The Music Goes Round And Around

Album: Jazz Sides (1935)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • According to Thomas Hischak in The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia, the 1935 jazz number "The Music Goes Round And Around" is "arguably the most successful nonsense song in the history of Tin Pan Alley." It is about the operation of a French horn. Written by Ed Farley and Mike Riley with lyrics by Red Hodgson, it was introduced by Riley and Farley's band at a New York night club. In one month it sold over two million copies of the sheet music; at one point, four companies were printing it. Many people have recorded the song, most notably Ella Fitzgerald; it was also done as a duet by Danny Kaye and Susan Gordon in the 1959 film The Five Pennies. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England
  • Though this novelty song's lyric is about playing the French horn, the song can be used for any instrument. Tommy Dorsey's hit version in 1936 did just that, with singer Edythe Wright joking around with the various soloists and then the whole band sings along with the chorus.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."