As I look in 2023, lip-synching to my 2018 two-voice recording of this beautiful song...
Never seen you look quite so pretty before,
Never seen you look quite so lovely, what's more
I could hardly wait to keep our date, this lovely Easter morning,
And my heart beat fast when I came through the door.
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, 5th 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.
On 5th Avenue,
To be in the Easter Parade!
The Easter parade is an American cultural event consisting of a festive strolling procession on Easter Sunday. Typically, it is a somewhat informal and unorganized event, with or without religious significance. Persons participating in an Easter parade traditionally dress in new and fashionable clothing, particularly ladies' hats, and strive to impress others with their finery. The Easter parade is most closely associated with Fifth Avenue in New York City, but Easter parades are held in many other cities. Starting as a spontaneous event in the 1870s, the New York parade became increasingly popular into the mid-20th century—in 1947, it was estimated to draw over a million people.[1] Its popularity has declined significantly, drawing only 30,000 people in 2008.
Never seen you look quite so lovely, what's more
I could hardly wait to keep our date, this lovely Easter morning,
And my heart beat fast when I came through the door.
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, 5th 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.
On 5th Avenue,
To be in the Easter Parade!
The Easter parade is an American cultural event consisting of a festive strolling procession on Easter Sunday. Typically, it is a somewhat informal and unorganized event, with or without religious significance. Persons participating in an Easter parade traditionally dress in new and fashionable clothing, particularly ladies' hats, and strive to impress others with their finery. The Easter parade is most closely associated with Fifth Avenue in New York City, but Easter parades are held in many other cities. Starting as a spontaneous event in the 1870s, the New York parade became increasingly popular into the mid-20th century—in 1947, it was estimated to draw over a million people.[1] Its popularity has declined significantly, drawing only 30,000 people in 2008.
Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five.
He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him a legend before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films,[6] with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Easter Parade” written in 1933.
Much of the melody of this song was earlier used by Berlin in the 1917 song, "Smile and Show Your Dimple"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bAIEIWYBYc
Of course Fred Astaire and Judy Garland “own” the song…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYac9O3GYTM
Fats Domino did it…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Aw9WFm-LI
And Jerry Lee Lewis…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtvG0SDj10M
and Al Jolson..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lk3YyU0E2E
and Sarah Vaughan..and Billy Eckstein...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eue1R0Gt86o
And Rosemary Clooney…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxk5mjEtw-w
and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NfXd1JBNR0
And Peter Hanley, with Mitch Miller orchestra, 1951, probably a relative of my maternal grandfather Billy Hanley!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7cU05NbUhw
Johnny Desmond and Dorothy Collins…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cls1nvijfqQ
Guy and Ralna, with Lawrence Welk’s orchestra…1973
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJoXuXELMhE
a cool jazz version, 1950, by Roy Eldrdge, with Zoot Sims, Gerald Wiggins, and others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thXKY_WTPW0
Oscar Peterson’s impeccable version…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJw7dh5H8Ig
Perry Como…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIiM_whAa9U
And Liberace, with his mother!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XitCa2hPvcU
He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him a legend before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films,[6] with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Easter Parade” written in 1933.
Much of the melody of this song was earlier used by Berlin in the 1917 song, "Smile and Show Your Dimple"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bAIEIWYBYc
Of course Fred Astaire and Judy Garland “own” the song…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYac9O3GYTM
Fats Domino did it…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Aw9WFm-LI
And Jerry Lee Lewis…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtvG0SDj10M
and Al Jolson..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lk3YyU0E2E
and Sarah Vaughan..and Billy Eckstein...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eue1R0Gt86o
And Rosemary Clooney…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxk5mjEtw-w
and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NfXd1JBNR0
And Peter Hanley, with Mitch Miller orchestra, 1951, probably a relative of my maternal grandfather Billy Hanley!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7cU05NbUhw
Johnny Desmond and Dorothy Collins…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cls1nvijfqQ
Guy and Ralna, with Lawrence Welk’s orchestra…1973
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJoXuXELMhE
a cool jazz version, 1950, by Roy Eldrdge, with Zoot Sims, Gerald Wiggins, and others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thXKY_WTPW0
Oscar Peterson’s impeccable version…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJw7dh5H8Ig
Perry Como…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIiM_whAa9U
And Liberace, with his mother!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XitCa2hPvcU