"Heat Wave" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song written by

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

for the 1933 musical ''

As Thousands Cheer ''As Thousands Cheer'' is a revue with a book by Moss Hart and music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, first performed in 1933. The revue contained satirical sketches and witty or poignant musical numbers, several of which became standards, includin ...

'', and introduced in the show by

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

Film appearances

*1938: The song was featured in the film ''

Alexander's Ragtime Band "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is a Tin Pan Alley song by American composer Irving Berlin released in 1911 and is often inaccurately cited as his first global hit. Despite its title, the song is a march as opposed to a rag and contains little sync ...

'', where it was performed by

Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American actress and singer, known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and for leading roles in musical theatre.Obituary '' Variety'', February 22, 1984. ...

. *1946: It was also featured in the film '' Blue Skies'', where it was performed by

Olga San Juan Olga San Juan (March 16, 1927January 3, 2009) was an American actress. Born in Brooklyn, she began her brief film career with Paramount Pictures after being scouted at Copacabana. She performed in several Hollywood musicals in the 1940s and on ...

. *1954: ''

There's No Business Like Show Business "There's No Business Like Show Business" is an Irving Berlin song, written for the 1946 musical '' Annie Get Your Gun'' and orchestrated by Ted Royal. The song, a slightly tongue-in-cheek salute to the glamour and excitement of a life in show b ...

'', where it was performed by

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

. (Note: based on the lyrics alone, the Marilyn song is different, and within the film's narrative, Monroe's version is a sexier variant of the original that's "stolen" from Ethel Merman's character). *1954: A snippet of the song can be heard in a medley in the film '' White Christmas'', sung by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. *1981:

Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases i ...

sings it in The Muppets Go to the Movies. *1993: A snippet of the song can be heard in the film '' Grumpy Old Men'', sung by

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

Notable recordings

There were three chart hits in 1933 by: *

Glen Gray Glenn Gray Knoblauch (June 7, 1900 – August 23, 1963), known professionally as Glen Gray, was an American jazz saxophonist and leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra.'' The Mississippi Rag'', "Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra," George A. B ...

and the Casa Loma Orchestra – vocal by

Mildred Bailey Mildred Bailey (born Mildred Rinker; February 27, 1907 – December 12, 1951) was a Native American jazz singer during the 1930s, known as "The Queen of Swing", "The Rockin' Chair Lady" and "Mrs. Swing". She recorded the songs " For Sentimenta ...

*Meyer Davis – vocal by Charlotte Murray.

Other versions

*1952:

Lee Wiley Lee Wiley (October 9, 1908 – December 11, 1975) was an American jazz singer during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Biography Wiley was born in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. At fifteen, she left home to pursue a singing career, singing on New York ...

on the album ''Lee Wiley Sings Irving Berlin''. *1955: Margaret Whiting for Capitol Records CL14242. *1956: Bing Crosby also recorded the song on his album ''

Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings ''Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings'' was Bing Crosby's sixth LP, his first album for Verve, recorded and released in a mono format in 1956. ''Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings'' was a stylistic departure for Crosby, marking the first time he re ...

''. *1958: Ella Fitzgerald sang the song on her album ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book'' is a 1958 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with a studio orchestra conducted and arranged by Paul Weston, focusing on the songs of Irving Berlin. It was part of the popu ...

''. *1961: Enoch Light gave a symphonic treatment of the song, which can be found on the album ''Stereo 35-MM''. *1975: Bing Crosby on his 1975 album ''

At My Time of Life At My Time of Life is a 1976 vinyl album recorded by Bing Crosby for United Artists Records, United Artists, mostly at Chappells Studios in London in February 1975. He was accompanied by Pete Moore (composer), Pete Moore and his Orchestra. The ...

''. *1979: James White and the Blacks on the 1979 album '' Off White''. *1995:

Patti LuPone Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of F ...

and the

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (HBO) is a symphony orchestra which is managed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and plays the vast majority of its performances at the Hollywood Bowl. John Mauceri led the orchestra from its founding in 1990 ...

on the album ''Heatwave: Patti LuPone Sings Irving Berlin''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heat Wave (Song) Songs written by Irving Berlin Songs from As Thousands Cheer 1933 songs Marilyn Monroe songs Mildred Bailey songs Ethel Waters songs Songs about weather