Songs of Spring

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Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Spring, 1894 (detail 4aa)

Chronological list (blue links are Songbook feature pages or posts):

1884 — The Fountain in the Park (Ed Haley) — “While strolling through the park one day / In the merry merry month of May”

1912 — Oh You Beautiful Spring (m. Jerome Kern, w. M. E. Rourke) — from the 1912 Broadway musical comedy The Red Petticoatsheet music: 1, 2

1920 — April Showers Bring May Flowers1 (m. Jack Shilkret, Nathaniel Shilkret, w. Leo Wood) — copyright: 14 April 1920, 8 June 1920

1921 — April Showers (m. Louis Silvers, w. B. G. “Buddy” DeSylva)

1923 — April Blossoms2 (m. Herbert Stothart, w. Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach) — from the very successful 1923 Broadway musical Wildflower (477 performances)

1924 — Maytime3 (m. Vincent Rose, Buddy De Sylva)

1924 — Tell Her in the Springtime (Irving Berlin) — introduced by Grace Moore in the 1924 Music Box Revue, where it was danced by Ula Sharon

1929 — Like a Breath of Springtime (m. Joe Burke, w. Al Dubin) — copyrighted on 20 May 1929 under the title “Like a Breath of Spring-Time,” and used in the 1929 romance film Hearts in Exile, which is considered a lost film

1929 — When It’s Springtime in the Rockies4 (m. Robert Sauer, w. Mary Hale Woolsey)

1930 — It Seems to be Spring (m. Richard A. Whiting, w. George Marion, Jr.)

1932 — April in Paris (m. Vernon Duke, w. E. Y. Harburg) — composed in 1932 for the Broadway musical Walk A Little Faster

1933 — One Morning in May (m. Hoagy Carmichael, w. Mitchell Parish)

1933 — Something Came and Got Me in the Spring (m. Jean Schwarz, Max Rich, w. Jack Scholl) — The song was recorded in 1933 by many of the top British bandleaders, including Roy Fox, Ray Noble, Jack Payne, Carroll Gibbons, and Harry Roy, as well as Harry Leader, Syd Roy, Nat Star, and others.

1933 — When You’ve Got a Little Springtime in Your Heart (Harry Woods) — copyright, 28 December 1933; introduced by Jessie Matthews in the 1934 musical film Evergreen

1934 — Spring Fever (m. Harold Arlen, w. Ira Gershwin, E.Y. Harburg) — from the 1934 musical revue Life Begins at 8:40

1935 — Paris in the Spring (m. Harry Revel, w. Mack Gordon)

1935 — March Winds and April Showers (Walter G. Samuels, Leonard Whitcup, Teddy Powell)

1935 — When April Comes Again5 (Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes, Jerry Livingston) — copyright, 15 October 1935 (1), (2) — The song was included in the 1936 musical revue “Hollywood Revels of 1936.”

1935 — Santa Claus Came in the Spring6 (Johnny Mercer)

1936 — I Got the Spring Fever Blues (Sue Werner, Kay Werner, Dave Bauer) — Chick Webb and his Orchestra, vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

1937 — April in My Heart (Hoagy Carmichael, Helen Meinardi) – copyright, 20 October 1937 — 1938 recordings include those by Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra, with vocal by Billie Holiday; Frank Dailey and his Stop and Go Orchestra, vocal by Howard DuLany; Artie Shaw and his Orchestra; and Cab Calloway and his Orchestra

1937 —  Sing of Spring (George & Ira Gershwin) — one of two faux madrigals written by the Gershwins for the 1937 musical film A Damsel in Distress, the other being “The Jolly Tar and the Milkmaid,” that are performed by a group of madrigal singers, with Fred Astaire joining in on the latter

The Gents — from the 2012 SACD album George Gershwin, Channel Classics Records bv CCS SA 33312

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1937 — Spring Cleaning — recorded by Fats Waller and his Rhythm

1938 — Spring Is Here (m. Richard Rodgers, w. Lorenz Hart) – introduced in the 1938 Rodgers & Hart musical I Married an Angel

