"Ole Buttermilk Sky" was a big hit in 1946 for

Kay Kyser James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s. Early years James Kern Kyser was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the son of pharmacists Emil ...

and other artists. It has been covered by a multitude of artists over the years. The following year, it was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Original Song The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the ''songwriters'' who have composed th ...

at the

19th Academy Awards The 19th Academy Awards were held on March 13, 1947, honoring the films of 1946, hosted by Jack Benny. ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' won seven of its eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and both male acting Oscars. The ...

Background

The song was composed by

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...

and Jack Brooks, and introduced by Carmichael in the film ''

Canyon Passage ''Canyon Passage'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by Jacques Tourneur and set in frontier Oregon. It stars Dana Andrews, Susan Hayward and Brian Donlevy. Featuring love triangles and an Indian uprising, the film was adapted from the 1 ...

''.

Composition

"Ole Buttermilk Sky" was primarily written as a cowboy song to set the scene where the character meets his lover. The song also used jazz music for the lyric "can't you see my little donkey and me".

Chart performance

It was recorded in the December 14 issue of ''The Billboard'' that "Ole Buttermilk Sky" by Kay Kyser was at #1 in the Best Selling Popular Retail Records section. Having moved up two notches from its previous position of #3, it had been in the chart for the past seven weeks. A version by

Helen Carroll and the Satisfiers Helen Carroll and the Satisfiers were an American smooth harmony popular music singing group of the mid-20th century consisting of Carroll (a female singer) and the Satisfiers (three male singers, Bob Lange, Ted Hansen and Art Lambert) Helen Carr ...

was at #8. Paul Weston and his Orchestra with Matt Dennis had their version at #9. For the week ending December 14, 1946, in the Most Played Juke Box Records chart, it showed that the song was getting many plays and there were five versions getting attention. Kay Kyser's version on Columbia 37073 had been on the chart was at #2. Hoagy Carmichaels version was at #5. Paul Weston and his Orchestra with Matt Dennis were at #9. Helen Carroll and the Satisfiers were at #15. And a version by

Connee Boswell Constance Foore "Connie" Boswell (December 3, 1907 – October 11, 1976) was an American vocalist born in Kansas City but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. With sisters Martha and Helvetia "Vet", she performed in the 1920s and 1930s as the trio ...

was coming up.

Awards and honors

"Ole Buttermilk Sky" was nominated for the

at the

in 1947.

References

{{Authority control 1946 songs 1946 singles Songs with music by Hoagy Carmichael Songs with lyrics by Jack Brooks (lyricist) Songs written for films Pop standards Number-one singles in the United States