Joy Ride

The fun of playing some songs is that we just never know what we’re going to hear. This George Gershwin piece has been like that ever since Danny Cox brought us better chords for it a year or so ago. Now the song is like a shiny little red convertible parked in the garage just waiting for the next sunny day. You and your buddies pile in, not knowing where you’re going, just enjoying the company and the sights and the sounds of each other’s laughter. Hop in! We’re going for a joy ride!About the SongAs reported earlier, “Lady Be Good” has been a perennial party favorite for more than a century now.Nineteen-Twenty-Four was a watershed year for Gershwin. After spending more than a decade pounding the pavement in New York’s Tin Pan Alley, he composed his landmark "Rhapsody in Blue." Then, alongside his brother Ira, George scored his first major Broadway hit, the musical comedy Lady Be Good, which ran for more than 300 performances.The enduring significance of the show’s title tune, "Lady Be Good," lies in its rare ability to transcend musical eras. A unique entry in the Great American Songbook, it beautifully bridged two distinct jazz ages, surviving the transition from the loose Dixieland style of the Roaring Twenties to the smooth swing sound of the 1930s.A favorite among jazz legends as diverse as Charlie Parker and Lester Young, the song’s rich history also includes interpretations by vocal icons like Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé.For more on the back story of this song, see this earlier Flood Watch entry.More Floodifaction?And if this has you hungry for a little more of the band’s jazzier selections, drop by the free Radio Floodango music streaming feature and click on the “Swingin’” Channel.Click here to give it a spin. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 1937flood.substack.com