1938 — Spring Again (m. Vernon Duke, w. Ira Gershwin) — written for and introduced by Kenny Baker in the 1938 film musical The Goldwyn Follies — recordings by Garwood Van and his Orchestra (1938), Mitzi Gaynor (1959)

1939 — Some Other Spring (m. Irene Kitchings, w. Arthur Herzog, Jr.) — copyright, 1939; Billie Holiday recording, 5 July 1939; issued on Vocalion 5021 (1, 2, 3), c/w “Them There Eyes”

1939 — Love Turns Winter to Spring — m. Matt Dennis, w. Frank Killduff (Brigham Townsend) — copyright, 13 September 1939 — recorded by Martha Tilton with Bobby Sherwood and his Orchestra, featured in a 1941 Soundie of the same title; Stan Kenton and his Orchestra (radio broadcast transcription); The Four Freshmen; June Christy; Alan Copeland; Randy Van Horne Singers; Matt Dennis & Ginny Maxey; Syd Dale Orchestra; others

1941 — I’ll Remember April (m. Gene De Paul, w. Don Raye and Patricia “Pat” Johnston)

1941 — Soft As Spring (Alec Wilder) —  see our feature page on selected Alec Wilder songs of the early 1940s; recordings include those by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, vocal: Helen Forrest (1941), The Five (1955), Pete Jolly Quintet (1955), Al Cohn and his Orchestra (1956), Helen Merrill (1957), Sauter-Finegan Orchestra (1958)

1941 — Spring Will Be So Sad (When She Comes This Year) – w.m. Margaret Bonds, Harold Dickinson; copyright 10 March 1941 & 30 March 1941 — 1941 recordings include those by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, v. Ray Eberle & The Modernaires; Harry James and his Orchestra, v. Dick Haymes; Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra, v. Garry Stevens; 2018 recording by Alethea Kilgore — lyric

1942 — Little April Shower (m. Frank Churchill, w. Larry Morey) — from the 1942 Disney animation film Bambi — lyric: Disney Wiki

1942 — Let’s Sing a Gay Little Spring Song (m. Frank Churchill, w. Larry Morey) — from the 1942 Disney animation film Bambi — lyric: Disney Wiki

1942 — Wedding in the Spring (m. Jerome Kern, w. Johnny Mercer) — from the 1942 musical romantic comedy film You Were Never Lovelier

1943Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year (Frank Loesser)

1943 — Suddenly It’s Spring (m. Jimmy Van Heusen, w. Johnny Burke)

1944 — April Snow (m. Sigmund Romberg, w. Dorothy Fields) — from the 1945 Broadway musical Up in Central Park

1944 — It’s Anybody’s Spring (m. Jimmy Van Heusen, w. Johnny Burke) — recorded by Bing Crosby on 17 July 1944; issued on Decca 18743, as the B-side of “Welcome to My Dreams” — According to IMDb, in the 1945 film Road to Utopia the song was “[p]layed during the opening credits and also as background music,” and “[p]layed on a concertina by Bob Hope and sung by Bing Crosby.”

1945 — In the Middle of May (m. Fred Ahlert, w. Al Stillman)7

1945 — It Might as Well Be Spring (m. Richard Rodgers, w. Oscar Hammerstein II) — from the musical film State Fair (1945)

1946 — Spring Isn’t Everything (m. Harry Warren, w. Ralph Blane) — copyright, 8 April 1946; copyright 17 January 1947 — recordings by Margaret Whiting, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (v. Stewart Foster), The Ralph Sharon Trio, Maxine Sullivan, Joyce Breach, Meredith d’Ambrosio, Justin Hayford, Lynn Kearney, Sherri Roberts – lyric: poetrynook.com

1947 — In the Spring of the Year (m. Alec Wilder, w. Lee Kuhn) — According to WilderWorld podcast 129, the song was written in 1947. However, the copyright date is 20 April 1949. Recordings include the following: Joe Graydon Orchestra with Four Hits and a Miss, 1949; Lee Kuhn, with piano accompaniment, 1951; Mabel Mercer, 1958; Joyce Breach with The Keith Ingham Trio, 2003.

