“Summertime” (21) is an aria composed in 1934 by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward, the author of the novel Porgy on which the opera was based, although the song is also co-credited to Ira Gershwin. Gershwin began composing the song in December 1933, attempting to create his own spiritual in the style of the African American folk music of the period. Gershwin had completed setting DuBose Heyward’s poem to music by February 1934, and spent the next 20 months completing and orchestrating the score of the opera. The song is sung several times throughout Porgy and Bess. Its lyrics are the first words heard in act 1 of the opera, following the communal “wa-do-wa”. It is sung by Clara as a lullaby. The song theme is reprised soon after as counterpoint to the craps game scene, in act 2 in a reprise by Clara, and in Act 3 by Bess, singing to Clara’s now-orphaned baby after both its parents died in the storm.
The song was recorded for the first time by Abbie Mitchell in July 1935, with George Gershwin playing the piano and conducting the orchestra (on: George Gershwin Conducts Excerpts from Porgy & Bess, Mark 56 667). The 1959 movie version of the musical featured Loulie Jean Norman singing the song. That rendition finished at #52 in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.
Statistics for the number of recordings of “Summertime” vary by source; while older data is restricted to commercial releases, newer sources may include versions self-published online. The Jazz Discography in 2005 listed 1,161 official releases, ranking the song fourth among jazz standards. Joe Nocera in 2012 said there were “over 25,000” recordings. Guinness World Records lists the website’s 2017 figure of 67,591 as the world record total.
In September 1936, a recording by Billie Holiday was the first to hit the US pop charts, reaching no. 12. Holiday’s cover would garner her much attention during her time in the big band group Count Basie. For a short time, Holiday was the vocalist for the group Count Basie and oftentimes chose for herself the songs she would sing, which included ‘Summertime’. It was in this time (1937) she became enthralled with portraying herself as a woman unfortunate in terms of romantic relationships. This song exalts her to instead briefly play the image of an idyllic life.
American singer Ella Fitzgerald is often referred to as the “First Lady of Song”. The legendary vocalist, known for her exceptional jazz and blues singing, had a purity of tone and impeccable phrasing that were seldom heard. She was the most popular female jazz singer in the US for more than 50 years, winning 13 Grammy awards and selling more than 40 million albums. Her rendition of the 1935 George Gershwin song, Summertime, is still delighting generations of music-lovers today. Originally written for the ground-breaking opera, Porgy and Bess, it started out as a lullaby sung by a mother to her baby.
Big Brother and the Holding Company’s version featuring Janis Joplin on vocals has been highly praised. This song is one of the three covers that Big Brother recorded for their album Cheap Thrills. Originally a lullaby, Janis passionate voice transforms it into a blues, psychedelic rock song.
Fun Boy Three were an new wave pop group, active from 1981 to 1983 and formed by singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding after they left the Specials. They released two albums and had seven UK Top 20 hits. Their version of Summertime reached no. 18 on the UK Singles Chart in 1982.
Finally a Covid version from Lana Del Rey and her gang at their quaintly described hideout from November 2020.
