Anita O'Day Papers
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2012562130
General International Standard for Archival Description
Music Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2012
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Anita O'Day Papers 1937-2004 1940s-1970s
O'Day, Anita
Biographical History for: Anita O'Day Papers 1937-2004 1940s-1970s
Biographical Note Anita Belle Colton was born on October 18, 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri. Colton left home at age 12 and assumed the stage surname "O'Day" while employed as a walkathon and dance marathon contestant. She began singing professionally at age 19 in taverns around Chicago and earned a reputation for her improvisatory skills and unique vocal qualities. In 1941, O'Day joined the Gene Krupa Orchestra and became an overnight sensation with her hit "Let Me Off Uptown." She sang with Stan Kenton's big band from 1944 to 1945 and returned to Krupa's band from 1945 to 1946. Her career quickly became marred by constant drug use and incarceration, and it was not until the mid-1950s that O'Day's solo career reformed itself into a commercially successful enterprise. She recorded a string of successful albums with Verve Records and arranger Buddy Bregman, including Anita and Pick Yourself Up. O'Day continued to perform to rave reviews, appearing at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958 and actively touring throughout the United States, Japan (1964), and Europe (circa 1970). Her performance of "Tea for Two" in Bert Stern's documentary Jazz on a Summer's Day (1958) is widely regarded as one of the finest jazz performances on film. In 1972, she established her own record label, Anita O'Day Records. A period of mediocre gigs in the 1970s ended with O'Day's 1976 residency at the New York nightclub Hopper's and recruitment of savvy manager and press agent Alan Eichler. Strong reviews for appearances at Studio One's Backlot further revived her career and contributed to the eventual penning of her autobiography, High Times, Hard Times in 1981. O'Day launched the record label Emily in the early 1980s with Elaine and John Poole, the latter being her longtime drummer and former live-in partner. She performed at Carnegie Hall in 1985 in celebration of her fiftieth year in jazz and continued to actively record and tour until 1996, when an accident and subsequent mistreatment hospitalized her for over two years. O'Day resumed performances thereafter, celebrating her eightieth birthday with an appearance at Hollywood's Palladium. She died from pneumonia on November 23, 2006, in Los Angeles.
Scope and Content Note The Anita O'Day Papers span from 1937 to 2004 with the majority of the materials dating from the 1940s to the 1970s. The collection primarily consists of manuscript scores, lead sheets, parts, and annotated sheet music for arrangements of popular songs and jazz standards performed by O'Day throughout her career. Although much fewer in number than the lead sheets, the full scores and parts reflect her work with many prominent arrangers, including Buddy Bregman, Joe Castro, Russell Garcia, Bill Holman, Quincy Jones, Norman "Tiny" Kahn, Billy May, Roger Neumann, and Marty Paich. The collection also includes a small assortment of scrapbooks, photographs, correspondence, clippings, honors and awards, posters, and publicity materials. Digitized images of the scrapbooks are available.
series
Music, 1940s-1970s
Scores, lead sheets, parts, and annotated sheet music for popular songs and jazz standards. Arrangers are indicated if known.
file
The Acapulco polka
Lead sheet
The ace in the hole
Parts: vocal, piano, bass
Afternoon in Paris
Lead sheets
Ain't gonna wait too long
Score
All I need in the world is you
Am I blue?
And her tears flowed like wine see also Medley: Let me off uptown / And her tears flowed like wine
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-3, trombone 1-3
And the angels sing
And the ring
Anita's blues
Lyric sheets
Are you havin' any fun?
Parts: piano, bass
Are you livin' old man?
