Porgy and Bess (Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne album)

Porgy and Bess is an album by Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne, released by RCA Victor in 1959. It features songs from George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess. Belafonte and Horne sing two songs together: "There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon for New York" and "Bess, You Is My Woman Now".[1] The album was re-issued on a 2-CD set in 2003 together with Jamaica by RCA/BMG Collectibles in Stereo. The album was ranked No. 1 in Canada for 10 of the 11 weeks between August 31 and November 9, 1959.[2][3]

Porgy and Bess
Studio album by
Released1959
RecordedFebruary and March 1959
StudioRCA Victor, New York City
GenreJazz vocal
Length35:56
LabelRCA Victor
ProducerBob Bollard, Fred Reynolds
Harry Belafonte chronology
Belafonte at Carnegie Hall
(1959)
Porgy and Bess
(1959)
My Lord What a Mornin'
(1960)
Lena Horne chronology
Give the Lady What She Wants
(1958)
Porgy and Bess
(1959)
Songs by Burke and Van Heusen
(1959)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Track listing

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All music composed by George Gershwin, lyricists indicated.

  1. "A Woman is a Sometime Thing" (DuBose Heyward) – 2:40
  2. "Summertime" (Heyward) – 3:11
  3. "Oh I Got Plenty of Nothing" (Ira Gershwin, Heyward) – 3:00
  4. "I Wants to Stay Here" (I. Gershwin, Heyward) – 3:30
  5. "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (I. Gershwin, Heyward) – 5:57
  6. "It Ain't Necessarily So" (I. Gershwin) – 3:03
  7. "Street Calls": "Strawberry Woman" / "The Honey Man" / "Crab Man" (Heyward) – 4:17
  8. "My Man's Gone Now" – 4:05
  9. "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess" (I. Gershwin) – 3:36
  10. "There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon for New York" – 2:37

Personnel

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Production notes:

  • Bob Bollard – producer
  • Fred Reynolds – producer
  • Lennie Haytonarrangements, musical director
  • Robert Corman – arrangements, musical director
  • Ernest Oelrich – engineer
  • Murray Laden – cover photo

References

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  1. ^ a b Porgy and Bess at AllMusic
  2. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - August 31, 1959".
  3. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - November 9, 1959".
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