evans, the masterful arranger for Miles Davis,rose to prominence arranging for band leader/pianistClaude Thornhill, and his 1947 arrangement of “PolkaDots and Moonbeams” illustrates why his talentsappealed to Miles. This was also a favorite number of tenor saxgiant Lester Young. He recorded it several times,first in 1949 with pianist Hank Jones, bassist RayBrown, and drummer Buddy Rich. In an interestingreunion with former boss Count Basie, he recordeda live version at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. Two interesting sessions from May 7, 1957, featuretrumpeter Donald Byrd playing “Polka Dots and Moonbeams.”The first is a quartet session led by Byrd; thesecond is led by pianist Elmo Hope and has JohnColtrane on tenor saxophone. Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian |
Additional information for "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" may be found in:
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| Robert Gottlieb, Robert Kimball
Reading Lyrics
Pantheon
Hardcover: 736 pages
(Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.) | |
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“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” was included in these films:
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986,as part of a medley by Dick Hyman)
- The Sensible Thing (1996)
Interestingly, “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” wasalmost included in the 23-song soundtrack of theOscar-nominated, 1995 documentaryA Great Day in Harlem. First-time producerJean Bach found that one song could cost 20 percentof her film’s $500,000 budget. In theInternationalHerald Tribune she is quoted as saying, “Thepublisher wanted $100,000 for Lester Young playing‘Polka Dots And Moonbeams,’ so we dropped that one.” |
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| Recommendations for This Tune |
| Click on any CD for more details at Amazon.com |
 Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
The Essential Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (2CD)
RCA
Original Recording 1940
| | Sinatra presents perhaps the definitive vocal rendition of this song with the expert backing of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Sinatra’s wry delivery fits well with the lighthearted nature of the song. |
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 Sarah Vaughan
Swingin' Easy
1992 Polygram 14072
Original recording 1954
| | The incomparable vocalist delivers a lovely rendition of the song within an intimate trio setting. |
 Wes Montgomery
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of ...
2003, Riverside
Original recording, 1960
| | Hard bop guitarist Montgomery set the standard for not only the song but also the style of a generation of jazz guitarists that would follow. His lyrical version is West Coast laid-back. Note: The sound quality of the original CD release was not even as good as the LP. Be sure and get the audio CD referred to here. |
 Bud Powell
The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2
Blue Note Records
Original recording 1953
| | Powell is best known for his jaw-dropping pyrotechnics, but his Tatum-inspired ballad playing was significant as well. Here he gives a gentle, lush performance in a trio with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Art Taylor. |
 Chet Baker
Chet Baker In New York
1991 Original Jazz Classics 207
Original recording 1958
| | Baker, known to many as a vocalist, sticks to the trumpet here, giving a wonderful interpretation of the melody, followed by a lyrical improvisation. Pianist Al Haig also has ample space to shine. |
 Bill Evans
California Here I Come
2004 Verve 268102
Original recording 1967
| | This creative, super-tight performance documents pianist Evans at a gig at New York’s Village Vanguard alongside his new band member Eddie Gomez on bass and his old friend “Philly” Joe Jones on drums. |
 Cassandra Wilson
Blue Skies
2002 Winter & Winter 919018
Original recording 1988
| | Thirty years after Sarah Vaughan's version, Cassandra Wilson gives the song a refreshing take. Wilson and trio allow themselves to explore while respecting the past, turning the tune into a modern, swinging waltz. |
 Oscar Peterson
Romance: The Vocal Stylings of Oscar Peterson
Phantom
Original recording, 1956, Verve
| | If you’re feeling flush and can spring for an import, you won’t be sorry about this one. With the backing of Herb Ellis and Ray Brown, Peterson sings and plays a dozen standards, including “But Not for Me” and “Spring Is Here.” Purportedly he was told to give up singing because he sounded too much like Nat “King” Cole. This is his only vocal album. |
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