Have you ever just had a song come on and you and your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other just start dancing? Last night the song Skywriting by a never popular British group ‘The Bible’ came on my wife’s iPod, and we had a nice little dance … to the amusement and embarrassment of our kids.
I makes me think back to one of my favorite moments from The Cosby Show – at the end of an episode, Cliff drops a record on the turntable (look it up, kiddies), and on comes a gorgeous song and then he and Claire begin playful snuggling and snacking as the music plays in the background. That song is In A Sentimental Mood, from Duke Ellington & John Coltrane.
Here is a great clip from The Cosby Show that starts in the middle of where the song was used:
I distinctly remember seeing that episode when it aired. When the needle touched vinyl (such primitive technology was unremarkable back then), I immediately recognized Duke Ellington’s deft touch and idiosyncratic phrasing … but a few seconds later I was met with the unmistakable sound of John Coltrane’s saxophone. While I was fans of both artists, I didn’t even realize they had done a collaboration (the days before widespread usage of the internet, y’know).
So that weekend I headed to the local record store and grabbed the album … and of course grabbed the CD when it was remastered. It is a great recording of two of the giants of 20th century music at different points in their career (Duke was 63 and a living legend, Coltrane was 36 and only starting to produce his greatest works).
Here is the classic original (no footage exists, unfortunately):