Sheet music
As long as I live
Parts: vocal, drums
As long as there's music
As time goes by
Avalon
Parts: vocal, alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-3, piano, bass, drums, guitar
Barrel house Bessie from Basin Street
Battle hymn of the Republic
Lyric sheet
Beautiful love
Parts: booth, piano, drums, guitar
Becky's night out
Beside me
Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered
Beyond the blue horizon
Blue skies
Parts: trombone, bass, drums
Blues for Bojangles
Blues serenade
Bluesette
Body and soul
Parts: alto saxophone 2, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-5
Boogie blues
Parts: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, guitar, drums
Parts: tenor saxophone, trumpet 1, trombone 1, bass, drums
Parts: stock big band arrangement
Brazillian skies
Breaking up is hard to do
The breeze and I
Brother can you spare a dime?
But not for me
By chance
By myself
Candle light and wine
Can't we be friends
Cent and a half
Chicago
Christmas in California
The Christmas waltz
Christopher Columbus
Piano-vocal score
Close to you see Medley: Yesterday / Close to you
Close your eyes
Parts: baritone saxophone, bass
Come rain or come shine
Cottontail
Cute
Dance, ballerina, dance
Days of wine and roses see Medley: Days of wine and roses / You're my everything / Dearly beloved / No moon at all
Dearly Beloved see Medley: Days of wine and roses / You're my everything / Dearly beloved / No moon at all
Denzil's best
Destination moon
Piano part
Didn't we
Dr. Pepper [theme]
The easy life
Easy living
Guitar part
Emily
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, flugel horn 1-4, horn 1-2, trombone 1-4, piano, guitar, bass, percussion, drums
Especially for li'l ole me
Every time I'm with you
Everybody gets to go to the moon
Everybody loves my baby
Baritone saxophone part
Exactly like you
Falling love with love see Medley: Falling in love with love / Love for sale
Parts: saxophone 1-5, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums, guitar
Fine and dandy
Score and lead sheet
Fly me to the moon
Flying
Fools rush in
For Heaven's sake
Ford commercial
Four
Four brothers
Parts
Frankie and Johnny
Funny feeling
Gee baby, ain't I good to you?
The girl from Impanema
Give me the simple life
Gone with the wind
Groovin' high
Grown up man
Sketch of piano part
Gypsy in my soul
Hand-me-down love
Harlem butterfly
Here, there and everywhere
Here's that rainy day
Bass part
Here's to life
Hershey bar
Parts: vocal, baritone saxophone, piano, bass
Honeysuckle rose
Hooray for Hollywood
Parts: vocal, tenor saxophone, piano, bass
A hundred years from today
I can't believe that you're in love with me
I can't get started with you
Parts: vocal, clarinet 1-2, bass clarinet, flute 1-2, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums
I concentrate on you
I could write a book
I cover the waterfront
I cried for you
Parts: baritone saxophone, piano
I didn't know what time it was
I fall in love too easily see also Medley: I fall in love too easily / Time after time
I found a new baby
I get a kick out of you see also Medley: Old devil moon / Speak low / I get a kick out of you / On a clear day
Parts: vocal, woodwinds 1-4, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums
I gotta right to sing the blues
I have a reason for living
I hear music
Parts: alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums, percussion
I remember you
I try to tell myself
I waited for you
I was doin' alright
I won't dance
Piano score
If I love again
Parts: vocal, baritone saxophone, piano
If love were all
If the moon turns green
If you could see me now
I'll be tired of you
I'll see you in my dreams
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums
I'll take Los Angeles
I'm beginning to see the light see Medley: Satin doll / I got it bad / Mood indigo / I'm beginning to see the light / Sophisticated lady / Take the A-train
I'm getting sentimental over you
The "I'm not supposed to be blue" blues
I'm not the fool no more
I'm old fashioned
I'm still here
I'm still in love with you
I'm with you
In a mellow tone see also Medley: In a mellow tone / It don't mean a thing
In the middle of May
In Las Vegas
It could happen to you
Parts: vocal "booth," piano, bass
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing see also Medley: In a mellow tone / It don't mean a thing
