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Tea for Two (song)

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31: 270:. He soon after played his composition for Irving Caesar and insisted he write the lyrics then and there. Caesar quickly jotted down a mock-up lyric, fully intending to revise it later on. Youmans, though, loved the mock-up and convinced Caesar it was just right for the melody. 357:. The first half of the melody of the "B" section uses two falling phrase segments with the same rhythm as the "A1" melody. The second half of the "B" section is the same as the second half of the "A1" section, but its melody ends on the 501:
In 1926, Boris Fomin arranged it for inclusion in his operetta "The Career of Pierpont Blake" (Карьера Пирпойнта Блэка), with Russian lyrics by Konstantin Podrevsky, under the title "Tahiti Trot".
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of the original key. The melody and harmony of the "A3" section is a copy of the "A1" section, but ends on a different pitch and transitions to the "B" section using a
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The refrain has an A1-A2-A3-B form, a range of just over an octave, and major tonalities. The melody of the "A1", "A3", and "B" sections uses an alternating pattern of
439: 285:) to tuppence (two pence). While this may be the case, 'tea for two' would have been a commonplace order for a couple in 19th-century English cafeterias. 708:
Joel Whitburn's Pop memories, 1890–1954 : the history of American popular music : compiled from America's popular music charts 1890–1954
83: 30: 578: 1214: 1199: 1219: 648:(1966) the humming of the "Tea for Two" melody is the secret code for the British bomber crew members to recognise each other in the 661: 716: 250:, and her duet with Barker of "Tea for Two" was a hit. The song went on to become the biggest success of Youmans's career. 749: 568: 1224: 676:
will play "Tea For Two" as an encore, after, for example, playing all four Rachmaninov piano concertos at a concert.
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The melody is rhythmically repetitive and is described as simple yet charming. The song is originally in the key of
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chart and stays there for twenty weeks and number five on the weekly top 50 charts from the Toronto radio station '
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on the streets of 18th century England who wanted to attract business by lowering the price of a pot of tea from
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It has been proposed, with little supporting evidence, that the phrase 'Tea for Two' was originally shouted by
1189: 1204: 1194: 750:"Brunswick matrix 13957-13959. Tea for two / Marion Harris – Discography of American Historical Recordings" 390: 354: 262:, and he used it later on as an introductory passage for a song called "Who's Who with You?". While in 204: 1148: 596: 489:
Tommy Dorsey's rendition reaches number three on the UK Singles chart and stays there nineteen weeks.
1229: 600: 562: 266:, Youmans developed the idea into "a song that the hero could sing to the heroine" for the musical 627: 919: 1057: 1184: 879: 788: 653: 323: 1016: 962: 820: 644: 556: 258:
Youmans had written the basic melody idea of "Tea for Two" while he was in the navy during
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bet him he could not do it in under an hour. He completed the orchestration in 45 minutes.
322:. The melody and harmony of the "A2" section is almost a copy of the "A1" section, but is 8: 1179: 684: 632: 505: 315: 1124:"Б. Фомин, К. Подревский – Таити-трот (к оперетте "Карьера Пирпойнта Блэка", с нотами)" 419:'s rendition reaches number one on the US Billboard chart and stays there for 11 weeks. 331: 912: 1061: 1050: 992: 923: 883: 872: 792: 781: 712: 154: 125: 53: 733: 706: 669:
would do a short soft shoe dance, which always got a laugh from the studio audience.
