Released in 1956 as the first album on the newly established Verve label—and now reissued on almost the exact same date 70 years after it was first issued—Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book inaugurated Fitzgerald’s Song Book series and marked the beginning of her extended focus on composers associated with the Great American Songbook. Produced by Norman Granz, the sessions paired Fitzgerald with arranger and conductor Buddy Bregman and a studio orchestra, establishing the large-ensemble format that characterized the early Song Book recordings. The two-LP set presents 32 songs drawn from Cole Porter’s catalog, from “All Through the Night’ to “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love” to “What Is This Thing Called Love?.” Recorded across February and March of 1956, the album frames Ella’s immaculate phrasing and clarity with polished West Coast orchestration that blends swing, ballad writing, and classic Hollywood sheen, emphasizing the lyrical wit and melodic elegance of Porter’s writing. Celebrated upon release and formative in shaping both Verve’s identity and Ella’s artistic trajectory, it remains a cornerstone of her discography and a defining document of 20th century American popular interpretation.
Tracklist
LP 1
Side A
All Through the Night
Anything Goes
Miss Otis Regrets
Too Darn Hot
In the Still of the Night
I Get a Kick Out of You
Do I Love You?
Always True to You in My Fashion
Side B
Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love
Just One of Those Things
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
All of You
Begin the Beguine
Get Out of Town
I Am in Love
From This Moment On
LP 2
Side A
I Love Paris
You Do Something to Me
Ridin' High
You'd Be So Easy to Love
It's All Right with Me
Why Can't You Behave?
What Is This Thing Called Love?
You're the Top
Side B
Love for Sale
It's De-Lovely
Night and Day
Ace in the Hole
So in Love
I've Got You Under My Skin
I Concentrate on You
Don't Fence Me In
Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
