''Get Happy!'' is a 1959 album by the American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

singer

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, 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, phra ...

, recorded with various studio orchestras over a two-year period.

History

The original 12 songs on the album come from 5 different sessions, featuring orchestras led by

Nelson Riddle Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many vocalists at Capitol Records, including ...

Frank DeVol Frank, FRANK, or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a Germanic people in late Roman times * Franks, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusa ...

, Russell (Russ) Garcia, Marty Paich or

Paul Weston Paul Weston (né Wetstein; March 12, 1912 – September 20, 1996) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the Fathe ...

. The first two tracks are from the sessions for the '' George and Ira Gershwin Songbook'', which were later included on the 1998 reissue of the album, and

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

's "Blue Skies" was recorded at the sessions for the 1958 album '' Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook'', but inexplicably omitted from the final cut, despite featuring one Ella's most impressive extended

scat Scat or SCAT may refer to: Education * School and College Ability Test also known as SCAT * Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology was previously referred to as SCAT * Somerset College of Arts and Technology is referred to as SCAT Games * Skat ...

improvisations.

Reception

Writing for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

, music critic

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Life and career Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Beginning in 1974, Yanow was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles and was the jazz e ...

wrote of the album "As usual, Ella uplifts all of the material and her best moments come on "Somebody Loves Me," a heartfelt "Moonlight Becomes You," a scat-filled "Blue Skies" and (somewhat surprisingly) "St. Louis Blues." Although this was not her most essential release, the formerly obscure Get Happy finds Ella Fitzgerald at the peak of her powers."

Track listing

For the 1959 Verve LP release; Verve V6-4036 Side One: # " Somebody Loves Me" (

Buddy DeSylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs, and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol R ...

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...

Ballard MacDonald Ballard MacDonald (October 15, 1882 – November 17, 1935) was an American lyricist, who was one of the writers of Tin Pan Alley. Born in Portland, Oregon, he was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ...

) – 2:36 # "

Cheerful Little Earful "Cheerful Little Earful" is a 1930 song composed by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Billy Rose. It was written for the musical '' Sweet and Low'' (1930). Actress and singer Fanny Brice, who was married to Billy Rose at the time, star ...

" (

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the ...

Billy Rose Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman, lyricist and columnist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainm ...

Harry Warren Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...

) – 2:06 # "

You Make Me Feel So Young "You Make Me Feel So Young" is a 1946 popular song composed by Josef Myrow, with lyrics written by Mack Gordon. It was introduced in the 1946 musical film '' Three Little Girls in Blue'', where it was sung by the characters and performed by Vera-E ...

" (

Mack Gordon Mack Gordon (born Morris Gittler; June 21, 1904 – February 28, 1959) was an American lyricist for the stage and film. He was nominated for the best original song Oscar nine times in 11 years, including five consecutive years between 1940 and 1 ...

Josef Myrow Josef Myrow (February 18, 1910 – December 24, 1987 in Los Angeles, California) was a Russian-born composer, known for his work in film scores in the 1940s and 1950s. He was twice nominated for an Academy Award: in 1947 for the song "You Do" from ...

) – 2:19 # "

Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of inte ...

" (Hughie Prince,

Don Raye Don Raye (born Donald MacRae Wilhoite Jr., March 16, 1909 – January 29, 1985) was an American songwriter, best known for his songs for The Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", " The House of Blue Lights", "Just for a Thr ...

, Eleanore Sheehy) – 2:28 # "Like Young" (

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

Paul Francis Webster Paul Francis Webster (December 20, 1907 – March 18, 1984) was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Original Song, and was nominated sixteen times for the award. Life and career Webster was born in New York City, United S ...

) – 3:00 # "Cool Breeze" (

Tadd Dameron Tadley Ewing Peake Dameron (February 21, 1917 – March 8, 1965) was an American jazz composer, arranger, and pianist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dameron was the most influential arranger of the bebop era, but also wrote charts for swi ...

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 a ...