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Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1924 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 19 Part 3
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and uses a slightly embellished rhythm for the melody. The "A2" section ends by
232:. It was introduced in May 1924 by Phyllis Cleveland and John Barker during the 665:, if a joke bombed during his monologue, the band would play "Tea for Two" and 573: 551: 535: 350: 274: 41: 198: 1173: 680: 666: 649: 618: 539: 523: 515: 416: 304: 247: 229: 182: 138: 45: 1123: 599:, or Big Edie, notoriously sings a slightly broken version the song for the 639: 592: 462: 358: 319: 294: 149: 543: 527: 510: 366: 362: 327: 259: 133: 845: 610: 606: 531: 340: 278: 1098: 731: 673: 547: 470: 435: 176: 162: 989:
The poets of Tin Pan Alley: A history of America's great lyricists
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Easy To Remember: The Great American Songwriters And Their Songs
282: 221: 538:(c. 1942), Art Tatum, Stan Kenton with O'Day (1944–1945), 878:(1st ed.). Jaffrey, N.H.: David R. Godine. p.  738:. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 393:'s instrumental rendition reaches number five on the US 1052:
American Popular Song: The Great Innovators (1900-1950)
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arranged "Tea for Two", known in the Soviet Union as
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Record label of 1925 number one hit by Marion Harris
767: 438:'s rendition, for which he posthumously received a 1049: 911: 871: 780: 1005: 918:. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. p.  846:"No, No, Nanette (Pre-Broadway Production, 1924)" 495: 1171: 956: 954: 952: 950: 948: 946: 732:Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1924). 1056:. New York: Oxford University Press. pp.  812: 16:1924 Song by Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar 903: 943: 465:'s rendition reaches number seven on the US 625:The song features prominently in the novel 616:to “Tea for Two” in the Looney Tunes short 687:, in the form of the track "Intermission." 566:(1956), Teddy Wilson (1956), Anita O'Day, 554:, appearing on a 1999 expanded version of 288: 29: 1092: 1090: 1088: 1086: 1084: 704: 522:The following artists covered the song: 869: 783:Popular Song: Soundtrack of the Century 662:The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 1172: 1047: 967:Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals 863: 778: 372: 200:"Tea for Two" (Recorded November 1924) 1081: 991:. New York: Oxford University Press. 986: 818: 787:. New York: Billboard Books. p.  585: 576:recorded the song for her 1959 album 473:' and stays there for thirteen weeks. 1014: 909: 1215:Songs with music by Vincent Youmans 1017:"Musical analysis of "Tea for Two"" 334:back to the original key using an E 128:, 799 Seventh Avenue, New York City 13: 1200:Songs with lyrics by Irving Caesar 1096: 960: 914:Great Men Of American Popular Song 870:Zinsser, William Knowlton (2001). 14: 1246: 1220:Jazz compositions in A-flat major 446:chart and stays there for a week. 442:, hits number eighteen on the US 1103:tsort - The World's Music Charts 1141: 1116: 980: 400:and stays there for five weeks. 1099:"Song title 697 - Tea For Two" 838: 742: 725: 698: 514:, from memory after conductor 496:Adaptations and notable covers 1: 691: 569:Anita O'Day at Mister Kelly's 253: 7: 631:(1940) by Argentine writer 391:Benson Orchestra of Chicago 307:, which is followed by the 10: 1251: 108:October 15, 1924 1225:Brunswick Records singles 597:Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale 591:In the 1975 documentary, 440:Grammy Hall of Fame Award 210: 197: 192: 188: 174: 160: 148: 132: 119: 104: 89: 71: 63: 51: 40: 28: 23: 679:The song is featured on 563:The Genius of Bud Powell 705:Whitburn, Joel (1986). 289:Musical characteristics 75:June 10, 1924 59:"The Blues Have Got Me" 987:Furia, Philip (1990). 638:In the French–British 579:Once Upon A Summertime 1235:Quotations from music 1210:Ella Fitzgerald songs 1048:Wilder, Alec (1972). 779:Lewens, Alan (2001). 654:Grand Mosque of Paris 628:La invención de Morel 1190:1920s jazz standards 963:"Tea for Two (1924)" 910:Ewen, David (1970). 