They All Laughed (song)

"They All Laughed" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, written for the 1937 film Shall We Dance where it was introduced by Ginger Rogers as part of a song and dance routine with Fred Astaire. The lyrics compare those who "laughed at me, wanting you" with those who laughed at some of history's famous scientific and industrial pioneers, asking, "Who's got the last laugh now?"[1] People and advances mentioned are Christopher Columbus's proof the Earth is round; Thomas Edison's phonograph; Guglielmo Marconi's wireless telegraphy; the Wright brothers's first flight; the Rockefeller Center; Eli Whitney's cotton gin; Robert Fulton's North River Steamboat; Milton S. Hershey's Hershey bar chocolate; and Henry Ford's "Tin Lizzy" Model T car.[1]

Notable recordings

• 1937 Fred Astaire with Johnny Green and His Orchestra - recorded March 18, 1937, Brunswick-7856,[2] a chart hit.[3] Astaire recorded the song again in 1952 for his album The Astaire Story and again in 1975 for the album The Golden Age Of Fred Astaire.[4]
• 1954 Carmen McRae - single release[5]
• 1956 Bing Crosby on his 1956 album "Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings."
• 1956 Mel Tormé for his album Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire.
• 1957 Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong — Ella and Louis Again
• 1957 Chet Baker - included in the album Embraceable You.
• 1958 Patti Page - for her album The West Side.[6]
• 1958 Sarah Vaughan — Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin
• 1959 Ella Fitzgerald — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook
• 1960 Eric Dolphy - included in the album Looking Ahead.
• 1963 Dick Van Dyke recorded for the album Songs I Like.[7]
• 1964 Bobby Darin recorded a version with the laugh of George Burns on his 1964 Winners album.[8]
• 1969 Tony Bennett - for his album I've Gotta Be Me. He recorded it again in 1993 for his Steppin' Out album.
• 1979 Rosemary Clooney - recorded for her album Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin.
• 1980 Frank Sinatra — Trilogy: Past Present Future
• 2014 Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett on Cheek to Cheek

References

1. Lyrics of the version on The Astaire Story, recorded by Fred Astaire featuring Oscar Peterson at MetroLyrics
2. "THE ONLINE DISCOGRAPHICAL PROJECT". 78discography.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
3. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 37. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
4. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
5. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
6. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
7. "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
8. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.