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

) – 1:56 Side Two: # " Moonlight Becomes You" ( Johnny Burke,

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 Award for Best Original Song, Academy Awards for ...

) – 3:06 # " Blue Skies" (

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Isidore Beilin; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Berlin received numerous honors including an Acade ...

) – 3:43 # " You Turned the Tables on Me" (

Louis Alter Louis Alter (June 18, 1902 – November 3, 1980) was an American pianist, songwriter and composer. At 13, he began playing piano in theaters showing silent films. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Stuar ...

, Sidney Mitchell) – 2:31 # " Gypsy in My Soul" (Clay Boland,

Moe Jaffe Moe Jaffe (October 23, 1901 – December 2, 1972) was an American songwriter and bandleader who composed more than 250 songs. He is best known for six: "Collegiate", " The Gypsy in My Soul", " If I Had My Life to Live Over", "If You Are But a Drea ...

) – 2:39 # "

Goody Goody "Goody Goody" is a 1936 popular music, popular song composed by Matty Malneck, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The first recording of the song was by Ted Wallace and His Swing Kings (vocal refrain by male trio) luebird, B-6252-B, 1936 Other 19 ...

" (

Matty Malneck Matthew Michael "Matty" Malneck (December 9, 1903 – February 25, 1981) was an American jazz violinist, songwriter, and arranger. Career Born in 1903, Malneck's career as a violinist began when he was age 16. He was a member of the Paul White ...

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Wallichs Music Cit ...

) – 2:28 # "

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

" (

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. He was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musician ...

) – 3:53 Bonus Tracks; Issued on the Verve 1998 CD re-issue, Verve 314 523 321–2 13. "

A-Tisket, A-Tasket "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" (Roud Folk Song Index 13188) is a nursery rhyme first recorded in North America in the late 19th century. The melody to which the nursery rhyme is sung recurs in other nursery rhymes including " It's Raining, It's Pouring"; "R ...

" (Originally released in 1959, on 7" single, a-side) (

Van Alexander Van Alexander (May 2, 1915 – July 19, 2015) was an American bandleader, arranger, and composer. Early years Van Alexander was born Alexander Van Vliet Feldman in Harlem. His mother was a classical pianist, and she taught him to play the piano. ...

) – 2:20 14. "The Swingin' Shepherd Blues" (Previously unreleased, alternate take) (Kenny Jacobson,

Moe Koffman Morris "Moe" Koffman, OC (28 December 1928 – 28 March 2001) was a Canadian jazz saxophonist and flautist, as well as composer and arranger. During a career spanning from the 1950s into the 2000s, Koffman was one of Canada's most prolific musici ...

, Rhoda Roberts) – 2:50

Personnel

Recorded in six sessions from July 24, 1957- July 11, 1959 in

Hollywood, Los Angeles Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

: Tracks 1,2 Capitol Studios, Hollywood January 7, 1959 Nelson Riddle (arr, con) Paul Smith (p)

Herb Ellis Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010) was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson. Biography Born in Farmersville, Texas, Ellis grew up on a farm. He was first exposed ...

(g)

Joe Mondragon Joe Mondragon (February 2, 1920 – July 1987) was an American jazz bassist. Early life Mondragon was born in Antonito, Colorado, and raised in the Española Valley region of New Mexico. Mondragon was of Apache and Hispanic origin. Career M ...

(b) Bill Richmond (d) Conrad Gozzo, Cappy Lewis, Vito Mangano,

Shorty Sherock Clarence Francis Cherock known professionally as Shorty Sherock (November 17, 1915 – February 19, 1980) was an American Swing music, swing jazz trumpeter. Career He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Sherock attended the Morgan ...

(tpt); Dick Noel, Tommy Pederson, George Roberts (trmb);rmb) Tracks 3,7 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, July 11, 1959

(arr, con) Lou Levy (p) Herb Ellis (g) Joe Mondragon (b)

Alvin Stoller Alvin Stoller (October 7, 1925 – October 19, 1992) was an American Jazz drumming, jazz drummer. He was best known for playing drums on both Mitch Miller's recording of "The Yellow Rose of Texas (song), The Yellow Rose of Texas" and Stan Fr ...

