Easter Parade (song)
Encyclopedia
"Easter Parade" is a popular song
that was written by Irving Berlin
and was published in 1933
. The lyrics describe the singer's involvement in an American cultural event called the Easter parade.
The song was introduced by Marilyn Miller
and Clifton Webb
in the Broadway
musical revue As Thousands Cheer
(1933), in which musical numbers were strung together on the thematic thread of newspaper headlines. It was sung by Bing Crosby
in the film Holiday Inn
(1942), which featured an Irving Berlin song about each major holiday. In 1948
, it was performed by Judy Garland
and Fred Astaire
in the musical film of the same title, which was constructed around the song. The song was also featured in the Rankin/Bass special The First Easter Rabbit
in 1976 and has since become a standard.
Berlin originally wrote the melody in 1917, under the title "Smile and Show Your Dimple." The song flopped but the composer filed away the melody for later use.
The song is often considered to be one of the most popular Easter songs of all time, along with Peter Cottontail
.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
that was written by Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
and was published in 1933
1933 in music
-Events:*January 23 – Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 2 is premiered in Frankfurt*National Association for American Composers and Conductors is founded by Henry Hadley.*Billie Holiday is "discovered" singing at Monette's club....
. The lyrics describe the singer's involvement in an American cultural event called the Easter parade.
The song was introduced by Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular Broadway musical stars of the 1920s and early 1930s. She was an accomplished tap dancer, singer and actress, but it was the combination of these talents that endeared her to audiences. On stage she usually played rags-to-riches Cinderella characters who...
and Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for his Oscar-nominated roles in such films as Laura, The Razor's Edge, and Sitting Pretty...
in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical revue As Thousands Cheer
As Thousands Cheer
As Thousands Cheer is a revue with a book by Moss Hart and music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, first performed in 1933. The revue contained satirical sketches and witty or poignant musical numbers, several of which became standards, including "Heat Wave", "Easter Parade" and "Harlem on my Mind." ...
(1933), in which musical numbers were strung together on the thematic thread of newspaper headlines. It was sung by Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
in the film Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn (film)
Holiday Inn is a 1942 American musical film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with music by Irving Berlin. The film has twelve songs written expressly for the film, the most notable being "White Christmas"...
(1942), which featured an Irving Berlin song about each major holiday. In 1948
1948 in film
The year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...
, it was performed by Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
and Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
in the musical film of the same title, which was constructed around the song. The song was also featured in the Rankin/Bass special The First Easter Rabbit
The First Easter Rabbit
The First Easter Rabbit is a 1976 animated Easter special, seen on NBC and later CBS. Created by Rankin/Bass, it tells the story of the Easter Bunny's origin and is loosely based on The Velveteen Rabbit, a children's book by Margery Williams.-Plot:...
in 1976 and has since become a standard.
Berlin originally wrote the melody in 1917, under the title "Smile and Show Your Dimple." The song flopped but the composer filed away the melody for later use.
The song is often considered to be one of the most popular Easter songs of all time, along with Peter Cottontail
Peter Cottontail (song)
"Here Comes Peter Cottontail" is a popular Easter song composed in 1950 by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins. Due to immense popularity of Gene Autry's Christmas songs Here Comes Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer that Nelson and Rollins had written, the duo asked Autry to record it...
.