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!.
Penthouse Serenade
Anita O'Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With hinges on chimneys for stars to go by
A sweet slice of heaven for just you and I
When we're alone
From all of society we'll stay aloof
And live in propriety there on the roof
Two heavenly hermits, we will be in truth
We'll view life's mad pattern
As we view old Manhattan
Then we can thank our lucky stars
That we're living as we are
In our little penthouse we'll always contrive
To keep love and romance forever alive
In view of the Hudson, just over the drive
When we're alone
The song "Penthouse Serenade" by Anita O'Day is a love song that describes a perfect, secluded world that the singer and their partner create together in their penthouse apartment. The lyrics paint a picture of a luxurious and peaceful life in the sky, away from the bustle of society. The imagery of "hinges on chimneys for stars to go by" creates a whimsical, dream-like atmosphere in which the singer and their partner can enjoy each other's company. The song suggests that there is something special and almost sacred about the relationship between the two people in the penthouse, as they are "heavenly hermits" who are above the chaos of the world below.
The song's emphasis on seclusion and privacy can be interpreted in a few ways. It could be seen as a desire on the part of the singer and their partner to escape from the harsh realities of the world around them. Alternatively, it could be seen as a celebration of the unique bond they share, which is so valuable that it requires a separate space in which to thrive. The lyrics about viewing "life's mad pattern" from above imply a detachment from the struggles and worries of everyday life. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "When we're alone," reinforces the idea that the penthouse is a haven where the singer and their partner are safe and content together.
Line by Line Meaning
Picture a penthouse way up in the sky
Imagine a luxurious apartment situated high above the ground
With hinges on chimneys for stars to go by
The stars will be used as a reference point above the chimney of the penthouse
A sweet slice of heaven for just you and I
The penthouse is a beautiful place for only the two of us
When we're alone
The penthouse is meant for privacy
From all of society we'll stay aloof
We will avoid society and live a solitary life
And live in propriety there on the roof
We will conduct ourselves with dignity while living on the rooftop
Two heavenly hermits, we will be in truth
We will become spiritual recluses while living in the penthouse
When we're alone
We value our privacy and solitude in the penthouse
We'll view life's mad pattern
We will observe the chaotic nature of life
As we view old Manhattan
We will observe the city skyline of Manhattan from our penthouse view
Then we can thank our lucky stars
We will express our gratitude for being fortunate enough to live in such a place
That we're living as we are
We are content with our current lifestyle
In our little penthouse we'll always contrive
We will always strive to maintain the beauty and elegance of our penthouse
To keep love and romance forever alive
We will maintain a strong romantic connection with each other
In view of the Hudson, just over the drive
Our penthouse view includes the beautiful Hudson River, situated nearby
When we're alone
Our penthouse is meant for romantic privacy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Val Burton, Will Jason
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Susan Gagliano
I'm surprised no one has ever commented here. Anita was one of the greatest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've just discovered this jazz standard which I think is lovely even though not as well known as many others.
Robert Van der Meer
Susan Gagliano i just discovered this as well, it’s very nice, way better than the music nowadays.
Sebastian Gil
Anyone else think the pianist sounds like Nat Cole? Whoever knows truth on personnel, please share!
Fretboard Journal
It's actually included in Klaus Teubig's comprehensive Nat Cole discography. It was recorded for a radio program in February, 1944, at MacGregor Studios in Los Angeles, so, in addition to Anita, it was Nat with Oscar Moore on guitar (taking that tasty solo) and Johnny Miller on bass. You can find the whole program here:
https://pastdaily.com/2017/05/07/nat-king-cole-1945-past-daily-downbeat/