(d) Frank Beach, Pete Candoli, Cappy Lewis,

Al Porcino Al Porcino (May 14, 1925 – December 31, 2013) was an American lead trumpeter. He was born in New York, United States. Porcino began playing professionally in 1943, and played in many of the big bands of the 1940s and 1950s, including those of Ge ...

(t)

Harry Betts Harry Betts (September 15, 1922 – July 13, 2012) was an American jazz trombonist. Background Born in New York and raised in Fresno, California, he was active as a jazz trombonist and played with Stan Kenton's orchestra in the 1950s. He can be h ...

, Dick Noel, George Roberts, lloyd Ulyate (vtrmb) Track 4 United Recorders, Hollywood, September 3, 1959, Russell Garcia (arr, con) Claude Williamson Jr. (p) Herb Ellis (g)

Red Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927 – November 8, 1992) was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. Biography Mitchell was born in New York City. His younger brother, Whitey Mitchell, also became a jazz ...

(b)

Jack Sperling Jack Sperling (August 17, 1922 – February 26, 2004) was an American jazz drummer who performed as a sideman in big bands and as a studio musician for pop and jazz acts, movies, and television. Career In 1941 he played with trumpeter Bunny ...

(drums) (d) Pete Candoli, Philip Candreva, Buddy Childers,

Stu Williamson Stu Williamson (May 14, 1933 – October 1, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter and valve trombonist. Born in Brattleboro, Vermont, Williamson was the younger brother of jazz pianist Claude Williamson. In 1949, he moved to Los Angeles, whe ...

(t) Tracks 5,6 United Recorders, Hollywood, September 3, 1959, Marty Paich (arr, con) Claude Williamson Jr. (p)

(g) Red Mitchell (b) Jack Sperling (d) Pete Candoli, Philip Candreva, Buddy Childers, Stu Williamson (t) Track 8 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, March 18, 1958, Paul Weston (arr, con) Paul Smith (p)

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups as well as a "first call" gu ...

(g) Joe Mondragon (b)

(d) John Best, Pete Candoli,

Harry "Sweets" Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 – July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard backi ...

Don Fagerquist Donald Alton Fagerquist (February 6, 1927 – January 23, 1974) was a small group, big band, and studio jazz trumpet player from the West Coast of the United States. Career Fagerquist was a featured soloist with several major bands, including Ma ...

Mannie Klein Emmanuel Klein (February 4, 1908 – May 31, 1994) was an American jazz trumpeter most associated with swing. Career Born in New York City, New York, Klein began recording with The Ambassadors for Vocalion in 1924, worked with Paul Whiteman in ...

(t) Tracks 9–13 Capitol Studios. Hollywood, July 24, 1957, Frank DeVol (arr, con) Arnold Ross (p) Barney Kessel (g)

Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor Saxophone, saxophonist. He performed in the United States and Europe and made many recordings with Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hodges, a ...

(ts) Abe Luboff, Joe Mondragon, Philip Stephens (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Pete Candoli, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Ray Linn, George Werth (t) Milt Bernha Track 14 Radio Recorders Annex, Hollywood, March 19, 1958, Weston (arr, con) Harry "Sweets" Edison (t) Leonard Hartman,

Matty Matlock Julian Clifton "Matty" Matlock (April 27, 1907 – June 14, 1978) was an American Dixieland jazz clarinettist, saxophonist and arranger. Early years Matlock was born in Paducah, Kentucky, April 27, 1907, and raised in Nashville beginning in 1917. ...

. Ted Nash, or Fred Stulce (fl) Paul Smith (p) Barney Kessel (g) Joe Mondragon (vb; Alvin Stoller (d)

References

{{Authority control 1959 albums Ella Fitzgerald albums Albums arranged by Russell Garcia (composer) Verve Records albums Albums produced by Norman Granz Albums recorded at Capitol Studios