Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise

"Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" is a song with music by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II from the 1928 operetta The New Moon. One of the best-known numbers from the show, it is a song of bitterness and yearning for a lost love, sung in the show by Philippe (tenor), the best friend of the hero, Robert Mission (baritone).

The original song was composed as a tango, and features a dance as accompaniment to the choral reprise, but many versions of the song have changed the tempo completely (there have been many jazz renditions). What some may consider the most ludicrous version is the one featured in the 1940 film version of the operetta, in which it is actually sung as a cheerful ditty by Nelson Eddy while he shines his shoes, despite the melancholy nature of the song's lyric.

The song is featured twice in Deep in My Heart, MGM's 1954 musical biopic of Romberg, when it is sung by Betty Wand (dubbing for Tamara Toumanova) and by Helen Traubel.

Cover versions

See also

References

  1. Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-19-993739-4.
  2. Gioia, Ted. "The Modern Jazz Quartet: Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise". Jazz.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  3. Giddins, Gary (2004). Weather Bird: Jazz at the Dawn of Its Second Century. Oxford University Press US. p. 129. ISBN 0-19-515607-2.
  4. "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise". JazzStandards.com. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
  5. Rust, Brian (1970). Victor Master Book Vol. 2. Stanhope, New Jersey: W. C. Allen. p. 237.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories, 1890–1954: The History of American Popular Music: Compiled from America's Popular Music Charts 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 387. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  7. Henderson, Alex. "Master Plan". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
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