It had to be you
It just don't pay to gamble
It's you or no one
B-flat instruments part
I've got five dollars
I've got the world on a string
I've got you under my skin
I've taken a fancy to you
The jitterbug waltz
Johnny One Note
Parts: vocal, saxophone 1-5, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums, guitar
The joker
José Gonzales
Just in time
Just the way you look tonight
Key largo
Parts: conductor, vocal, alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-3, trombone, bass, drums, guitar
The lady in red
Lady of the lavender mist
Lazy mood
Let me love you
Let me off uptown see also Medley: Let me off uptown / And her tears flowed like wine
Parts: piano, drum, trumpet-drum break excerpt
Let's begin
Parts: vocal, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-2, trombone, piano, bass, drums, guitar
Let's fall in love
Let's live tomorrow today
Like someone in love
Limehouse blues
Linger a while
Listen little girl
A little affection
Little girl blue
Parts: vocal, strings, piano, bass, guitar
Little orphan Annie
Lonesome road
Long daddy Green
Look at what the wind blew in
The look of love
Lost in the stars
Love for sale see Medley: Falling in love with love / Love for sale
Parts: vocal, saxophone 1, 3-5, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums, guitar
Love is a thing
Love lingers on
Love me now
A love song
Lover come back to me
Parts: piano, bass, drums
Lover man
Love's a one sided game
Lullaby in rhythm
Lullaby of leaves
Lush life
Lyon for Lyons
The man with the horn
Parts: tenor saxophone, piano, bass, drums
Me thinks
Meditation
Tenor saxophone part
Medley: Days of wine and roses / You're my everything / Dearly beloved / No moon at all
Medley: Falling in love with love / Love for sale
Medley: I fall in love too easily / Time after time see also I fall in love too easily see also Time after time
Medley: In a mellow tone / It don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing) see also In a mellow tone see also It don't mean a thing
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums, guitar
Medley: Let me off uptown / And her tears flowed like wine see also And her tears flowed like wine see also Let me off uptown
Medley: Old devil moon / Speak low / I get a kick out of you / On a clear day see also I get a kick out of you see also Old devil moon see also Speak low see also On a clear day
Medley: Satin doll / I got it bad / Mood indigo / I'm beginning to see the light / Sophisticated lady / Take the A-train see also Take the A-train
Medley: S'wonderful / They can't take that away
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, drums
Medley: Wee small hours / Remember
Medley: Yesterday / Close to you
Medley: Yesterday / Yesterdays
Lead sheets and rhythm section parts
Memories of you
The moment of truth
Mood indigo see Medley: Satin doll / I got it bad / Mood indigo / I'm beginning to see the light / Sophisticated lady / Take the A-train
More than you know
Music that makes me dance
My funny Valentine
Parts: saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-5, piano, bass, guitar
Parts: tenor saxohpone, horn, piano, bass
My love for you
My romance
My ship
The nearness of you
Never let me go
The night has a thousand eyes
A night in Tunisia
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
No fool like and old fool
No man of my own
No moon at all see Medley: Days of wine and roses / You're my everything / Dearly beloved / No moon at all
Parts: trombone 1-4, piano, guitar, bass, drums
The no soap, no hope, no mouse, no house blues
Nobody does it better
Nobody does it like me
Nowhere street
Off like a rocket
Old devil moon see also Medley: Old devil moon / Speak low / I get a kick out of you / On a clear day
Old folks
On a clear day see also Medley: Old devil moon / Speak low / I get a kick out of you / On a clear day
On the sunny side of the street
On the trail
Once in a while
One less bell to answer
Oo pah pa dah
Opus 1
Parts: vocal, alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, guitar, bass, drums
Orphan Annie
Parts: trumpet 1-3, trombone 1-3, piano, guitar, bass, drums, conductor
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trupmet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano/vocal, bass, drums
P town
