This week saw the passing of the great Earle Hagen. His name may not be a household word, but his music is burned into your brain. He was a TV theme writer extraordinaire, whose credits include catchy ditties for The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl, and The Mod Squad to name a few. A bunch of his themes are available at AM Then FM's Hagen tribute post.
Hagen is also the composer behind "Harlem Nocturne", probably one of the most covered saxaphone songs in history (500 versions so far and counting). Writen in 1939 while Hagen was an arranger with the Ray Noble Orchestra, the song has lived on as a standard for every big band, bar band, R&B band, and instrumental band since. It is also of course a crime soundtrack staple.
Here are just a few versions of this song. First the bigger hits:
The Randy Brooks Orchestra regularly used it song as his theme song (1941)
Johnny Otis recorded it as an early single on Savoy (1945)
Herbie Fields made the first popular jazz version (1953)
and of course The Viscounts charted the highest with their guitar-driven hit version (1959)
And now for a few of the many many other Harlem Nocturnes, ranging from your standards to vocal versions to adaptations in classical, disco, a cappella, post-punk, exotica, organ, surf, ska, and what-have-you. This is one versatile song!
Ray Anthony | Rene Bloch | Earl Bostic | Les Brown & His Band Of Renown | Chakachas | The Jake Concepcion Orchestra | Bill Doggett | Terry Edwards & the Scapegoats (paired with Lydia Lunch's "Cesspool Called History") | Les & Larry Elgart | Esquivel | Harold Faltermeyer (from the Tango & Cash soundtrack) | Flat Duo Jets | Illinois Jacquet | Quincy Jones | The Knickerbockers | Kustomized | Neil Lewis & His Quintet | Michael Lington | The Lounge Lizards | Herbie Mann | Charlie Musselwhite | New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble | Louis Prima & Sam Butera | Quartet San Francisco | Boots Randolph | Brian Rodwell (at the Wurlitzer organ) | Vladimir Rusinov & The Jumping Cats | Stouxingers | Sam Taylor | Mel Taylor & The Magics | Mel Torme | Ulrich Tukur + Rhythm Boys | Archie Ulm | The Ventures | Carla White | Wildflower
Also, a simple Ukulele version via this YouTube user.
And let's not forget the Mike Hammer Theme (post prison cheesy 80s version).
As often as I find sheet music for this, I was truly surprised there's no solo piano recording of it here. These are great, though. I'd have a hard time picking out a favorite. I might listen to Lydia's first.
Posted by: Kip W | November 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Has anyone recorded a complete interpretation of the "Mike Hammer" version of Harlem Nocturne?
Posted by: Bob | February 12, 2013 at 01:10 PM
I'd like a copy of the " New Mike Hammer " version, with the trumpet melody. If anyone has a link, i'd appreciate it. Cheers. Paul.
Posted by: Paul | March 01, 2013 at 07:18 PM
I have not heard this tune in decades, but it is always in the back of my mind somewhere. I have loved it since I was a kid. Thanks for hipping me to all these fine versions. I am a singer and was thinking about recording it soon, but I did not know it had lyrics until now. Nice lyrics too, but I might want to give it a shot with my own lyrics.
Again, my thanks to whomever puts this site together.
Hopefully I may download some of these versions and play them on my own radio show "New World Gallery" which airs every Sunday on WBAI 99.5 fm in New York City.
PS - You might want to look into a nice latin version by Herbie Mann, it's on Atlantic records, but I don't have the album, just an old beat-up 45 rpm.
Take care and keep posting great stuff like this,
CHICO ALVAREZ
Posted by: CHICO ALVAREZ | March 30, 2013 at 09:37 PM
Ooops! I just saw the Herbie Mann version. Sorry for jumping the gun, there are so many versions to check out.
Yeah, it was nice, but with all due respect to Herbie, the tune just calls for a sax.
Posted by: CHICO ALVAREZ | March 30, 2013 at 09:41 PM