Ella Fitzgerald—”Get Happy” (1960)
During the end of the Fifties jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald was 50 weeks a year on the road. In early 1960 she went on another European tour, which started in Berlin. It took her to Yugoslavia, France, Holland, back to Germany, and then to Israel, before she returned to the United States in April. Everywhere she went, audiences would not let her get away without doing "Mack The Knife." "No one wants to hear the beautiful old songs," Ella complained. "I love them so much!" Back in the U.S., Ella got a go at 24 of those songs, when she recorded her final songbook album for Verve, "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook." It was to be her only album with an orchestra conducted by Billy May, who also arranged "Get Happy." The alto sax solo is played by Ted Nash.
Ella Fitzgerald, vocals, accompanied by Billy May and his orchestra in Hollywood, California, on August 2, 1960: Don Fagerquist, Frank Beach, Conrad Gozzo and Joseph Tiscari-trumpets; Milt Bernhardt, Edward Kusby and Richard Nae-trombones; George Roberts-bass trombone; Benny Carter and Ted Nash-alto saxophones; Plas Johnson-tenor saxophone; Harry Klee, Justin Gordon and Wilbur Schwartz-wood winds and flutes; Emil Richards-vibraphone; Paul Smith-piano; John Collins and Al Hendrickson-guitars; Joe Mondragon-double bass; and Alvin Stoller-drums.
Edward Jabloski, author of the 1961 Doubleday book "Harold Arlen -- Happy with the Blues" wrote in the album CD booklet about "Get Happy" and New Yorker Harold Arlen (real name Hyman Arluck, 1905-1986), who was a singer and pianist before he became a successful composer:
"One day in the summer of 1929, Arlen was asked to fill in for Fletcher Henderson, who was ill, as pianist for the dancers. Unable to play the same old thing all day, Arlen amused himself by tossing off variations on the vamp (the signal for the dancers to get ready). With each variation the original 'pick up' developed into a distinctive melodic idea. The show's choral director, Will Marion Cook, a composer himself and Arlen's good friend, suggested that he made a song of the one time vamp. Another friend, also a composer, Harry Warren agreed. He also introduced Harold Arlen to lyricist Ted Koehler, who devised a lyric and a title for the song, "Get Happy." It was Arlen's first professional song, and his first hit and it ended his singing career."
"My first professional song was "Get Happy," Arlen recalled. "I'm happy that Ella Fitzgerald chose to record 24 of my songs," he said, "but I would have loved her to have included some of my lesser known songs." Ella Fitzgerald met Harold Arlen when she was honored with a surprise 44th birthday party at the Basin Street East in April 1961.