1948 — Lost April (Eddie DeLange, Emil Newman, Herbert Spencer) — recorded on 20 December 1947 by Nat King Cole Trio with Orchestra conducted by Carlyle Hall; issued 29 March 1948 on the single Capitol Records 15054, as the B-side of “Nature’s Boy” — YouTube

1949 — It Happens Every Spring (m. Josef Myrow, w. Mack Gordon) — introduced in the 1949 film It Happens Every Spring — recorded by Frank Sinatra, Margaret Whiting, Kay Starr, Art Lund and the Crew Chiefs, The Four Freshmen, Gogi Grant

1949 — Spring Made a Fool of Me (Sam H. Stept) — copyright: 7 February 1949 (unpublished), 24 February 1949 (published) — Recordings of “Spring Made a Fool of Me” released in 1950 include those by Eddy Duchin and his Orchestra (v. Tommy Mercer); Bill Farrell with Orchestra conducted by Russ Case; Tony Martin with Orchestra conducted by Henri René; Buddy Williams and his Golden Echo Music (instrumental); and Nancy Evans.

1949 — Younger Than Springtime (m. Richard Rodgers, w. Oscar Hammerstein II) — introduced by William Tabbert in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific

1950 — Ho Hum, It’s Spring (m. Jeanne Burns, w. Harold Mott) — copyright, 3 March 1950 —  1950 recordings by Fran Warren with Orchestra conducted by Henri René; Marjorie Hughes with Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Harry Zimmerman; Mary Ellen Quartet and Bob Hughes; 1955(?) recording by Jack Haskell

1950 — When April Comes Again (m. Paul Weston, w. Doris Schaefer) — copyright, 8 March 1950 — recordings by Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (1950), Paul Weston and his Orchestra (1955), Mel Tormé with The Marty Paich Dek-Tette (1956), The Singers Unlimited (1977), Frank Foster (1996), Ian Bargh (2000)

1951 — After All It’s Spring (m. Walter Kent, w. Kim Gannon) — copyright, 18 May 1951 (unpublished), 15 June 1951 (published) — recordings by Teddi King, Peggy Lee, Sherri Roberts

1951 — The Springtime Cometh (m. Sammy Fain, w. E. Y. “Yip” Harburg) — from the 1951 Broadway musical Flahooley

1952 — The Ol’ Spring Fever (m. Harry Warren, w. Leo Robin) — recorded by Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra on 21 February 1952, in Los Angeles, CA

1953 — Spring, Spring, Spring (m. Gene de Paul, w. Johnny Mercer) — copyright registration, 26 October 1953 and 7 July 1954; introduced in the 1954 musical film Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; recording by Johnny Mercer with the Paul Smith Trio and The Notables released on the 1956 album Sings Just for Fun, Jupiter Records JLP 1001

1955 — Come Spring (m. Alan Miller, w. Perry Stevens) — copyright: 21 September 1955, and 23 September 1955 — The only two recordings of the song that I’ve found are those by Kitty Kallen (1955) and Sarah Vaughan (1963). On the label of the 78 rpm version of the Kitty Kallen single, songwriter Alan Miller is credited as “Acan Millier.”

1955 — Come Next Spring (m. Max Steiner, w. Lenny Adelson) —  theme song of the 1956 film of the same title — Tony Bennett recorded the song on October 11, 1955, with Percy Faith, and this recording was issued on 31 October on the 78 rpm single Columbia 40598, and the 45 rpm single Columbia 4-40598, b/w “Afraid of the Dark” in each case. A recording of the song by Bennett is featured in the title sequence of the film.

