Blue Skies

Irving Berlin wrote it late in 1926 as an added number for Belle Baker in Betsy, a Rodgers and Hart musical. On opening night the audience called for 24 encores. When Baker forgot the words on the last one, Berlin sang them from the front row. The show closed after 39 performances.

Al Jolson sang it in The Jazz Singer in 1927, one of the first songs heard in a talking picture. Benny Goodman recorded it in 1935, and Count Basie and Goodman both had top ten records of it in 1946. Willie Nelson's version from his 1978 album Stardust went to number 1 on the country chart.