A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

Jimmy McHugh & Bobby Darin

One summer night in 1959, at The Hollywood Bowl, Bobby Darin headlined a salute to the music of Jimmy McHugh. It was called I Feel a Song Coming On.

The 21-year old wunderkind had just exploded onto the national scene, winning Record of the Year for his breakthrough hit, Mack The Knife, at the first ever Grammy Awards Ceremony.

Bobby sang I Feel A Song Comin' On, On The Sunny Side Of The Street, Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer, I Won't Dance, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night and Let's Get Lost.

Conductor Buddy Bregman led the mammoth 105 piece orchestra, which included a 55 member string section!

Rounding out the salute to Jimmy’s music was Vic Damone and the gorgeous Italian actress and singer Anna Maria Alberghetti. Among the McHugh songs they performed was Can't Get Out Of This Mood, When You and I Were Young Maggie Blues and When My Sugar Walks Down The Street.

The show ended with Jimmy Bobby, Vic and Anna Marie singing A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening.

Indeed it was.

Click to hear:

Bobby Darin/I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby

SONG SPOTTERS UNITE!

Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night?

Why not put that insomnia to work for you?

If you spot a Jimmy McHugh Song in a classic film or TV show, we’d love you to tell us about it.

When you can’t sleep and you’re watching late night TV or surfing the web, be on the lookout for vintage McHugh tunes.

In appreciation, we’ll send you a terrific Jimmy McHugh Music CD Sampler along with our undying gratitude.

PS:

As Inspiration (and Consolation!), click on the link below for a clip of a very young Frank Sinatra crooning Jimmy’s I Couldn’t Sleep A Wink Last Night from debut film Higher and Higher. By the way-That’s Dooley Wilson (of ‘Casablanca’ fame) on the piano.

http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/DVjOsmolL14fml/i-couldnt-sleep-a-wink-last-night

SONG SPOTTING: When My Sugar Walks Down the Street

In his authoritative biography of Jimmy McHugh, author Alyn Shipton writes, “The extraordinary success of When My Sugar Walks Down The Street (1925) gave McHugh his first taste of what it felt like to write a truly popular hit. A melody that was hummed on every street corner.”

We just uncovered this rarely seen clip of Judy Garland performing the song in a scene that was shot for 1954’s A Star Is Born.

The song was intended to be part of Judy’s legendary ‘Born In A Trunk’ sequence.

It was cut out due to intense pressure from Warner Brothers Studios to make the film shorter (so exhibitors could squeeze in more showings each day).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_%281954_film%29

Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook

The brilliant series Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook

is certain to be a favorite of PBS Television audiences for years to come.

Michael’s vast musical knowledge combined with his love of the Great American Songbook makes the series a must see. 

Click below to check your local listings for upcoming airings

• PBS.org: Michael Feinstein's American Songbook

• www.michaelfeinstein.com

JIMMY MCHUGH in 3D!

Disney's spectacular new dance flick 'STEP UP in 3D'-showcases I WON'T DANCE- written by Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields and Jerome Kern.

The song was first featured in a movie in 1935; The film was Roberta, starring Fred Astaire.