1955 — Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most (m. Thomas Wolf, Jr., w. Frances Landesman) Tommy Wolf and Fran Landesman — recording by Tommy Wolf released on his 1958 LP Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most, Fraternity Records F-1010; album recorded on 5 & 6 September 1957

The Levitts — from the 1968 LP We Are the Levitts, on the ESP Disk label

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1956 — The April Age (m. Alec Wilder, w. William Engvick) — A recording by Cleo Laine appears on the EP The April Age (1), (2), (UK) Pye Nixa / Jazz Today Series NJE 1026, released in December 1956. Thanks, to visitor Thomas Birr, who in a 25 Feb 2018 comment informed me of the Cleo Laine EP, which resulted in the addition of this song and “I Dedicate April” (see below) to the present page. Other recordings of “The April Age” include those by Don Cherry, Eileen Farrell, and Elaine Delmar.

1956 — I Dedicate April (Les Williams, Glen Carter) — from the Cleo Laine EP The April Age (1), (2), (UK) Pye Nixa / Jazz Today Series NJE 1026, released in December 1956.

1956 — April Fooled Me (m. Jerome Kern, w. Dorothy Fields) — copyright date: 5 September 1956SecondHandSongs.com says, “The lyrics to this unused Kern melody were added by Fields a decade after his death.”

1956 — A Fine Spring Morning (Bob Haymes) — 1956 recording by Blossom Dearie appeared on her 1957 album Blossom Dearie, Verve Records MG V-2037; album recorded 11-12 September 1956

1956 — Melancholy March (m. Herm Saunders, w. Dory Langdon) — copyright, 2 August 1956 — recording by Julie London released on the 1956 album Calendar Girl, (US) Liberty Records SL 9002, SL-9002 — “Dory Langdon” was a pseudonym of Dorothy “Dory” Langan that she used in the late 1950s before her 1959 marriage to André Previn, after which she became known as Dory Previn.

1956 — My April Heart (George Wallington, Buddy Goodman) — recorded by Chris Connor with Orchestra conducted by Ralph Burns, 19 January 1956, in NYC

1957 – April Love (m. Sammy Fain , w. Paul Francis Webster) – Wikipedia, SecondHandSongs.com

1957 — So It’s Spring (m. Tommy Wolf, w. Wayne Arnold) – recording by Tommy Wolf released on the 1958 LP Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most (dr. chilledaire),(Discogs.com), Fraternity Records F-1010; album recorded on 5 & 6 September 1957 — Other recordings include those by Jackie & Roy (1958), Carol Lawrence (1962), and Ed Vodicka & Friends (1987).

1957 — They Say It’s Spring (Bob Haymes, Marty Clark)

1957 — Their Hearts Were Full of Spring (Bobby Troup)

1959 — There’ll Be Another Spring (Peggy Lee, Hubie Wheeler) — Peggy Lee and the George Shearing Quintet, recorded live in Miami on 29 May 1959; released in 1959 on Beauty and the Beat!, Capitol Records T 1219 (Mono), ST 1219 (Stereo)

1960 — Who Cares About April? (m. Ken Hanna, w. Henry Levy) – copyright, 19 September 1960; lyrics: International Lyrics Playground — recording by June Christy released on her 1960 album Off Beat, Capitol Records T 1498 (Mono), ST 1498 (Stereo); music arranged and conducted by Pete Rugolo

1963 — Spring in Manhattan (m. Anthony Scibetta, w. Alice S. Reach) — copyright registered on 23 April 1963 — recording by Tony Bennett issued in April 1964 on the single (US) Columbia 4-42779 (1) (2), as the B-side of “The Good Life”; also included on the 1964 LP The Many Moods of Tony, (US) Columbia CL 2141

1965 — April Come She Will (Paul Simon) — originally recorded by Paul Simon and included on his debut LP The Paul Simon Song Book, released in 1965 on CBS Records in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, and, under the title The Sounds of Simon: The Paul Simon Song Book, on Columbia Records in Canada

1967/1972 — La chanson de Maxence (m. Michel Legrand, w. Jacques Demy) and the English-language version, You Must Believe in Spring (words: Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman) — “La chanson de Maxence” was introduced in the 1967 film Les demoiselles de Rochefort, where it is performed by Jacques Perrin, dubbed by Jacques Revaux, and a chorus. The earliest recording of “You Must Believe in Spring” listed by SecondHandSongs.com is a 1972 recording by Marlena Shaw.

