It Ain't Necessarily So
Encyclopedia
"It Ain't Necessarily So" is a popular
song
with music by George Gershwin
and lyrics by Ira Gershwin
. The song comes from the Gershwins' opera Porgy and Bess
(1935
) where it is sung by the character Sportin' Life, a drug dealer, who expresses his doubt about several statements in the Bible
.
The role of Sportin' Life was created by John W. Bubbles
. Other notable incarnations of the character include Cab Calloway
on stage and Sammy Davis, Jr.
in the 1959 film
.
In the song, the melody for the words "it ain't necessarily so" resembles the melody for the words "Baruchu et adonai hamevorach", at the beginning of the aliyah
blessing before reading from the Torah
.
The song has been covered a number of times during the Rock
era. It was a major Australian hit in 1965 for singer Normie Rowe
, and included by The Moody Blues
in their 1965 album
, The Magnificent Moodies
. The Moody Blues' version is notable for the fact that it was their first recording with band member Ray Thomas
singing the lead vocals. It was also included by The Honeycombs
on their debut-album, Bronski Beat
in 1984, Cher
in 1994, and Jamie Cullum
in 2002, although most notably sung by Aretha Franklin
and Bobby Darin
on his 1959 album That's All. Aretha also recorded it for her album "Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo)
". Sting also recorded a version of it. Brian Wilson
covered this song in his 2010 Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin album. Hugh Laurie
covered it on his 2011 album Let Them Talk
.
It Ain't Necessarily So is also the title of the autobiography of the American musician Larry Adler
.
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...
with music by George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
. The song comes from the Gershwins' opera Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
(1935
1935 in music
-Events:*February 26 - Georges Bizet's Symphony in C is performed for the first time, under Felix Weingartner, in Basel, Switzerland*April 8 - Béla Bartók's String Quartet No. 5 is premiered in Washington, D.C....
) where it is sung by the character Sportin' Life, a drug dealer, who expresses his doubt about several statements in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
The role of Sportin' Life was created by John W. Bubbles
John W. Bubbles
John William Sublett , known by his stage name John W. Bubbles, was an American vaudeville performer, dancer, singer and entertainer.-Life and career:...
. Other notable incarnations of the character include Cab Calloway
Cab Calloway
Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....
on stage and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
in the 1959 film
Porgy and Bess (1959 film)
Porgy and Bess is a 1959 American musical film directed by Otto Preminger. It is based on the 1935 opera of the same name by George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, and Ira Gershwin, which is in turn based on Heyward's 1925 novel Porgy, and the subsequent 1927 non-musical stage adaptation he co-wrote...
.
In the song, the melody for the words "it ain't necessarily so" resembles the melody for the words "Baruchu et adonai hamevorach", at the beginning of the aliyah
Aliyah (Torah)
An aliyah is the calling of a member of a Jewish congregation to the bimah for a segment of reading from the Torah. The person who receives the aliyah goes up to the bimah before the reading and recites a blessing. After the reading, the recipient then recites another concluding blessing...
blessing before reading from the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
.
The song has been covered a number of times during the Rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
era. It was a major Australian hit in 1965 for singer Normie Rowe
Normie Rowe
Norman John "Normie" Rowe AM was a major male solo performer of Australian pop music in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton, house producer for the Sunshine Records, Spin Records and...
, and included by The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
in their 1965 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...
, The Magnificent Moodies
The Magnificent Moodies
The Magnificent Moodies is the 1965 debut album by The Moody Blues first released in the UK and the first and only album featuring their R&B lineup of guitarist Denny Laine, bassist Clint Warwick, keyboardist Mike Pinder, flute player–percussionist Ray Thomas, and drummer Graeme Edge...
. The Moody Blues' version is notable for the fact that it was their first recording with band member Ray Thomas
Ray Thomas
Ray Thomas is an English musician, best known as the flautist and as a singer and composer in the rock band, The Moody Blues.-Career:...
singing the lead vocals. It was also included by The Honeycombs
The Honeycombs
The Honeycombs were an English beat/pop group, founded in 1963 in North London. The group had one chart-topping hit, the million selling "Have I the Right?", in 1964. After that song the interest in the group ebbed away, and they split up in late 1966...
on their debut-album, Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat were a popular British synthpop trio who achieved success in the mid 1980s, particularly with the 1984 chart hit "Smalltown Boy". All members of the group were openly homosexual and their songs reflected this, often containing political commentary on gay-related issues...
in 1984, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
in 1994, and Jamie Cullum
Jamie Cullum
Jamie Cullum is an English pop and jazz-pop singer-songwriter. Though he is primarily a vocalist/pianist he also accompanies himself on other instruments including guitar and drums. Since April 2010, he has been presenting a weekly jazz show on BBC Radio 2, broadcast on Tuesdays from 19:00.- Early...
in 2002, although most notably sung by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
and Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
on his 1959 album That's All. Aretha also recorded it for her album "Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo)
Aretha (with the Ray Bryant Combo)
Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo is the second album of the future "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin, released in 1961. The album is also known under its working title Right Now It's Aretha.-Recording:...
". Sting also recorded a version of it. Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
covered this song in his 2010 Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin album. Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
covered it on his 2011 album Let Them Talk
Let Them Talk
Songs of the Special Edition-Charts:-Certifications:- Release history :-External links:** on...
.
It Ain't Necessarily So is also the title of the autobiography of the American musician Larry Adler
Larry Adler
Lawrence "Larry" Cecil Adler was an American musician, widely acknowledged as one of the world's most skilled harmonica players. Composers such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, Malcolm Arnold, Darius Milhaud and Arthur Benjamin composed works for him...
.