I Hear a Rhapsody
"I Hear a Rhapsody" is a 1941 pop song that became a jazz standard, composed by George Fragos, Jack Baker, and Dick Gasparre. Written in 1940, in 1941 it was a top 10 hit for three separate artists, Charlie Barnet, Jimmy Dorsey and Dinah Shore. That same year, the tune was at the top of "Your Hit Parade".
“I Hear a Rhapsody” was also featured in the 1952 film noir Clash by Night, in which it was sung by Tony Martin. The soundtrack featured jazz notables such as pianist Gerald Wiggins, alto saxophonist Benny Carter, and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. The film, directed by Fritz Lang, involved a love triangle in a small fishing village and starred Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, and Paul Douglas.
Versions
- Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra with Bob Carroll, recorded October 14, 1940
- Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Bob Eberly, recorded December 9, 1940
- Duke Ellington and His Orchestra with Herb Jeffries and Ben Webster, recorded January 15, 1941, in Hollywood
- Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra, NBC radio performance from January 30, 1941
- Frank Sinatra, single with "I Could Write a Book" in 1952
- George Shearing on When Lights Are Low, 1955; with Jim Hall on First Edition, 1982; I Hear a Rhapsody - Live at the Blue Note, 1992
- Zoot Sims with Bob Brookmeyer on Tonite's Music Today, 1956
- Patti Page on Music for Two in Love, 1956
- John Coltrane on Lush Life, 1961
- Art Blakey on Art Blakey!!!!! Jazz Messengers!!!!!, 1961