Blog
Nov 07

Thanks For The Memory

“Thanks for the Memory” (1938) is a popular song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938 by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross.

In the film, Ross and Hope’s characters are a divorced couple who encounter each other aboard a ship. Near the film’s end, they poignantly sing one of the many versions of this song, recalling the ups and downs of their relationship (then they decide to get back together).

The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and became Hope’s signature tune, with many different lyrics adapted to any situation.

In the movie the song had three verses (I guess it had to be longer as background for one of the main scenes), the published song had two verses, but, for your listening pleasure, I cut the song down to only one verse.

I guess the song was pretty popular, judging from versions by: Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Rod Stewart and others.

This performance is dedicated to my friend and patient Judianne.

Enjoy,

Dr. Weiss

Some information from Wikipedia.

Bosendorfer piano sound – For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I’ve ever owned!!