SONG OF THE DAY

“Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” by Julia Rich (If I Spoke French, Cardinal Records, 2003). Composed by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg.

INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)

– Rich’s album If I Spoke French also includes great covers of “La Vie En Rose” (made famous by Edith Piaf), The Beatles’ “I Will”, “What A Difference A Day Makes” (as made famous by Billie Holiday), “Teach Me Tonight”, “The Tennessee Waltz”, and “You’re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You”.

– “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead” is the centrepiece of several individual songs in an extended set-piece performed by the Munchkins, Glinda (Billie Burke) and Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

– Harold Arlen (the famous song’s famous composer), recorded a duet of it with Barbara Streisand for his 1966 Columbia Records album, Harold Sings Arlen (with a Friend). Columbia included the duet on Streisand’s 2002 CD, Duets.

- Ella Fitzgerald sang it on her 1961 album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook, and Sammy Davis, Jr. sang it live with Buddy Rich on The Sounds of ’66.

- Klaus Nomi performed a cover which was released as a single in 1982.

LINKS

• Here’s the song from ilike.com (it should play the full version of the song, 2:08 minutes, if not google the song to find the full link). Be warned, it’s really SWINGIN’!
• Here’s Julia Rich’s official webpage.