Baubles, Bangles, & Beads

"Baubles, Bangles & Beads" is a popular song from the 1953 musical Kismet, credited to Robert Wright and George Forrest. Like all the music in that show, the melody was based on works by Alexander Borodin, in this case the second theme of the second movement of his String Quartet in D. The "Kismet" setting maintains the original's 3/4 waltz rhythm; pop music settings change the rhythm to a moderate four-beat accompaniment. Jazz musicians are especially drawn to the song's beguiling melody and advanced harmonic structure. The familiar AA'BA+Coda structure of the song is energized by a key change up a major third interval for every section; the transition is marked by a bracing harmonic progression from the central major key of one section to the tritone minor key of the following section. Jazz players and singers have enjoyed the musical challenges of this song for decades.

The best-selling version of the song was recorded by Peggy Lee on September 16, 1953[1] and it charted briefly that year. [2] Other versions were recorded that year by Lu Ann Simms and Georgia Gibbs. The Kirby Stone Four re-make hit No. 50 in the Billboard Top 100 in 1958[3] and remains a favorite on adult standard stations. Eumir Deodato recorded an instrumental in a popular LP of 1972 called Prelude.[4]

The song has appeared on numerous albums over the years including:

Argentine composer Ernesto Acher mixed the scherzo of Borodin's string quartet with this piece of music, under the name "Borodin, Bangles & Beads" in 1987 on his album Juegos [7]

References
  1. "peggyleediscography.com". peggyleediscography.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 270. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  3. "The Kirby Stone Four Baubles, Bangles And Beads Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  4. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  5. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  6. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  7. "Borodin, Bangles & Beads" (Borodin's Scherzo from the Quartet n° 2/Baubles, Bangles & Beads) is also on the album Mischief with Mozart - Comical Combat with the Classics (Stradivari Classics).
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