The story of Ella Fitzgerald's version of "" is a blend of theatrical scandal and a landmark moment in recording history. While many remember the song as a gentle romantic standard, it was originally a risqué Broadway number that Ella famously "restored" to its full, uncensored glory. The Broadway Scandal
The song was written by and Lorenz Hart for the 1940 musical Pal Joey . Unlike the "happier" musicals of that era, Pal Joey was gritty and cynical, featuring an anti-hero who used women for his own gain. The story of Ella Fitzgerald's version of ""
Lorenz Hart’s original lyrics were highly provocative for 1940, including lines like "Horizontally speaking, he’s at his very best" and "Thank God, I can be oversexed again" . Unlike the "happier" musicals of that era, Pal
For her album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book , she chose to record the unabridged version . At over seven minutes long, it remains one of the few recordings to include the full, original Broadway "patter" lyrics. At over seven minutes long, it remains one
Despite her personal shyness, Ella delivered the "racy" lines with a sophisticated, slightly detached humor that captured the character of Vera perfectly—satirical, sexy, and world-weary. The Cinematic Shift