7.) Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye

For the seventh song of the project, I chose Cole Porter's Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye.  It was first performed in 1944 by a singer named Nann Wynn in a musical revue show called Seven Lively Arts. I did some hunting for it, but was unable to find a recording of that show, or any version by Wynn, unfortunately.  But this is a very popular tune and there are many great recordings to hear.  I am fond of the Chet Baker / Paul Bley duo on the record called Diane, and also Ella Fitzgerald's recording from the Norman Granz Songbooks series that she did.  Ella hasn't had a mention yet in this project, but my wife recently got me hooked on her and she's sure to get more mentions here in the future.

Since starting the project there has, for the most part, been a trend toward simplicity.  The older arrangements are a little busier and have more going on than the new ones.  Maybe you don't hear it so much, but it's there at least in my head.  Some of these songs just don't want to be messed with too much.  Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye is one of those.  The melody has a kind of purity and suspense to it that I didn't want to detract from with a bunch of extra ideas.  I play it slow.  It's just a touching sad and beautiful song to me.  I don't think there's much else to say.  But before I move onto the next piece, I'd like to recite the lyrics to you.  Interesting to note is that Cole Porter was one of the few composers who wrote his own lyrics.  Perhaps that's why I find this song to be so pure.  And I'm a sucker for the "from major to minor" lyric and harmonic alignment.

Ev'rytime we say goodbye 

I die a little

Ev'rytime we say goodbye 

I wonder why a little

Why the gods above me 

Who must be in the know

Think so little of me 

And allow you to go

When you're near there's such an ere 

Of Spring about it

I can hear a lark somewhere 

Begin to sing about it

There's no love song finer 

But how strange the change

From major to minor

Ev'rytime we say goodbye