Few female jazz singers matched the hard-swinging and equally hard-living Anita O'Day for sheer exuberance and talent in all areas of jazz vocals. Her improvising, wide dynamic tone, and innate sense of rhythm made her more than just another big-band canary. At a time when most female vocals tended to emphasize the sweet timbres of their voice, she chose to emphasize a path blazed by the one major jazz singer who emphasized message over medium - Billie Holiday. Like Holiday, O'Day combined the soaring freedom of jazz instrumentalist with the storytelling lyricism of a poet.
After making her solo debut in the mid-'40s she incorporated bop modernism into her vocals and recorded over a dozen of the best vocal LPs of the era.
During the late Forties, she recorded two dozen sides, mostly for small labels. The quality of these singles varies: O'Day was trying to achieve popular success without sacrificing her identity as a jazz singer. Among the more notable recordings from this period are "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip", "Key Largo", "How High the Moon", and "Malaguena". O'Day's drug problems began to surface late in 1947, when she and husband Carl Hoff were arrested for possession of marijuana and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Her career was back on the upswing in September of 1948, when she sang with Count Basie at the Royal Roost in New York City, resulting in five airchecks. What secured O'Day's place in the jazz pantheon, however, are the seventeen albums she recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1962.
Her first album, Anita O'Day Sings Jazz (reissued as The Lady Is a Tramp), was recorded in 1956 for the newly established Verve Records (it was also the label's first LP). The album was a critical success and further boosted her popularity. In October of 1952 O'Day was again arrested for possession of marijuana, but found not guilty. The following March, she was arrested for possession of heroin. The case dragged on for most of 1953; O'Day was finally sentenced to six months in jail. Not long after her release from jail on February 25, 1954, she began work on her second album, Songs by Anita O'Day (reissued as An Evening with Anita O'Day). She recorded steadily throughout the Fifties, accompanied by small combos and big bands. In person, O'Day was generally backed by a trio which included the drummer with whom she would work for the next 40 years, John Poole.
As a live performer O'Day also began performing in festivals and concerts with such musicians as Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Cal Tjader, and Thelonious Monk. She appeared in the documentary Jazz on a Summer's Day, filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival which increased her popularity. The following year O'Day made a cameo appearance in The Gene Krupa Story , singing "Memories of You". Late in 1959 she toured Europe with Benny Goodman; according to her autobiography, when Goodman's attempts to upstage her failed to diminish the audience's enthusiasm, he cut all but two of her numbers from the show.
After the Goodman fiasco, O'Day went back to touring as a solo artist. She recorded infrequently after the expiration of her Verve contract in 1962 and her career seemed over when she nearly died of a heroin overdose in 1968. After kicking the habit, she made a comeback at the 1970 Berlin Jazz Festival. She also appeared in the films Zig Zag (1970) and The Outfit (1974). She resumed making live and studio albums, many recorded in Japan, and several were released on her own label, Emily Records.
O'Day spoke candidly about her drug addiction in her 1981 memoir, High Times, Hard Times.
Her version of the standard, "Sing, Sing, Sing" was remixed by RSL and was included in the compilation album Verve Remixed 3 in 2005.
2006 saw her first album release in 13 years, entitled Indestructible!.
Blue Skies
Anita O'Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Bluebirds singin' a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
(Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see)
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
The lyrics to Anita O'Day's song "Blue Skies" convey a sense of joy, optimism, and the overwhelming happiness that comes with being in love. The song describes a world filled with blue skies, bluebirds singing, and the sun shining brightly. This imagery symbolizes a perfect, blissful existence, where everything is going right. The singer emphasizes that they have never seen the sun shining so brightly before, and they are amazed at how smoothly things are going. They can't help but notice how quickly the days pass by when they are in love, highlighting the ephemeral nature of time when one is consumed by a deep, meaningful relationship.
