A Musical Interlude...

March 14, 2020 7:45 PM

Mood Indigo (1930) is a jazz composition and song, with music by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard with lyrics by Irving Mills (previously). Ellington's biographer, Terry Teachout, described it as "an imperishable classic, one of a handful of songs that come to mind whenever Ellington's name is mentioned anywhere in the world".
posted by jim in austin (8 comments total)

Always appreciate a chance to link to the Jody Grind version. That's the incomparable Kelly Hogan singing.
posted by 99_ at 11:53 PM on March 14, 2020 [4 favorites]

I want to recant / correct what I said in the "this is bullshit" thread just before:
Not everything in America is fake & horrible - The Duke, and Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald, and a few others, are exempt.
posted by growabrain at 1:15 AM on March 15, 2020 [3 favorites]

99_, that was the first thing I thought of too! good job!
posted by thelonius at 3:37 AM on March 15, 2020 [3 favorites]

99_ and thelonius, thirded! Love that version, since my blues dancing days :)
posted by myotahapea at 7:01 AM on March 15, 2020 [3 favorites]

Here's Nina Simone's interpretation of the song.
posted by nightrecordings at 10:00 AM on March 15, 2020 [3 favorites]

Charles Mingus's version off Mingus**5 is the one that I hear in my head when I think of this song. These are all lovely renditions.
posted by getao at 10:20 AM on March 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

My first real exposure to this tune came from the Jim Kweskin Jug Band.
posted by Rash at 10:28 AM on March 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

Duke Ellington and at least some of his band played a free outdoor concert in my town when I was in high school and I had the good sense to go.
posted by theora55 at 6:28 PM on March 15, 2020 [3 favorites]