The Platters – Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
About the song
If you are a fan of classic doo-wop music, you probably know the song “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” by The Platters. This beautiful ballad, with its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, has been a staple of romantic playlists for decades. But do you know the history behind this song? In this blog post, we will explore the origins and legacy of this timeless tune.
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” was written in 1933 by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the musical Roberta, starring Bob Hope. The song was sung in the Broadway show by Tamara Drasin, and its first recorded performance was by Gertrude Niesen, who recorded the song with orchestral direction from Ray Sinatra, Frank Sinatra’s second cousin. In 1934, four different recordings of the song charted, with Paul Whiteman’s version reaching #1.
The song was reprised by Irene Dunne in the 1935 film adaptation of Roberta, co-starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Randolph Scott. The song was also included in the 1952 remake of Roberta, Lovely to Look At, in which it was performed by Kathryn Grayson. The song has been covered by many artists over the years, such as Artie Shaw, Harry Belafonte, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Glenn Miller, and J.D. Souther.
However, the most famous and successful version of “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” was recorded in 1958 by The Platters for their album Remember When? The group’s version became a #1 hit in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart and #3 on the Rhythm and Blues chart in 1959 . The Platters’ rendition featured the lead vocals of Tony Williams, who delivered a soulful and emotional performance that captured the heartbreak and frustration of the song’s narrator. The Platters’ version also featured a distinctive piano intro by Buck Ram, who also produced and arranged the song.
The Platters’ “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” has become a classic of pop music history, and has been used in many movies and TV shows, such as American Graffiti, Always, London’s Burning, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Hearts in Atlantis. The song has also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and ranked #193 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” is a song that transcends time and genre, and speaks to the universal experience of love and loss. It is a song that can make you cry, smile, or sing along. It is a song that deserves to be remembered and appreciated for its beauty and elegance.