Parts: alto/baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone
The party's over
Passing through
Play me the blues
Playboy
Praise of folly
Rain sometimes
Robin Hood
Round trip
Rules of the road
Parts: vocal, B-flat instruments, C instruments
Runnin' wild
Salsa con queso
Santa Clause is coming to town
Saratoga hunch
Satan I'll be waitin'
Satin doll see Medley: Satin doll / I got it bad / Mood indigo / I'm beginning to see the light / Sophisticated lady / Take the A-train
Season in the sun
Send in the clowns
Seńor blues
Shaking the blues away
Shiny stockings
Simpatico
A sleepin' bee
A slow dance
So nice
Somebody's cryin'
Something (in the way he moves)
A song for you
The song is you
Sonny
Soon it's gonna rain
Sooner or later
Sophisticated lady see also Medley: Satin doll / I got it bad / Mood indigo / I'm beginning to see the light / Sophisticated lady / Take the A-train
Speak low see also Medley: Old devil moon / Speak low / I get a kick out of you / On a clear day
Parts: piano, bass, rhythm
The spell is on
S'posin'
Spring can really hang you up the most
Spring is here
Star eyes
Stardust
Stella by starlight
Stompin' at the Savoy
Street of dreams
Strike up the band
The summer knows
Summertime
Sweet Georgia Brown
Parts: woodwinds 1-5, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, piano, bass, percussion
Sweet marijuana
S'wonderful see Medley: S'wonderful / They can't take away
'Taint no good
Take it slow Joe
Take me out to the ballgame
Take the A-train see also Medley: Satin doll / I got it bad / Mood indigo / I'm beginning to see the light / Sophisticated lady / Take the A-train
Parts: tenor saxophone 1-3, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, trombone 1-4, tuba, piano, bass, drums
Taps Miller
Tea for two
Ten cents a dance
Tenderly
Thank God I'm old
That's what you think
Parts: alto saxophone 1-2, tenor saxophone 1-2, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-3, trombone 1-3, piano, bass, drums
There he goes
There will never be another you
They can't take that away from me see Medley: S'wonderful / They can't take away
This is all I ask
Time after time see also Medley: I fall in love too easily / Time after time
Parts: vocal, harp, 2nd violin, cello, bass, guitar, booth copy
Tiny's blues
Too late the Spring
Touch of your lips
Try your wings
Undecided
The very thought of you
Watch what happens
Wave
The way you do
The wedding waltz
Wee small hours see Medley: Wee small hours / Remember
Well you needn't
We've only just begun
What a little moonlight can do
What am I here for?
What are you doing for the rest of your life?
What ever happened to you?
What is a man?
What is this thing called love?
Parts: vocal, trumpet 1-2, guitar
When sunny gets blue
When the world was young
Where is the rainbow
The whole world is Paris (when you're in love)
Wo-ho
Yea-boo!
Yellow days
Yes
Yesterday see Medley: Yesterday / Close to you see Medley: Yesterday /Yesterdays
Yesterdays see Medley: Yesterday / Yesterdays
You are the sunshine of my life
You can depend on me
You can't go home again
You could have had me, baby
You go to my head
You turned the tables on me
You'd be so nice to come home to
Your eyes are bigger than your heart
You're a clown
Parts: vocal, piano, guitar, bass, drums
You're laughing at me
You're my everything see Medley: Days of wine and roses / You're my everything / Dearly beloved / No moon at all
You're the top
Scrapbooks, 1937-2003
Miscellaneous clippings, photographs, and other documents, received as six volumes of loose scrapbook pages with no discernable order. The original pages have been digitized due to their poor physical condition. Consult reference staff in the Performing Arts Reading Room for assistance viewing these files. Clippings and photographs from the pages are available in other series within the collection.
Photographs, 1940s-2004
Black and white and color images, chiefly from the scrapbooks, of O'Day alone or with musicians and other people.
Anita O'Day, alone
Anita O'Day, with musicians
Anita O'Day, with others
Other people
Miscellany, 1939-2004
Includes clippings, correspondence, awards, posters, programs and promotional material.
Clippings, 1939-1961 and undated
Correspondence, 1941-2004 and undated
Honors and awards, 1958-2002
Lists, undated
Posters, undated
Programs, 1945-1964 and undated
Promotional materials, undated