The lyrics also hint at a transformation that the singer has experienced. They mention that the blue days are gone, suggesting that they have left behind a phase of sadness or melancholy, and now only blue skies remain. This represents a shift in perception and a newfound happiness. The repetition of the phrase "nothing but blue skies from now on" serves as a reaffirmation of this positive outlook, expressing the singer's belief that their joy will continue indefinitely.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue skies smilin' at me
The clear, cloudless skies are bringing joy and happiness into my life
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
I can only perceive positive and optimistic things in my surroundings
Bluebirds singin' a song
Birds known for their vibrant blue feathers are happily singing
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Only cheerful and uplifting experiences accompany me throughout the day
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
The sun has never radiated with such intensity and brilliance before
Never saw things goin' so right
Everything is falling into place perfectly, going smoothly and favorably
Noticing the days hurrying by
Being fully aware of the passing of time, feeling it rushing by quickly
When you're in love, my how they fly
When experiencing love, the days seem to pass by incredibly fast
Blue days, all of them gone
Sad and melancholic days are now a thing of the past
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Only positive, delightful experiences await me in the future
(Blue skies smilin' at me
(The clear, cloudless skies are bringing joy and happiness into my life
Nothin' but blue skies do I see)
I can only perceive positive and optimistic things in my surroundings
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Only positive, delightful experiences await me in the future
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nienke Zeeman
Skylark
Have you anything to say to me?
Won't you tell me where my love can be?
Is there a meadow in the mist
Where someone's waiting for a kiss?
Oh skylark
Have you seen a valley green with spring?
Where my heart can go a journeying
Over the shadows and the rain
To a blossom covered lane
And in your lonely flight
Haven't you heard the music of the night?
Wonderful music
Faint as a will o' the wisp
Crazy as a loon
Sad as a gypsy serenading the moon
Skylark
I don't know if you can find these things
But my heart is riding on your wings
So if you see them anywhere
Won't you lead me there
Swivel Hips
My grandfather is one of the musicians playing sax on this recording. Hearing his stories of playing and knowing Gene Krupa, Anita and many others from the Swing era are one of my personal treasures. He had nothing but good to say about Gene, never witnessed him smoke or reference marijuana. He said, "He was no dope fiend". When my grandfather left Gene's band he went on to graduate medical school from Northwestern, serve onboard as a Naval medical officer and had a private practice for 50+ years.
Hello
contact an author of any book about gene.. get your first hand account recorded ...carpi diem...
Janine11155
What an amazing Grandad
Ray Szymarek
Your Story about Gene Krupa and your grand father is exactly correct/ Here is the way the true story goes. Gene Krupa WAS Framed once again Gene Krupa was Framed. His band boy got drafted in to the Army. he wanted to get Gene a going away present. Grass Mariguna. Gene did not care about dope at all. Unfortunately Gene had to serve time and get humiliated. Gene really just wanted to play drums great drums. In that Sax Section with your grand father Charlie Ventura if he was alive would tell you the same. The vocal by Anita O day Skylark was one of Genes favorite tunes. I like it also. thank you
SH
What a wonderful legacy! Thanks for sharing your story.
Liberté
Very really touched by yur family story . So much feelings Merci beaucoup from yu. Emmanuel from Paris France
Nienke Zeeman
Skylark
Have you anything to say to me?
Won't you tell me where my love can be?
Is there a meadow in the mist
Where someone's waiting for a kiss?
Oh skylark
Have you seen a valley green with spring?
Where my heart can go a journeying
Over the shadows and the rain
To a blossom covered lane
And in your lonely flight
Haven't you heard the music of the night?
Wonderful music
Faint as a will o' the wisp
Crazy as a loon
Sad as a gypsy serenading the moon
Skylark
I don't know if you can find these things
But my heart is riding on your wings
So if you see them anywhere
Won't you lead me there
joeypropeller
i've now listened to every other version on youtube, and imho this is the definitive version. bette midler is interesting and aretha is spectacular, but anita seems to me 100% connected to this lyric and melody. it's her song. plus the arrangement with its descending bassline is my favorite -- breezy yet sad yet smart. plus roy's solo kicks ass. this record will have its day.
marco antonio
Já chorei muito ouvindo essa música,o primeiro cd q ganhei! Entre tantas gravações lindas,essa é a q mais amo!
Liberté
One of the BEST ever song! MERCI BEAUCOUP for this incredible rendering rendition! Emmanuel from Paris France