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A nightingale sang in Berkeley square (BONUS TRACK)

from Paris London by Benoit Viellefon & his Hot Club

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lyrics

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A NIGHTINGALE SUNG IN BERKLEY SQUARE - LYRICS
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Music by Manning Sherwin, Lyrics by Eric Maschwitz
Published december 1940


When two lovers meet in Mayfair, so the legends tell
Songbirds sing and winter turns to spring
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell
I know such enchantment can be
'Cause it happened one evening to me

That certain night, the night we met
There was magic abroad in the air
There were angels dining at the Ritz
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I may be right, I may be wrong
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turn'd and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

The moon that lingered over London town
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown
How could he know we two were so in love
The whole darn world seemed upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars
It was such a romantic affair
And as we kissed and said goodnight
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

Our homeward step was just as light
As the tap-dancing feet of Astaire
And like an echo far away
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I know, 'cause I was there
That night in Berkeley Square

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ABOUT THIS TRACK
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"A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a British romantic popular song written in 1939 and published in 1940, with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Manning Sherwin.

The song makes reference to the nearby luxurious The Ritz Hotel

Berkeley Square is a large leafy square in Mayfair, a part of London. The Ritz Hotel referred to is just outside Mayfair, adjacent to Green Park.

The nightingale, a migrant songbird, is celebrated in literature and music for the beauty of its song. It favours rural habitats, and is unlikely to be heard in Central London.

The song was written in the then-small French fishing village of Le Lavandou—now a favourite resort for British holidaymakers and second-home owners—shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. It is typically sung in the key of D-flat major by male vocalists such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.

"When the Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is the title of a short story by Michael Arlen, published in 1923 as part of his collection These Charming People. According to Maschwitz, the title of the song was "stolen" from that of the story. The song had its first performance in the summer of 1939 in a local bar, where the melody was played on piano by Manning Sherwin with the help of the resident saxophonist. Maschwitz sang the words while holding a glass of wine, but nobody seemed impressed. In the spring of 2002, an attempt was made to find the bar where this song was first performed: it was hoped that a blue plaque could be set up. With the help of the local tourist office, elderly residents were questioned, but it proved impossible to identify the venue.

The verse and the additional lyrics to a second chorus were in the song as written, but are rarely sung in recordings (those of Bobby Darin, Mel Torme, Blossom Dearie, Twiggy, Vera Lynn and Rod Stewart being notable exceptions). Twiggy's version was featured in an episode ("Fran's Gotta Have It") of The Nanny.

The song was published in 1940, when it was first performed in the London revue New Faces by Judy Campbell (later the mother of Jane Birkin).[5] In the same year it was also performed by both Ray Noble and then by Vera Lynn. The tune is a recurring theme in the Fritz Lang film Man Hunt (1941). It was notably sung by Elsie Carlisle, an English female singer active both before and during the British dance band era.

credits

from Paris London, released October 1, 2023
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MUSICIANS
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Benoit Viellefon - Lead Vocals, Rhythm guitar
Dan Oates - Violin
Andrew Oliver - Piano
Eleazar Speafico Ruiz - Double bass

Recorded in 3 days in the autumn of 2016 at Porcupine Studio London.
Engineer by Nick Taylor.
Produced by Benoit Viellefon & Nick Taylor.

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Benoit Viellefon London, UK

Benoit Viellefon is a French singer and guitarist established in the UK. Specialised in 1920's 1930's and 1940's music, Benoit is resident at Ronnie Scotts and other famous clubs. Benoit appears in many Hollywood films, TV and radio productions, festivals, and performed for VIP such as Madonna, the Queen, or the Kremlin. He often tours with his 3 bands: The Orchestra, the Hot Club, the trio. ... more

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