Thou Swell

History

Recordings

• An early recorded version featured The Broadway Nitelites conducted by Ben Selvin with vocals by Franklyn Baur.
• There are many popular and jazz vocal renditions, including those by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby for his 1976 album At My Time of Life, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Blossom Dearie, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams. Bix Beiderbecke, Fats Waller, Harry James, J.J.Johnson and Billy May all recorded the song instrumentally.
• In the MGM Technicolor biopic about Rodgers and Hart called Words and Music, June Allyson sings and dances to Thou Swell with twin "knights" in an appropriately medieval setting.
• An instrumental version was recorded in Oslo on April 29, 1954 by "Verden Rundt's" All Star Band - A. Skjold - K. Stokke - K. Bergheim - Knut Hyrum - I. Børsum - Scott Lunde - K. O. Hoff ). Arranger and conductor: Egil Monn-Iversen. It was released on the 78 rpm record Musica RA-9005. The B-side was "Perdido."
• The music of the song is featured in the film All About Eve. It is played on the piano at the party when Margo tells her friends to "fasten their seat belts."