The Birth of the Blues
Classic Vegas showgirl
with the 1950s looking at the 1920s
Music history and cabaret history come together in this act, using a song from the 1920s that was originally written for a Broadway show that itself was based on the Ziegfeld Follies.
Celebrating the Blues with a Big Band Swing style song by Frank Sinatra from 1957, this act combines the oomph of Sinatra with the showgirl glamour and grace, after the Vegas showgirls of the 1950s.
This act is perfect for a classic Showgirl set, with a dazzling, glittering, feather headpiece, an elegant circle-cut dress, and a completely bejewelled corset and harness.
From Broadway to Legendary Voices
The Birth of the Blues is a popular song from 1926 with many versions and variations. It was originally composed by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown - a successful trio of American musicians working during World War I and the Roaring Twenties.
Lew Brown wrote or co-wrote many Hollywood films and Broadway shows; Buddy DeSylva co-founded Capitol records; Ray Henderson was a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley. The song was composed for the 1924 run of the Broadway show George White's Scandals, a series based on the Ziegfeld Follies.
The song has been recorded by Bing Crosby, Cab Calloway, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jrn, Judy Garland and many more.
What a rich history! Have a look:
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In 1926, The Paul Whiteman Orchestra recorded an instrumental version.
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Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong performed the song together for the Edsel Show in 1957.
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In 1963, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Dean Martin recorded the song together.
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Sammy Davis, Jr. also performed it for the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon in 1987.
This act uses the Frank Sinatra version (1957) which is more Big Band Swing than pure Blues, with lots of percussion and horns. Rather than being mournful, it is very celebratory and energetic.
