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My Blue Heaven

I mentioned the song My Blue Heaven in my review of the Leon Redbone show, and it occurred to me that there might be a reader or two out there who do not know this chestnut. It was popularized by Gene Austin and later Fats Domino. However, the song was written by Walter Donaldson and published in 1927. It has been very well recorded. Notable covers include recordings by Les Brown, Benny Carter, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, Pete Fountain, Woody Herman, Frank Sinatra and on and on. Even Slim Whitman, Scatman Crothers, The Smashing Pumpkins, Norah Jones, Duane Eddy and Harpo Marx took a stab at this one.

Here’s Fats Domino. I think this version is just a little fast, but still very satisfying.

Here’s Gene Ausin’s defining version. I’m sure Mr. Redbone listened to Gene Austin very carefully.

The Smashing Pumpkins.

And here’s Luis Russell from 1934. Nice.

3 Comments

  1. sp's avatar
    sp

    I rather like the Luis Russell version. The Fats Domino version is what I kind of expected from Fats. Wish I’d seen the Leon Redbone version as you did. What a show that must have been.

  2. Gardenia's avatar
    Gardenia

    This was fun! I grew up singing that song – mostly along with Fats…but the others are equally as good in their own way.

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