Isle of Capri (song)
Encyclopedia
"Isle of Capri" is a popular
song
.
The music was written by Wilhelm Grosz
(aka Hugh Williams), the lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy
. The song was published in 1934
.
It was recorded by Lew Stone
and his Band with vocal by trumpeter Nat Gonella
on July 25, 1934 and released on Decca (UK) catalogue number
F 5132. Other popular British recordings were by Ray Noble
and his Orchestra with vocal by Al Bowlly
on August 30, 1934 and by Gracie Fields
on October 9, 1934.
The first US
hit version of the song was by Freddy Martin
's orchestra with vocal by Elmer Feldkamp recorded on December 3, 1934. Later hit versions were recorded by Wingy Manone
in 1944
, and later by The Gaylords and by Jackie Lee
in 1954
. Frank Sinatra
recorded it on October 1, 1957 for his album
: Come Fly with Me, issued in 1958
.
Shortly after first release, the song has been covered in Spanish and recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo
with singer Roberto Ray. This version, labeled a "Tango-Foxtrot," remains a staple of milongas (i.e., tango dances) to the present day.
The recording by The Gaylords was released by Mercury Records
as catalog number 70350. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on May 5, 1954 and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #15. The flip side, "Love I You," was a minor chart hit.
The recording by Jackie Lee
was released by Coral Records
as catalog number 61149. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on April 28, 1954 and lasted 11 weeks on the chart, peaking at #17.
This song was a huge world-wide hit, sung in countless arrangements and translations.
The song's melody strongly resembles that of another popular standard, Harold Arlen
and Ted Koehler's
"Get Happy
".
Some suggest that there are two minor errors in the lyrics of the song: '...the shade of an old walnut tree' - there are no walnut trees on the Isle of Capri. And '...though we leave on the tide in the morning' - Capri is in the Mediterranean which is not tidal. Both of these claims are wrong. There are indeed walnut trees on Capri, and the Mediterranean does experience slight changes in sea level due to tides.
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...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
.
The music was written by Wilhelm Grosz
Wilhelm Grosz
Wilhelm Grosz was an Austrian composer, pianist and conductor.Wilhelm Grosz was born in Vienna. He studied music with Franz Schreker and Guido Adler. In 1921 he was appointed conductor of the Mannheim Opera, but returned to Vienna in 1922, where he worked as a pianist and composer...
(aka Hugh Williams), the lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy OBE was an Irish songwriter, predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer", or co-writing with the composers Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon amongst others.-Biography:Kennedy was born near Omagh...
. The song was published in 1934
1934 in music
-Events:*March 12 - the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler given the world premiere of Paul Hindemith's symphony Mathis der Maler in Berlin.*May 28 - The Glyndebourne festival is inaugurated....
.
It was recorded by Lew Stone
Lew Stone
Lew Stone was a British dance band leader and arranger. He was well known in Britain during the 1930s.Stone learned music at an early age and became an accomplished pianist. In the 1920s, he worked with many important dance bands...
and his Band with vocal by trumpeter Nat Gonella
Nat Gonella
Nathaniel Charles Gonella was an English jazz trumpeter, bandleader, vocalist and mellophonist born in London, perhaps most notable for his work with the big band he founded, The Georgians....
on July 25, 1934 and released on Decca (UK) catalogue number
Catalog numbering systems for single records
This article presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single records.- Capitol :...
F 5132. Other popular British recordings were by Ray Noble
Ray Noble (musician)
Ray Noble was an English bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day...
and his Orchestra with vocal by Al Bowlly
Al Bowlly
Albert Allick Bowlly was a Southern-African singer, songwriter, composer and band leader, who became a popular Jazz crooner during the 1930s in the United Kingdom and later, in the United States of America. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941...
on August 30, 1934 and by Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
on October 9, 1934.
The first US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hit version of the song was by Freddy Martin
Freddy Martin
Frederick Alfred Martin was an American bandleader and tenor saxophonist.-Early life:Martin was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Raised largely in an orphanage and with various relatives, Martin started out playing drums, then switched to C-melody saxophone and later tenor saxophone, the latter the one...
's orchestra with vocal by Elmer Feldkamp recorded on December 3, 1934. Later hit versions were recorded by Wingy Manone
Wingy Manone
Wingy Manone was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, singer, and bandleader. His major recordings included "Tar Paper Stomp", "Nickel in the Slot", "Downright Disgusted Blues", "There'll Come a Time ", and "Tailgate Ramble".- Biography :Manone was born Joseph Matthews Mannone in New Orleans,...
in 1944
1944 in music
-Events:*January 18 - The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City for the first time hosts a jazz concert; the performers are Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden....
, and later by The Gaylords and by Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee is an Irish popular music singer, who has recorded under various names.-Career:Lee was a musical child prodigy. She won a scholarship and trained as a soprano for four years...
in 1954
1954 in music
-Events:*January 14 - First documented use of the abbreviated term "Rock 'n' Roll" to promote Alan Freed's Rock 'n' Roll Jubillee, held at St. Nicholas Arena in New York, New York...
. Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
recorded it on October 1, 1957 for his album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
: Come Fly with Me, issued in 1958
1958 in music
-Events:*February - 45,000 peoplein one week watch performances of "rokabirī" music by Japanese singers at the first Nichigeki Western Carnival....
.
Shortly after first release, the song has been covered in Spanish and recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo , nicknamed El pibe de La Paternal was an Argentine songwriter and director of a tango orchestra. He had the longest recording career in tango, from 1925 to 1980.- Career :...
with singer Roberto Ray. This version, labeled a "Tango-Foxtrot," remains a staple of milongas (i.e., tango dances) to the present day.
The recording by The Gaylords was released by Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
as catalog number 70350. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on May 5, 1954 and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #15. The flip side, "Love I You," was a minor chart hit.
The recording by Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee is an Irish popular music singer, who has recorded under various names.-Career:Lee was a musical child prodigy. She won a scholarship and trained as a soprano for four years...
was released by Coral Records
Coral Records
Coral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary formed in 1949. It recorded pop artists McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, as well as rock and roller Buddy Holly....
as catalog number 61149. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on April 28, 1954 and lasted 11 weeks on the chart, peaking at #17.
This song was a huge world-wide hit, sung in countless arrangements and translations.
The song's melody strongly resembles that of another popular standard, Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
and Ted Koehler's
Ted Koehler
Ted L. Koehler was an American lyricist.-Life and career:Koehler was born in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver but was attracted to the music business, where he started out as a theater pianist for silent films. He moved on to write for vaudeville shows and Broadway, and he also...
"Get Happy
Get Happy (song)
"Get Happy" is a song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler.It was the first song they wrote together, and was introduced by Ruth Etting in The Nine-Fifteen Revue in 1930....
".
Some suggest that there are two minor errors in the lyrics of the song: '...the shade of an old walnut tree' - there are no walnut trees on the Isle of Capri. And '...though we leave on the tide in the morning' - Capri is in the Mediterranean which is not tidal. Both of these claims are wrong. There are indeed walnut trees on Capri, and the Mediterranean does experience slight changes in sea level due to tides.