754:adp.library.ucsb.edu 645:La Grande Vadrouille 560:(1956), Bud Powell, 557:Ellington at Newport 316:dotted quarter notes 303:and starts with the 1205:Nat King Cole songs 1195:Songs from musicals 685:Ixnay on the Hombre 633:Adolfo Bioy Casares 506:Dmitri Shostakovich 452:September 1958 373:Charting recordings 240:run of the musical 1149:"www.allmusic.com" 586:In popular culture 365:instead of on its 819:Grossiels, Dirk. 718:978-0-89820-083-6 642:-set comedy film 479:October 1958 406:January 1925 379:January 1925 228:, with lyrics by 214: 213: 126:Brunswick Studios 93:January 1925 1242: 1164: 1163: 1161: 1159: 1153:www.allmusic.com 1145: 1139: 1138: 1136: 1134: 1120: 1114: 1113: 1111: 1109: 1094: 1079: 1078: 1076: 1074: 1055: 1045: 1032: 1031: 1029: 1027: 1012: 1003: 1002: 984: 978: 977: 975: 973: 961:Wilson, Jeremy. 958: 941: 940: 938: 936: 917: 907: 901: 900: 898: 896: 877: 867: 861: 860: 858: 856: 842: 836: 835: 833: 831: 816: 810: 809: 807: 805: 786: 776: 765: 764: 762: 760: 746: 740: 739: 729: 723: 722: 702: 659:Occasionally on 601:Maysles brothers 530:(c. 1938–1939), 491: 490: 486: 484: 475: 474: 459: 457: 448: 447: 432: 430: 421: 420: 413: 411: 402: 401: 386: 384: 348: 347: 339: 338: 300: 299: 201: 179: 165: 115: 113: 100: 98: 82: 80: 56: 33: 21: 20: 1250: 1249: 1245: 1244: 1243: 1241: 1240: 1239: 1230:1924 quotations 1170: 1169: 1168: 1167: 1157: 1155: 1147: 1146: 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singles 1156:. Retrieved 1152: 1143: 1131:. Retrieved 1127: 1118: 1106:. Retrieved 1102: 1071:. Retrieved 1051: 1024:. Retrieved 1020: 988: 982: 970:. Retrieved 966: 933:. Retrieved 913: 905: 893:. Retrieved 873: 865: 853:. Retrieved 849: 840: 828:. Retrieved 824: 814: 802:. Retrieved 782: 757:. Retrieved 753: 744: 734: 727: 707: 700: 672:The pianist 660: 643: 626: 617: 593:Grey Gardens 577: 567: 561: 555: 521: 509: 466: 463:Tommy Dorsey 443: 395: 320:eighth notes 313: 292: 272: 267: 257: 241: 224:composed by 220:" is a 1924 217: 215: 18: 1128:a-pesni.org 855:October 17, 759:October 17, 544:Dinah Shore 536:Anita O'Day 528:Fats Waller 511:Tahiti Trot 363:tonic chord 328:major third 260:World War I 218:Tea for Two 177:Lyricist(s) 163:Composer(s) 84:Harms, Inc. 1180:1924 songs 1174:Categories 1067:0195014456 998:0195064089 929:0133641740 889:1567921477 798:0823084361 692:References 611:Daffy Duck 607:Bugs Bunny 532:Gene Krupa 341:whole note 332:modulating 324:transposed 279:thruppence 254:Background 112:1924-10-15 79:1924-06-10 1108:March 29, 1073:March 30, 1026:March 30, 972:March 28, 830:March 28, 674:Yuja Wang 614:soft-shoe 548:Doris Day 504:In 1927, 467:Billboard 444:Billboard 436:Art Tatum 396:Billboard 343:over an E 72:Published 1133:July 13, 935:April 8, 895:April 8, 804:April 8, 572:(1959). 550:(1955), 546:(1947), 526:(1937), 355:iiø–V7–i 346:♭ 337:♭ 298:♭ 238:Broadway 105:Recorded 90:Released 1158:July 8, 652:at the 483:1958-10 481: ( 456:1958-09 454: ( 427: ( 410:1925-01 408: ( 383:1925-01 381: ( 361:of the 349:7, the 309:refrain 281:(three 275:hawkers 264:Chicago 234:Chicago 205:YouTube 110: ( 97:1925-01 95: ( 77: ( 64:Written 1064:  1060:-296. 995:  926:  886:  850:Ovrtur 795:  715:  667:Carson 121:Studio 54:B-side 42:Single 534:with 398:chart 367:third 326:up a 305:verse 301:major 283:pence 150:Label 134:Genre 1160:2024 1135:2019 1110:2019 1075:2019 1062:ISBN 1028:2019 993:ISBN 974:2019 937:2019 924:ISBN 897:2019 884:ISBN 857:2021 832:2019 806:2019 793:ISBN 761:2021 713:ISBN 640:WWII 609:and 542:and 471:CHUM 429:1939 425:1939 389:The 359:root 318:and 236:pre- 222:song 67:1924 1058:295 920:152 203:on 44:by 1176:: 1151:. 1126:. 1101:. 1083:^ 1036:^ 1019:. 1007:^ 965:. 945:^ 922:. 882:. 880:52 848:. 823:. 791:. 789:50 769:^ 752:. 595:, 582:. 487:: 460:: 433:: 414:: 387:: 369:. 311:. 141:, 1162:. 1137:. 1112:. 1077:. 1030:. 1001:. 976:. 939:. 899:. 859:. 834:. 808:. 763:. 721:. 656:. 635:. 622:. 485:) 458:) 431:) 412:) 385:) 295:A 216:" 114:) 99:) 81:)

Index

Record label for a 1924 recording by Marion Harris
Single
Marion Harris
B-side
Harms, Inc.
Studio
Brunswick Studios
Genre
Popular music
musical theater
Label
Brunswick 2747
Composer(s)
Vincent Youmans
Lyricist(s)
Irving Caesar
"Tea for Two" (Recorded November 1924)
YouTube
song
Vincent Youmans
Irving Caesar
Chicago
Broadway
No, No, Nanette
Louise Groody
World War I
Chicago
hawkers
thruppence
pence

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