You Must Believe in Spring

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans – recorded in San Francisco, during sessions of 27-30 September, 1976; released on the 1977 album Together Again, DRG Records MRS 901

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1969 – The April Fools (m. Burt Bacharach, w. Hal David)

1972 — Pieces of April (Dave Loggins) — Three Dog Night

1972 — Águas de Março (Waters of March) – w. m. Antônio Carlos Jobim

1976 — Blackberry Winter (Alec Wilder, Loonis McGlohon) — Teddi King recording released on her 1976 album Lovers & Losers, Audiophile AP 117

2001 — Springtime in New York (Jonathan Richman) — Jonathan Richman, from his 2001 album Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow, Vapor Records ‎9 48216-1 (LP), 9 48216-2 (HDCD)

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Alphabetical list, Songbook feature pages or posts only:

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1 April Showers Bring May Flowers (m. Jack Shilkret, Nathaniel Shilkret, w. Leo Wood) — copyright: 14 April 1920, 8 June 1920 — Early recordings include the following:

  • Van Eps Quartet — recorded in July 1920; issued on Aeolian Vocalion 14099, as the B-side of “Will You Remember or Will You Forget” (William Hewitt) — A-side songwriter credited on the label as “Hewett”
  • Harry Raderman’s Jazz Orchestra — recorded in February 1921 in NYC; issued in the US on the 78 rpm single OKeh 4281, and in Canada on Starr-Gennett 4281, in each case as the B-side of “Wyoming,” recorded by the Green Brothers’ Novelty Band

2 April Blossoms (m. Herbert Stothart, w. Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach) — from the very successful 1923 Broadway musical Wildflower (477 performances) — Recordings by the Savoy Orpheans and Percival Mackey’s Band were each made in early February 1926, not long before the February 17, 1926 opening of a London West End production of Wildflower that ran for 114 performances.

3 Maytime (m. Vincent Rose, Buddy De Sylva) — 1924 recordings include those by Bennie Kreuger’s Orchestra, Fred Waring & his Pennsylvanians, Vincent Lopez and his Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra, Lanin’s Arcadians, Sam Lanin’s Dance Orchestra, Emerson Dance Orchestra, Paul Specht and his Hotel Alamac Orchestra, Varsity Eight, Bailey’s Lucky Seven, Music Lovers Dance Orchestra, and vocalist Lewis James.

4 When It’s Springtime in the Rockies (m. Robert Sauer, w. Mary Hale Woolsey) — Early recordings include at least four different ones involving Frank Luther and Carson Robison:

  • Bud Billings (Frank Luther) and Joe Billings (Carson Robison) (Victor V-40088, 16 May 1929)
  • Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra (featuring vocals by Carson Robison and Frank Luther) (Victor 22339, 24 February 1930)
  • Carson Robison Trio (Crown 3025, September 1930) – According to Discogs.com, the trio consisted of Carson Robison, Frank Luther, and Phil Crow.
  • Carson Robison and Frank Luther – 3 October 1930, (1), (2), (3)

5 In the 15 October 1935 copyright entry for “When April Comes Again,” Jerry Livingston’s co-songwriter credit comes under his birth name, Jerry Levinson. The lyric transcription provided at International Lyrics Playground seems to be pretty accurate. However, the line given as as “A fire will hear a bluebird sing” is obviously wrong. The line should be “Up high we’ll hear a bluebird sing.” The same trio of songwriters also co-wrote the 1933 standards “It’s the Talk of the Town” and “Under a Blanket of Blue.”

early recordings:

  • Joe Morrison with Orchestra under the direction of Jack Shilkret — recorded on 16 December 1935; released on the single Brunswick 7583, c/w “Little Bit Independent”
  • Jay Randell and his Orchestra, with vocal by Dick Dickson — recorded in NYC on 27 December 1935; issued on the 78 rpm single Columbia 3113D, c/w “This is the Kiss of Romance”
  • Other recordings include those released in 1936 by Abe Lyman and His Orchestra, Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra (vocal: Kenny Sargent), Leslie Hutchinson, Jack Payne and His Band (vocal: Billy Scott-Coomber), and Kitty Masters.

