Douglas Browning: Ranking: Great Songs and Composers

I reserve the right to reconsider any of the following at the drop of a hat.

Jerome Kern's Great Songs

Great

All The Things You Are
Dearly Beloved
A Fine Romance
I'm Old Fashioned
In Love In Vain
I Won't Dance
Long Ago and Far Away
Pick Yourself Up
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
The Way You Look Tonight
Yesterdays

Maybe Great

Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Ol' Man River
She Didn't Say Yes
They Didn't Believe Me
Why Was I Born?

Near Great

I'll Be Hard To Handle
Let's Begin
Make Believe
Remind Me
The Song Is You
Who
You Couldn't Be Cuter

                    Personal Ranking by Douglas Browning


Cole Porter's Great Songs

Great

All Of You
Anything Goes
Easy To Love
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
From This Moment On
Get Out Of Town
I Get A Kick Out Of You
I've Got You Under My Skin
In The Still Of The Night
It's All Right With Me
It's De-Lovely
Just One Of Those Things
Let's Do It, Let's Fall In Love
Love For Sale
Night And Day
So In Love
Too Darn Hot
What Is This Thing Called Love
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

Maybe Great

All Through The Night
Begin The Beguine
I Concentrate On You
I Love Paris
Miss Otis Regrets

Near Great

Always True To You In My Fashion
At Long Last Love
Do I Love You?
Don't Fence Me In
Hot-House Rose
I Am In Love
I Love You
Let's Fly Away
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
Ridin' High
Weren't We Fools

           Persnal ranking by Douglas Browning

George Gershwin's Great Songs

Great

 Somebody Loves Me  Lyric, B. G. DeSylva and Ballard McDonald  1924   George White's Scandals of 1924

 

 Fascinating Rhythm

 Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1924     Lady, Be Good
 The Man I Love    Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1924   1927  

  

Lady, Be Good (unused)    Strike Up The Band

 'S Wonderful  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1927     Funny Face   
I've Got a Crush on You  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1928   1930  Treasure Girl                            Strike Up the Band
 Embraceable You  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1930      Girl Crazy
 I Got Rhythm  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1930      Girl Crazy
 But Not for Me  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1930      Girl Crazy
 Who Cares? (So Long  as You Care for Me)             Lyric, Ira Gershwin   1931   Of Thee I Sing
 Summertime  Lyric, Ira Gershwin   and DuBose Heyward   1935  Porgy and Bess
 I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'  Lyric, Ira Gershwin   and DuBose Heyward   1935  Porgy and Bess
It Ain't Necessarily So Lyric, Ira Gershwin    and DuBose Heyward   1935  Porgy and Bess
Let's Call the Whole
Thing Off  		  Lyric, Ira Gershwin   1937   Shall We Dance
 They All Laughed  Lyric, Ira Gershwin   1937   Shall We Dance
 They Can't Take That
Away from Me                 		  Lyric, Ira Gershwin   1937   Shall We Dance
 A Foggy Day    Lyric, Ira Gershwin   1937   A Damsel in Distress
 Nice Work If You Can  Get It  Lyric, Ira Gershwin   1937   A Damsel in Distress
 Love Is Here to Stay  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1938  
 For You, For Me,  For  Evermore  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1946  The Shocking Miss Pilgrim

     Maybe Great

 Someone to Watch over   Me   Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1926   Oh, Kay !
 Isn't It Romantic   Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1926   Oh, Kay ! (unused)
 How Long Has This  Been Going On?   Lyric, Ira Gershwin

1927 

 1928

 Funny  Face (unused)

Rosalie

 Isn't It a Pity?   Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1933  Pardon My English
 I Loves You, Porgy     Lyric, Ira Gershwin    and DuBose Heyward  1935  Porgy and Bess
 Things Are Looking  Up   Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1937  A Damsel in Distress
 Love Walked In   Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1938  The Goldwyn Follies

Near Great

 Strike Up the Band !  Lyric, Ira Gershwin 1927
1930		  Strike Up the Band
 Soon  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1930  Strike Up the Band
 Bidin' My Time  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1930  Girl Crazy
 Of Thee I Sing  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1931  Of Thee I Sing
 My Man's Gone Now  Lyric, Ira Gershwin
and DuBose Heyward		  1935  Porgy and Bess
 Shall We Dance  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1937  Shall We Dance
 I Can't Be Bothered  Now  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1937  A Damsel in Distress
 I Was Doing All Right  Lyric, Ira Gershwin  1938  The Goldwyn Follies

