Interesting how the verse of the Irving Caesar lyric begins with “Was in a Paris cafe that first I found him,” as if the song is from one of the gigolo’s lady patronesses. Possibly that was the original idea, though I don’t know of any versions by female vocalists until much later, and maybe none with that line. Or might it even have been written to give a singer, like Crosby, with a public image to protect some plausible deniability, just singing for a friend . . .
I assumed that the song was from some years earlier than 1929. Stephen Sondheim wrote that he composed for “Follies” a song along these lines set among the ruins of post-World War I Europe. When it was cast with someone (Fifi D’Orsay) who visibly didn’t go back quite that far, “Ah! Paree!” took its place.
The combination of these two songs from vastly different cultural backgrounds done in a very unique Italian-American performer's style is a perfect reflection of Prima's enduring international appeal.
Interesting how the verse of the Irving Caesar lyric begins with “Was in a Paris cafe that first I found him,” as if the song is from one of the gigolo’s lady patronesses. Possibly that was the original idea, though I don’t know of any versions by female vocalists until much later, and maybe none with that line. Or might it even have been written to give a singer, like Crosby, with a public image to protect some plausible deniability, just singing for a friend . . .
I assumed that the song was from some years earlier than 1929. Stephen Sondheim wrote that he composed for “Follies” a song along these lines set among the ruins of post-World War I Europe. When it was cast with someone (Fifi D’Orsay) who visibly didn’t go back quite that far, “Ah! Paree!” took its place.
I'm fairly sure the Ed Burke Collection is now part of the Glenn Miller Collections at Colorado University, Boulder.
The combination of these two songs from vastly different cultural backgrounds done in a very unique Italian-American performer's style is a perfect reflection of Prima's enduring international appeal.