Heat Wave (Irving Berlin song)

"Heat Wave" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1933 musical As Thousands Cheer, and introduced in the show by Ethel Waters.[1]

"Heat Wave"
Song by Ethel Waters
Written	1933
Songwriter(s)	Irving Berlin

Film appearances

• 1938 The song was featured in the movie Alexander's Ragtime Band, where it was performed by Ethel Merman.[1]
• 1946 It was also featured in the 1946 movie Blue Skies, where it was performed by Olga San Juan.
• 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business, where it was performed by Marilyn Monroe. (Note: based on the lyrics alone, the Marilyn song is different, and within the film's narrative, Monroe's version is a sexier variant of the original that's "stolen" from Ethel Merman's character).
• 1954 A snippet of the song can be heard in a medley in the 1954 film White Christmas, sung by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.
• 1993 A snippet of the song can be heard in the film Grumpy Old Men, sung by Ella Fitzgerald.

Notable recordings

There were three chart hits in 1933 by:

• Ethel Waters
• Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra - vocal by Mildred Bailey
• Meyer Davis - vocal by Charlotte Murray. [2]

Other versions

• 1952 Lee Wiley on the album Lee Wiley Sings Irving Berlin.[3]
• 1955 Margaret Whiting for Capitol Records CL14242.[4]
• 1956 Bing Crosby also recorded the song on his album Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings.
• 1958 Ella Fitzgerald sang the song on her album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook.
• 1961 Enoch Light gave a symphonic treatment of the song, which can be found on the album Stereo 35-MM.[5]
• 1975 Bing Crosby on his 1975 album At My Time of Life.
• 1979 James White and the Blacks on the 1979 album Off White.
• 1995 Patti LuPone and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra on the album Heatwave: Patti LuPone Sings Irving Berlin.[6]

References

1. Flinn, Caryl (2009). Brass Diva: The Life and Legends of Ethel Merman. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 98. ISBN 0520260228. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
2. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 508. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
3. "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
4. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
5. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
6. Heatwave: Patti LuPone Sings Irving Berlin overview at AllMusic