Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)" is a song composed by

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 ...

with lyrics by

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 ...

and

Gus Kahn Gustav Gerson Kahn (November 6, 1886October 8, 1941) was an American lyricist who contributed a number of songs to the Great American Songbook, including " Pretty Baby", " Ain't We Got Fun?", " Carolina in the Morning", " Toot, Toot, Tootsie (G ...

. It was introduced in 1929 by Ruby Keeler (as Dixie Dugan) in

Florenz Ziegfeld Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the '' Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He al ...

's musical '' Show Girl''. The stage performances were accompanied by the

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

Orchestra. On the show's opening night in Boston on June 25, 1929, Keeler's husband and popular singer

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, ; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. Self-billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Jolson was one of the United States' most famous and ...

suddenly stood up from his seat in the third row and sang a chorus of the song, much to the surprise of the audience and Gershwin himself. Jolson recorded the song a few days later on July 6, 1929, and his rendition rose to number nine on the charts of the day.

Other notable recordings

A popular

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive List ...

, the song has been recorded by: * Ipana Troubadors, vocal by Smith Ballew, recorded July 9, 1929 for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

(catalog No. 1903D). * Leo Reisman and His Orchestra, recorded July 9, 1929 for Victor Records (catalog No. 22069A). * Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra - recorded on September 25, 1934 for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

(catalog No. 555). *

Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever. From early in his career, fellow musicians acclaimed Tatum's technical ability as extraordinary. Tatum a ...

Swingsters - recorded on October 9, 1934 for Decca Records (catalog No. 1373). *

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive Swing music, swing pianist", Wilson's piano style was gentle, elegant, and virtuosic. His style was high ...

- a single release on the Brunswick label in 1935. *

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

Quartet, recorded August 2, 1937 for Victor Records (catalog No. 25660). * Chick Webb and His Orchestra - recorded on May 3, 1938 for Decca Records (catalog No. 1840). *

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American Jazz bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 193 ...

Swinging Strings - recorded on November 15, 1938 for Decca Records (catalog No. 2223). * Frankie Carle and His Orchestra, recorded April 2, 1942 for Columbia Records (catalog No. 36689). * Ethel Smith - recorded on October 24, 1944 for Decca Records (catalog No. 23426). * The Quintet of the Hot Club of France, featuring

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani people, Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Belgium, Belgian-born Romani jazz guitarist and composer in France. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe ...

- recorded January 2, 1946 for Decca Records. *

- he recorded it again on June 11, 1947. *

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

- recorded May 21, 1954 with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra. *

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the Jazz standard, standard jazz repertoire, includ ...

- included in his album '' The Unique Thelonious Monk'' (1956) and again in ''

Monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

'' (1964). * The Four Freshmen - included in their album '' Four Freshmen and Five Saxes'' (1957). *

Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), also known as "Mister Guitar" and "the Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson (musician), Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nash ...

- on '' Finger Style Guitar'' (1957). *

Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor who performed Pop music, pop, Swing music, swing, Folk music, folk, rock and roll, and country music. Darin started ...

- included in his album '' Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile'' (1966). *

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

and

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain (instrumental), Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba" ...

- on album '' An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert'' - recorded February 1978 for Columbia Records (catalog No. 35663). *

Michael Feinstein Michael Jay Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, pianist, and music Revivalist artist, revivalist. He is an archivist and interpreter for the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. In 1988, he won a Drama Desk Spec ...

- for his album '' Pure Gershwin'' (1987). *

Mel Tormé Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed "the Velvet Fog", was an American musician, singer, composer, arrangement, arranger, drummer, actor, and author. He composed the music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roa ...

- for his album '' Velvet & Brass'' (1995). *

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. Possessing a strong contralto voice, she was celebrated for her emotional depth and versatility across film, stage, and concert performance. ...

- a 1963 TV version included in the album ''The Show That Got Away'' (2002). *

and Stéphane Grappelli - recorded together in 1943, included in ''Bioshock'''s Licensed Soundtrack (2007).

Film appearances

*1945 Rhapsody in Blue *1945

George White's Scandals ''George White's Scandals'' were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after the ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W. C. ...

- performed on the Hammond B3 Organ by Ethel Smith. *1946 The Jolson Story - sung by Larry Parks (dubbed by Al Jolson), danced by Evelyn Keyes. *1946 The Big Sleep - heard outside Eddie Mars' house *1947 The Man I Love - played by San on the piano when Petey calls the Bamboo Club. *1951

An American in Paris ''An American in Paris'' is a jazz-influenced symphonic poem (or tone poem) for orchestra by American composer George Gershwin first performed in 1928. It was inspired by the time that Gershwin had spent in Paris and evokes the sights and en ...

*1951 Starlift - sung and danced by

Patrice Wymore Patrice Wymore Flynn (born Patricia Wymore; December 17, 1926 – March 22, 2014) was an American film, television and stage actress of the 1950s and 1960s, known for her marriage to Errol Flynn. Early life and stage career Born Patricia Wymor ...

(singing dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams)

In popular culture

The song is the namesake of

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...

, who performed the number at her 2008-9 concert '' Liza's at The Palace...!''. It is also included in the 2015 Broadway musical

, a joke on the mispronunciation of "Lise" - the female lead's name - by the American Jerry Mulligan.

and Stephane Grappeli's licensed version appears as a song in Bioshock (2007). Players will hear it upon activating a

jukebox A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that plays a user-selected song from a self-contained media library. Traditional jukeboxes contain records, compact discs, or digital files, and allow user ...

in the level, and will hear its notable tune during the Farmer's Market section. Featured in-game, the song has been slowed down whilst the original recording is played at slightly faster speed.

Notes

{{authority control 1929 songs 1920s jazz standards Songs with music by George Gershwin Songs with lyrics by Ira Gershwin Songs with lyrics by Gus Kahn Al Jolson songs Liza Minnelli songs Jazz compositions in D-flat major

Other notable recordings

Film appearances

In popular culture

See also

Notes