Personal ranking by Douglas Browning


Richard Roger's Great Songs

Great

with Lorenz Hart

Thou Swell
The Lady Is A Tramp
Lover
Mountain Greenery
My Funny Valentine
There's A Small Hotel
Where Or When
This Can't Be Love
A Ship Without A Sail
You Took Advantage Of Me
Manhattan
It Never Entered My Mind
I Didn't Know What Time It Was

with Oscar Hammerstein II

My Favorite Things
It Might As Well Be Spring
People Will Say We're In Love

Maybe Great

with Lorenz Hart

Johnny One Note
My Heart Stood Still
You're Nearer
Spring Is Here

with Oscar Hammerstein II

If I Loved You
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

Near Great

with Lorenz Hart

Little Girl Blue
My Romance
Ten Cents A Dance
Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered)
I Wish I Were In Love Again
Have You Met Miss Jones?
Isn't It Romantic?

with Oscar Hammerstein II

The Gentleman Is A Dope
Getting To Know You
Hello, Young Lovers
Shall We Dance?
Some Enchanted Evening

Persnal ranking by Douglas Browning

Tom Jobim's Great Songs

  Great

 Desafinado  Newton Mendonça  1958

 

Original in Portuguese. Version in English (1965):Off Key (lyrics: GeneLees and Tom Jobim)

QJM; TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim; Claudio Roditi: Double Standards; Tamba Trio: Classics
 Estrada do sol  Dolores Duran  1958 Original in Portuguese NC: A Noite do Meu Bem; Yo, Maria Creuza
 Dindi  Aloysio de Oliveira  1959 Original in PortugueseVersion in English: Dindi (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)

 

LA: Maiden Voyage; TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim; Yo, Maria Creuza

 A felicidade  Vinicius de Moraes  1959                                Partof:Movie 'Black Orpheus'/'Orfeu Negro' Original in Portuguese. Version in English (1990): Happiness (lyrics: Susannah McCorkle)  QJM; SMc: Sabiá
 Corcovado    1960

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English: Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (lyrics: Gene Lees)

QJM; KA: Daydream; Getz/Gilberto; Yo, Maria Creuza
 Garota de Ipanema  Vinicius de Moraes  1962

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1963): The Girl from Ipanema (lyrics: Norman Gimbel)

Getz/Gilberto; Antonio Carlos Jobim and Friends; Tamba Trio: Classics
 Só danço samba  Vinicius de Moraes  1962

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (?): Jazz'n'Samba (lyrics: Norman Gimbel)

SMc: Sabiá; KA: Daydream
 Vivo sonhando    1963

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1966): Dreamer (lyrics: Gene Lees) Another version in English (1990): Living on Dreams (lyrics:Susannah McCorkle)

SMc: Sabiá; TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Inútil paisagem  Aloysio de Oliveira  1963

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1979): Useless Landscape (sometimes "If You Never Come to Me")

 Elis and Tom
 Wave (Vou te  contar)    1967

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English: Wave (lyrics: Jobim)

LA: Luz Neon; SMc: From Broken Hearts to Blue Skies
 Triste    1967 Original in Portuguese
Version in English: Triste (lyrics: Jobim)

 

LA: Nós; LA: Bossa Nova; Elis and Tom; Claudio Roditi: Samba Manhattan Style; CRoditi: Metropole Orchestr

 Só tinha de ser com  você  Aloysio de Oliveira  1964

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English 1981): This Love that I've Found (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)

QJM; Joyce: Tudo bonito; TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Chovendo na
 roseira		    1971

 

Original in Portuguese
Originally created for the sound track of the film 'The Adventurers' and named "Children's Games" in 1970, this song had its name changed to "Chovendo na Roseira" when Jobim added lyrics to it.
Version in English (1974): Double Rainbow (lyrics: Gene Lees)

Elis and Tom; Rosa Passos: Pano Pra Manga
 Águas de março    1972 Original in Portuguese
Version in English: Waters of March

JG:João Gilberto

QJM; Elis and Tom; SMc: From Bessie to Brazil; Joyce: Astronauta

 Matita Perê  Paulo Cesar Pinheiro  1973

 

Original in Portuguese
Originally used as main theme of the sound track for the movie 'Sagarana-o duelo,' directed by Paulo Thiago, based on a story by Guimarães Rosa. The movie was released in 1973.

 TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
  Bôto  Jararaca  1976 Original in Portuguese  QJM
 Você vai ver    1980

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English: Cinema (lyrics: Michael Franks)

 LA: Nós
 Borzeguim    1981 Original in Portuguese  A Nova Banda: Passarim

  Maybe Great

 Fotografia    1959 Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1965): Photograph (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)		  Elis and Tom
 Meditação  Newton Mendonça  1959

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1966): Meditation (lyrics: Norman Gimbel)

QJM; TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Samba de uma nota  só  Newton Mendonça  1959

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1962): One Note Samba

TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Amor em paz  Vinicius de Moraes  1960

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1966): Once I Loved (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)

Antonio Carlos Jobim and Friends
 Insensatez  Vinicius de Moraes  1961

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1963): How Insensitive (lyrics: Norman Gimbel)

SMc: From Broken Hearts to Blue Skies; TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Chega de saudade  Vinicius de Moraes  1958

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1962): No More Blues (Lyrics: Jesse Cavanaugh/Jon Hendricks)

Antonio Carlos Jobim and Friends; Yo, Maria Creuza
 Samba do avião    1962

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1994): Song of the Jet (lyrics: Gene Lees).The lyrics for the introduction, using expressions taken from the Candomblé religion, are a collaboration of composer Dorival Caymmi.

TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 O morro não tem  vez  Vinicius de Moraes  1963

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1981): Somewhere in the Hills (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)

TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim; Getz: Jazz Samba Encore; Tamba Trio: Classics
 Sabiá  Chico Buarque  1968

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1980): Sabiá (lyrics: Norman Gimbel)

SMc: Sabiá; TJ: Tom (?)
 Anos dourados  Chico Buarque  1986

 

Part of: TV series 'Anos Dourados'
Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1986): Looks Like December (lyrics: Antonio Carlos Jobim)

A Nova Banda e Chico Buarque

 Near Great

 Se é por falta de  adeus  Dolores Duran  1955 Original in Portuguese NC: A noite do meu bem
 Se todos fossem  iguais a você  Vinicius de Moraes  1956 Part of: Theater play 'Orfeu da Conceição'
Original in Portuguese
English version (1966): Someone to Light Up My Life (lyrics: Gene Lees)		 Antonio Carlos Jobim and Friends
 Por causa de você  Dolores Duran  1957 Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1965): Don't Ever Go Away (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)		 NC: A noite do meu bem; Yo, Maria Creuza
 Caminhos cruzados  Newton Mendonça  1958 Original in Portuguese Antonio Carlos Jobim and Friends; SMc: From Broken Hearts to Blue Skies
Discussão Newton Mendonça  1958 Original in Portuguese LA: Bossa Nova
Por toda a minha  vida  Vinicius de Moraes  1959 Original in Portuguese

 

Elis and Tom; NC: Voz e Suor

 Água de beber  Vinicius de Moraes  1961

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1971): Water to Drink (or Drinking Water) (lyrics: Norman Gimbel)

QJM: TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Ela é carioca  Vinicius de Moraes  1963

 

Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1981): She's a Carioca (lyrics: Ray Gilbert)

QJM: TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim
 Bonita  Gene Lees/Ray Gilbert  1964 Original in English

 

Luciana Souza: An Answer to Your Silence;

 Correnteza  Luiz Bonfá  1973 Original in Portuguese QJM
 Ana Luiza    1973 Original in Portuguese

 

TJ: A Arte de Tom Jobim; Antonio Carlos Jobim and Friends

 Two Kites    1980 Original in English

 

TJ: Tom (?)

 Passarim    1985

 

Part of: TV series 'O Tempo e o Vento'
Original in Portuguese
Version in English (1985): Passarim (lyrics: Paulo Jobim)

A Nova Banda: Passarim


Two bumped from the above "near great" list:

N

 

 O grande amor

 Vinicius de Moraes  1960 Original in Portuguese   Getz/Gilberto
 Retrato em branco  e preto  Chico Buarque  1968

 

Original in Portuguese
In the original instrumental version, this song was named Zíngaro. The title was changed when Chico Buarque wrote the lyrics.

Luciana Souza: An Answer to Your Silence; Elis: Tom (?)

NOTE:  Items in the fifth column above indicate a few representative samples of the songs, not necessarily the best or definitive performances.  Moreover, they require updating and alteration in view of further listening of mine.  Indeed, the ranking given for certain songs are now under reconsideration.  For example, Fotografia should probably be moved up to "great" and Passarim moved up to "maybe great." 

                                                                                                                                      Personal ranking by Douglas Browning

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