Song Lyric Sunday/Song of the Day: Jimmy Dorsey, “Deep Purple”

Song Lyric Sunday, Song of the Day 1 Minute

Jim’s theme for today is "colors," so obviously we’re looking for names of colors in the title or lyrics. One thought I had was to use Chicago’s "Fancy Colours," from 1971’s Chicago III, but the song that kept coming back to me was "Deep Purple," which had been a hit for Nino Tempo and April Stevens in 1963 and Donny and Marie Osmond in 1975. Naturally, I figured if someone were to use the song, they’d use one of those versions, so I wanted to get something very few people would think of.

"Deep Purple" was written as an instrumental piece by pianist Peter DeRose, and when the song gained popularity, words were added by Mitchell Parrish in 1938. It was done by a number of Big Bands in the ’30’s through the ’50’s, including Paul Whiteman, Larry Clinton, Jimmy Dorsey, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby (with Matty Malneck & His Orchestra), and Artie Shaw. It was done many more times, but I decided to use the Jimmy Dorsey version, with Bob Eberly doing the vocal.

The lyrics, from AZLyrics:

When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to flicker in the sky
Through the mist of a memory
You wander back to me
Breathing my name with a sigh

In the still of the night
Once again I’ll hold you tight
Though you’re gone your love lives on
When moonlight beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Love we’ll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams

And as long as my heart will beat
Love we’ll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams

And that’s Song Lyric Sunday (and Song of the Day) for February 7, 2021.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

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26 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday/Song of the Day: Jimmy Dorsey, “Deep Purple””

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