"Imagination" is a popular song with music written by
Jimmy Van Heusen
James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
Life and care ...
and the lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was first published in
1940
A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
*January ...
. The two best-selling versions were recorded by the orchestras of
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...
Jimmy Van Heusen
James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
Life and care ...
originally wrote the song when he was a teenager, but with different words. When he later played the tune for Johnny Burke (without the lyrics), Burke wrote the "Imagination" lyrics.
Recordings
The recording by Glenn Miller (vocals Ray Eberle) was released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 10622. It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on July 20, 1940 and lasted 3 weeks on the chart, peaking at #3.
The recording by Tommy Dorsey was released by Victor Records as catalog number 26581. It reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart at #8 on July 20, 1940, its only week on the chart.
Miki Howard rendition
The song was covered in 1987 by American R&B singer Miki Howard. Released as the second single from Howard's debut album, ''
Come Share My Love
''Come Share My Love'' is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Miki Howard. Released on November 19, 1986, under Atlantic Records label, the album peaked at #171 on the Billboard 200 and #19 on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart. Howard score ...
''. The song was a top 20 R&B hit, peaking at number 13 on the Hot R&B Singles chart.
Charts
Other recorded versions
The song has been recorded by, among others:
* Steve Allen (released by
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
as catalog number 39589)
* Georgie Auld and his orchestra (recorded February 1940, released by Varsity Records as catalog number 8199)
*
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Baker earned much attention and ...
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...
*
Dave Brubeck
David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...
- ''Plays and Plays and Plays'' (1962)
* Chick Bullock and his orchestra (recorded February 21, 1940, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 5434)
*
June Christy
June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued a sol ...
1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...
, released by Pye Records as catalog number 7N15517)
*
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as " Botch-a-Me", " Mambo Italiano", ...
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
and John Scott Trotter's orchestra (recorded December 24, 1947, released by
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
as catalog number 24696)
*
Doris Day
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
(recorded November,
1947
It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Events
January
* January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...
, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 38423, also as catalog number 38698)
*Al Donahue and his orchestra (recorded March 18, 1940, released by Vocalion Records as catalog number 5434, also by Conqueror Records as catalog number 9453)
* Jimmy Dorsey
* Bob Dylan - ''
Triplicate
Triplicate typically refers to a document created three times simultaneously, as with carbonless copy paper.
Triplicate may also refer to:
*Del Norte Triplicate, a newspaper in Crescent City, California
*Triplicate (horse)
Triplicate (foaled 1 ...
'' (2017)
*
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993) was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously ...
with Pete Rugolo arr, cond) and his All Stars, including Pete Candoli (tp), Don Fagerquist (tp), Bud Shank (as, fl), Gerald Wiggins (p), Red Callender (b), Larry Bunker (ds). Recorded in Los Angeles, CA on January 2, 1958.
* Percy Faith & His Orchestra with Mitch Miller from the album "It's So Peaceful In The Country"
* Ella Fitzgerald (recorded February 15, 1940, released by Decca Records as catalog number 3078B) and recorded live in 1961 at the
Crescendo Club The Crescendo was a West Hollywood jazz venue located at 8572 Sunset Boulevard. It opened in 1954, along with the Interlude upstairs, and ran until 1964.
History
The Crescendo was owned and operated by Gene Norman ''(né'' Eugene Abraham Nabatoff ...
Maynard Ferguson
Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...
Imagination
Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...
Tough Tenors
''Tough Tenors'' is an album by saxophonists Johnny Griffin and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis recorded in 1960 and released on the Jazzland label.Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
Come Share My Love
''Come Share My Love'' is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Miki Howard. Released on November 19, 1986, under Atlantic Records label, the album peaked at #171 on the Billboard 200 and #19 on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart. Howard score ...
'' (1986)
*
Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American jazz and classical music pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, he has also been a ...
Cleo Laine
Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Bullock; 28 October 1927)Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
Art Pepper
Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known ...
Lucy Ann Polk
Lucy Ann Polk (May 16, 1927 – October 10, 2011) was an American jazz singer who performed with Les Brown's orchestra in the 1950s.
She also sang and recorded with Bob Crosby, Kay Kyser, Tommy Dorsey, and Dave Pell.
Career
Polk began her mus ...
- ''Lucy Ann Polk with the Dave Pell Octet'' (1954)
*
The Quotations
The Quotations are an American doo-wop band, primarily from James Madison High School in East Brooklyn, New York, United States.
The group started in 1958 at Barney's Pool Room on Kings Highway in East Brooklyn, New York. The original members ...
recorded a doo-wop version in 1961 on Verve Records (VK10245)
* Andy Russell (released by
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
as catalog number 20034)
* Jan Savitt and his orchestra (recorded January 24, 1940, released by Decca Records as catalog number 2990B)
* Little Jimmy Scott (released by
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record company and label established by Herman Lubinsky in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey. Savoy specialized in jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music.
In September 2017, Savoy was acquired by Concord Bicycle Music.
...
Doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
version in 1979.
* Dinah Shore (recorded February 21, 1940, released by Bluebird Records as catalog number 10668)
*
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
Kate Smith
Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was an American contralto. Referred to as The First Lady of Radio, Smith is well known for her renditions of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" & "When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain". ...
(recorded May 1, 1940, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 35486)
*
Keely Smith
Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (March 9, 1928The reference work ''The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet'' gives Smith's date of birth as March 9, 1932. – December 16, 2017), profession ...
Sonny Stitt
Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...
Ted Straeter
Theodore Anthony Straeter (November 21, 1913 – April 2, 1963) was an American pianist, singer and bandleader.
Biography
Born in St Louis, Missouri, Straeter was a child prodigy as a piano player and made his first tour at the age of 12, bi ...
and his orchestra (recorded February 21, 1940, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 35402)
* Fred Waring and his orchestra (recorded June 28, 1944, released by Decca Records as catalog number 29219)
*
Fran Warren
Frances Wolff (March 4, 1926 – March 4, 2013), known professionally as Fran Warren, was an American singer.Pickwick
* Joe Williams
*Florence Wright (recorded February 11, 1950, released by National Records as catalog number 9105)
* Joe Lovano on his 1996 album ''
Celebrating Sinatra
''Celebrating Sinatra'' is a 1996 studio album by American jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano released by the Blue Note label. Lovano leads a fifteen-piece ensemble to play famous Sinatra's songs.
Track listing
Personnel
*Joe Lovano – producer, ten ...
''
* Victor Young and orchestra (released by Decca Records as catalog number 28570)
* Michigan Jake 2001 barbershop quartet champions. Released on their album "For the Record". Song arranged by Lou Perry. (2000)
*Trio Désolé featuring Lorraine Caron (recorded in 2013 and released on their album "Sweet Surrender") arrangement and Piano by Floyd Pientka, Anders Dahlberg on Bass.