Stories of Standards: “Alone Together”

Tune in to Jazz with Victor Cooper – weekdays from 6-9 a.m. MT – for Stories of Standards to hear our favorite versions of this song all week long, December 31 through January 4, presented by Rodney Franks!

Stories of Standards is sponsored by ListenUp - If you love music, you’ll love ListenUp.

On the long list of Broadway tunes that became Jazz Standards, “Alone Together” has earned a prominent place, ranking 89th at Jazz Standards. The song was introduced in the 1932 musical revue “Flying Colors,” with music by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz. Schwartz and Dietz were prolific, writing more than 200 songs each, and collaborating on dozens of projects.

The cast included Clifton Webb, Imogene Coca and the brother-sister singing and dancing duo of Buddy and Vilma Ebsen. Jazz Standards writes Jean Sargent sang the number near the end of the first act, while Webb and Tamara Geva danced.

The musical is also notable for the way it tackled issues of the day.  “Smokin’ Reefers” was sung before federal law criminalized pot.  “Louisiana Hayride” was said to be a commentary on the Bayou State’s infamous politics.

Singers from the world of jazz have embraced this tune, including Tony Bennett, Ray Charles and Betty Carter.  Players played with the song as well – Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Artie Shaw and more!