Easter is international in New York City

"On the Avenue: Fifth Avenue..."--
Non-Stop N.Y. Salutes Irving Berlin

Easter Parade

Never saw you look quite so pretty before
Never saw you dressed quite so lovely, what's more
I could hardly wait to keep our date this lovely Easter morning
And my heart beat fast as I came through the door

For --
In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade!
I'll be all in clover and, when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter parade!

On the Avenue -- Fifth Avenue --
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're
In the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet
About your Easter bonnet
And of the girl I'm taking
To the Easter parade.

__________________________

[alternate bridge for Great Britain:]
To the Park we'll go
Round Rotten Row
The photographers will snap us
And then you'll be seen
In the smart magazine

Easter Parade
Words & Music: Irving Berlin 1933; used first in: As Thousands Cheer (1933)
Introduced by Marilyn Miller and Clifton Webb in the revue: As Thousands Cheer
Performed by Bing Crosby in the film: Holiday Inn, 1942
Popularized by Bing Crosby
Recorded by Harry James and His Orchestra, 1947
Performed by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in the film: Easter Parade, 1948
released on CDs:
Easter Parade (Rhino soundtrack);
Easter Parade (CBS/Sony soundtrack);
That's Entertainment! (MGM soundtrack anthology);
Recorded by Liberace, 1954

Non-Stop thanks to Jack Kirschenbaum for sending these lyrics

Israel Baline may not have been born in the USA, but there is no other music on earth that sounds more American than his. He'd been born in Teemun [Russia], but a pogrom mounted against the Jews forced the family to emigrate. They settled on the South side of New York, and the young composer was forced to earn a living on the streets, as accompanist to a blind musician, when his father died prematurely. Now renamed Irving Berlin, he embarked on his main career as a songwriter, and subsequently as his own publisher. He was to have one of the longest of all careers in the music world. For the next 100 years and more, the name of Irving Berlin meant (as it still means) American music at its best. Berlin, born in 1888, made his home for many years on chic Sutton Place and often rendered Manhattan scenes in song.

A wonderful film with a Berlin score was the 1937 On The Avenue. Dick Powell, Madeleine Carroll, and Alice Faye kept the audiences happy while the Ritz Brothers made them laugh. [Summary: A socialite becomes involved with - gulp - an actor in this Irving Berlin musical, featuring the songs "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" and "Let's Go Slumming on Park Avenue" among others.]

Fred Astaire was not merely the greatest dancer on screen but he also inspired composers to create new material that he could introduce. Astaire sang Irving Berlin numbers in several film successes. Another happy movie with a Berlin score was M-G-M's 1947 Easter Parade with Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Myrna Loy, Peter Lawford, and Ann Miller. [Summary: Dancer Fred Astaire breaks up with his dance partner, Ann Miller, and then finds a new one in Judy Garland. In this Irving Berlin musical, the 1947-style hits included "It Only Happens When I Dance with You.]

**Next: Bonnets, Birds, Babka, or Books?**

"On the Avenue: Fifth Avenue..."-- Non-Stop N.Y. Salutes Irving Berlin

Easter Parade

"On the Avenue: Fifth Avenue..."--
Non-Stop N.Y. Salutes Irving Berlin