JAN PEERCE - BLUEBIRD OF HAPINESS

BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS

JAN PEERCE

SONGWRITERS: SANDOR HARMATI; EDWARD HEYMAN & HARRYPARR-DAVIES

COUNTRY: u.s.a.

ALBUM: bluebird of happiness

LABEL: rca victor red seal

GENRE: ópera

YEAR: 1948

Jan Peerce (June 3, 1904 – December 15, 1984) was an American operatic tenor. Peerce was an accomplished performer on the operatic and Broadway concert stages, in solo recitals, and as a recording artist. He is the father of film director Larry Peerce. He was Jewish.

"Bluebird of Happiness" is a song composed in 1934 by Sandor Harmati, with words by Edward Heyman and additional lyrics by Harry Parr-Davies.

Harmati wrote the song for his friend, the tenor Jan Peerce, the leading singer at Radio City Music Hall. Peerce recorded it three times: in 1936, under the name Paul Robinson, with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra conducted by Ernö Rapée; on 7 June 1945, under his own name, with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sylvan Levin; and in 1958 (the Las Vegas version) with Joe Reisman and his Orchestra. Each version included slight variations in the spoken recitative, which was accompanied by Boldi's "Chanson Bohemienne", rather than Harmati's music.

The 1945 recording became a worldwide hit for Peerce, outselling all his many operatic recordings, and becoming second only to Enrico Caruso's recording of George M. Cohan's "Over There" among the best-selling records made by opera and concert singers. The 1958 version was the one Peerce used in later live performances.

There was also a popular 1948 record by Art Mooney and his Orchestra. Other singers have covered the song, but it remains Jan Peerce's signature tune and is firmly associated with him.

The beggar man and the mighty king

Are only different in name

For they are treated just the same by Fate.

Today a smile and tomorrow a tear

We're never sure what's in store

So learn your lesson before it is too late.

So be like I

Hold your head up high

Till you find the blue bird of happiness.

You will find

Greater peace of mind

Knowing there's a bluebird of happiness.

And when she sings to you

Though you're deep in blue

You will see a ray of light creep through.

And so, remember this

Life is no abyss

Somewhere there's abluebird of happiness.

The poet with his pen

The peasant with his plow

It makes no difference who you are

It's all the same somehow.

The king upon his throne

The jester at his feet

The artist, the actress

The man on the street.

It's a life of smiles

And a life of tears

It's a life of hope

And a life offears.

A blindingtorrent of rain

And a brilliant burst of sun,

A biting, tearing pain

And bubbling, sparkling fun.

And no matter what you have

Don't envythose you meet,

It's all the same, it's in the game

The bitter and the sweet.

And if things don't look so cheerful

Just show a little fight,

For every bit of darkness

There's a little bit of light.

For every bit of hatred

There's a little bit of love.

For every cloudy morning

There's a midnight moon above.

So don't you forget

You must search

Till you find thebluebird.

You will find peace

And contentment forever

If you will . . .

Be like I

Hold your head up high

Till you find thebluebird of happiness.

You will find

Greater peace of mind

Knowing there's a bluebird of happiness.

And when she sings to you

Though you're deep in blue

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You will see a ray of light creep through.

And so remember this

Life is no abyss

Somewhere there's abluebird of happiness.