Giersdorf Sisters - Blue Skies (1927)

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The three Giersdorf Sisters sing Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" on Columbia 878-D, issued in 1927.

Their names were Elvira, Irene, and Rae.

It's one of the geatest songs of that century.

I view this Giersdorf performance as mediocre--uninspired or lackluster singing of a great song.

Are they the same as the Giddens Sisters?

The Giersdorf Sisters recorded at least four titles for Columbia:

1) Blue Skies on 878-D (January 12, 1927) matrix: W143292

2) In A Little Spanish Town on 878-D (January 29, 1927) matrix: W143367

3) Rosy Cheeks on 1006D (April 7, 1927) matrix: W144002

4) Swanee River Trail on 1006D (January 20, 1927) matrix: W143335

Blue skies
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see

Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long

Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days
All of them gone
Nothing but blue skies
From now on

I was blue, just as blue as I could be
Every day was a cloudy day for me
Then good luck came a-knocking at my door
Skies were gray but they're not gray anymore

Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" is among the greatest songs of the 20th century. I put it up there with Hoagy's "Stardust" and Paul McCartney's "Yesterday."

It was first heard in a Broadway show called Betsy. The show was meant to showcase the songs of team Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

But Belle Baker, who was featured in the show, decided she needed a more dynamic song than what was provided. She turned to her friend Irving Berlin, who gave her "Blue Skies" in late 1926--in time for her to introduce it in Betsy.

Betsy opened at the New Amsterdam Theater on Broadway three days after Christmas--on December 28, 1926. It ran a few dozen times, not a hit. But the song "Blue Skies" made an impression, and it was of course used to great effect by Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer.