"The Sweetest Sounds" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...

, with words and music written by Richard Rodgers for the

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wor ...

musical ''

No Strings ''No Strings'' is a musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. ''No Strings'' is the only Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musical he composed after the death of ...

''. The song opens and closes the show for characters Barbara Woodruff and David Jordan, performed by Diahann Carroll and

Richard Kiley Richard Paul Kiley (March 31, 1922 – March 5, 1999) was an American stage, film and television actor and singer. He is best known for his distinguished theatrical career in which he twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor In A Musical. Kiley ...

in the original

Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

production and subsequent

cast recording A cast recording is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the voices of the sho ...

Composition

The melodic theme appears to have been inspired by an orchestral figure in the final movement of Johannes Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 (Brahms) (measures 64–80).

In television and film

*Judy Garland featured the song on The Judy Garland Show episode that aired November 10, 1963 in a medley performed with Count Basie and his orchestra. *

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

featured the song in the 1973 broadcast '' Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments''. *The song is featured in the 1997 adaptation of

Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular ...

's ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'', performed as a duet by Brandy and Paolo Montalbán.

Recordings

In addition to the respective cast albums and telefilm recordings, the song has been recorded by various artists including: * Peggy Lee – included in her album '' Sugar 'n' Spice'' (1962) * Perry Como – for his album '' By Request'' (1962). *

Sergio Franchi Sergio Franchi (born Sergio Franci Galli; April 6, 1926 – May 1, 1990) was an Italian-American tenor and actor who enjoyed success in the United States and internationally after gaining notice in Britain in the early 1960s. In 1962, RCA Vict ...

recorded the song for his 1963 RCA Victor Red Seal album ''Broadway...I Love You''. *

Eydie Gorme Eydie may refer to: * Eydie Gormé (1928–2013), American singer. * Steve and Eydie, an American pop vocal duet, * Eydie Whittington, a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. * The World Of Steve & Eydie, a 1972 album released by Steve Law ...

– in the album ''Blame It on the Bossa Nova'' (1963). *

Blossom Dearie Margrethe Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She had a recognizably light and girlish voice. Profile at AllMusic/ref> Dearie performed regular engagements in London and New York City o ...

- on her album '' Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin' Songs'' (1963). *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

's swinging cover can be heard on her 1964

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon ...

release '' Hello, Dolly!''. * Andy Williams released a version of the song on his 1964 album '' The Great Songs from "My Fair Lady" and Other Broadway Hits''. *

Kathy Kirby Kathy Kirby (born Catherine Ethel O'Rourke; 20 October 1938 – 19 May 2011) was an English singer, reportedly the highest-paid female singer of her generation. She is best known for her cover version of Doris Day's " Secret Love" and for re ...

– a single release in 1964. * Nancy Wilson – for her album ''

Broadway – My Way ''Broadway – My Way'' is a studio album by Nancy Wilson released in March 1963 on Capitol Records. The album reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200 chart. Track listing # "A Lot of Livin' to Do" (Lee Adams, Charles Strouse) – 2:08 # "You Ca ...

'' (1964) * Kate Smith – for her album ''The Sweetest Sounds'' (1964) * Patti Page – in her album '' Love After Midnight'' (1964) *

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

- from her album '' Woman Talk (Live At The Village Gate)'' (1966). * Sarah Vaughan - from her album '' Sassy Swings Again'' (1967). * Shirley Bassey recorded the song for her 1965 album Shirley Stops the Shows. *

Helen O'Connell Helen O'Connell (May 23, 1920 – September 9, 1993) was an American singer, actress, and hostess, described as "the quintessential big band singer of the 1940s". Early life Born in Lima, Ohio, O'Connell grew up in Toledo, Ohio. By the time ...

recorded the song for her 1963 album ''An Era Reborn with Helen O'Connell''. * Rosemary Clooney – for her album '' Rosemary Clooney Sings Rodgers, Hart & Hammerstein'' (1990). *

Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, pop, rock and roll, folk, swing, and country music. He started his career as a songwriter for Connie ...

recorded the song on January 11, 1963. It remained unreleased until June 8, 1999: Ultra-Lounge – Wild, Cool & Swingin'. *

Cécile McLorin Salvant Cécile McLorin Salvant (born August 28, 1989) Kaplan, Fred"Cécile McLorin Salvant's Timeless Jazz" '' The New Yorker'', May 22, 2017. is an American jazz vocalist. She was the winner of the first prize in the Thelonious Monk International Jaz ...

- on her album '' The Window'' (2018)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweetest Sounds, The 1962 songs Songs from musicals Songs with music by Richard Rodgers Barbra Streisand songs Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs Brandy Norwood songs Andy Williams songs