"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" is an American popular song published in 1931,[1] with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Ted Koehler, and first recorded by Cab Calloway in 1931. It was introduced in the 1931 Cotton Club show Rhythmania[2] and is now a widely recorded standard.
Early hits
Joel Whitburn identified the most successful early recordings as being by:[3]
- Cab Calloway recorded October 21, 1931[4] for Brunswick Records (catalogue No. 6209)
- Louis Armstrong performed a version featuring a trumpet solo which was recorded on January 25, 1932 and released by Columbia Records, catalogue No. 2600D.[5]
- The Boswell Sisters with The Dorsey Brothers (Recorded March 21, 1932, Brunswick Records, No. 6291)[6]
Other recordings
- Blossom Dearie on Give Him the Ooh-La-La (1958)[7]
- George Harrison on Brainwashed (2002)[8]
Film appearances
- 1933 Sing, Bing, Sing – Bing Crosby sang an abridged version of the song in this Mack Sennett short.
- 1969 They Shoot Horses, Don't They? – An instrumental version is played during one of the dance scenes.
- 1984 City Heat – sung by Eloise Laws.[9]
Broadway show
Featured in the 2013 show After Midnight.
Later versions
George Harrison recorded a version of the song for his 2001 album Brainwashed.
References
- ^ "1931 sheet music "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea"". pinterest.com. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ "haroldarlen.com". haroldarlen.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Wisconsin, US: Record Research Inc. p. 477. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ "THE ONLINE DISCOGRAPHICAL PROJECT". 78discography.com. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
- ^ "THE ONLINE DISCOGRAPHICAL PROJECT". 78discography.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
- ^ "THE ONLINE DISCOGRAPHICAL PROJECT". 78discography.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com".
- ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