6 “Santa Claus Came in the Spring” — 1935 recordings include:

  • Benny Goodman and his Orchestra — recorded on 27 September 1935; issued 11 December 1935 on Victor 25195 (1, 23) b/w  “Eeny Meeny Miney Mo” (Matty Malneck, Johnny Mercer)
  • Putney Dandridge and his Orchestra — issued in November 1935 on Vocalion 3083, as the B-side of “Eeny Meeny Miney Mo”

7 In the Middle of May (m. Fred Ahlert, w. Al Stillman) — 1945 recordings include:

  • Freddy Martin and his Orchestra, vocal by The Martin Men
  • The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and his Orchestra
  • Gene Krupa and his Orchestra, vocals by Buddy Stewart and Anita O’Day
  • Johnny Long and his Orchestra, vocals by Dick Robertson and Frances Lane
  • Four Chicks & Chuck, with Buddy Moreno and Orchestra under the direction of Bernie Weisman
  • Herb Kern (Hammond organ) and Tom Memoli (Novachord) — instrumental
  • radio broadcast transcriptions:
    • Sgt. Johnny Desmond and The Crew Chiefs with the Army Air Forces Overseas Orchestra, within an episode of the radio series “I Sustain the Wings”
    • Skinnay Ennis, during an episode of The Pepsodent Show, starring Bob Hope, on 20 November 1945 (Thanksgiving) at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro

12 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Girish Trivedi
    Apr 29, 2015 @ 22:04:22

    ADD … Paris in Spring Time — It happens every spring —Early Spring —Blue Spring

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • doc
      Apr 29, 2015 @ 23:06:15

      Thanks for your suggestions. Did you mean the following song, or Cole Porter’s “I Love Paris”?

      Paris in the Spring (m. Harry Revel, w. Mack Gordon)

      Wikipedia says,

      “Paris in the Spring” is a popular song composed in 1935…It was first introduced by Mary Ellis in the film Paris in Spring. A version was also recorded by Ray Noble and His Orchestra (also in 1935). In 1960, Jo Stafford and her husband Paul Weston recorded a version for their comedy album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris in which they put their own unique interpretation on the song.

      Ray Noble and his Orchestra, vocal: Al Bowlly — recorded in New York City on 20 May 1935; issued on Victor 25040 in the US, backed with “Bon Jour Mam’selle,” and on HMV BD-192 in the UK

      Like

      Reply

    • doc
      Jan 06, 2016 @ 16:45:56

      @ Girish Trivedi,

      Hello again. I’ve added “Paris in the Spring,” “It Happens Every Spring,” and several others to the list. The other two you mentioned are jazz compositions without lyrics. Such works, with few exceptions, are typically excluded from the site. Thanks again for your assistance.

      Regards, doc

      Like

      Reply

  2. doc
    Feb 25, 2016 @ 06:58:25

    Despite what I said above, I’d apparently forgotten to add “Paris in the Spring” to the list. That was done today.

    Like

    Reply

  3. Thomas Birr
    Feb 25, 2018 @ 05:11:26

    Hello
    I just bought me a Cleo Laine EP.

    Cleo Laine – The April Age
    – four songs about April

    https://www.discogs.com/de/Cleo-Laine-The-April-Age/release/2173929

    Greetings Thomas

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • doc
      Feb 26, 2018 @ 13:52:58

      Thomas,

      Hi Thomas,

      Thanks for the info. I’ll probably add “The April Age” (m. Alec Wilder, w. William Engvick) to the list, and possibly also “I Dedicate April” (Les Williams, Glen Carter). Will credit you in the page for the contribution(s) if and when I add either of them.

      Regards,
      doc

      Like

      Reply

  4. ellenciompi
    Apr 23, 2019 @ 06:24:41

    May I recommend my own recording of “Blackberry Winter”, available on Youtube? I believe your readers will enjoy it!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. musicdoc1
    Mar 09, 2022 @ 21:42:16

    Like

    Reply

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