‘Summertime’ named UK’s favourite Ella song

‘Summertime’ by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong has taken the number one spot in a new poll, commissioned by Jazz FM to celebrate what would have been Ella’s one hundredth birthday. Listeners were asked to submit their favourite songs throughout April, and the 1958 duet came out on top – taken from their album ‘Porgy and Bess’, composed by George Gershwin.

Other songs in the top ten include ‘Misty’, ‘Let’s Do It’ and ‘Round Midnight’ written by Thelonious Monk, whose centenary also falls in 2017. The full list can be seen below. The chart was unveiled by guest presenter Laura Mvula – a self-confessed Ella-phile who said “she’s the Empress, the original songstress, the First Lady… I remember the first time I really studied her performance of ‘One Note Samba’ – the whole thing is scat singing and for me there’s no way I could ever try to emulate that but I found it so inspiring”.

The top 10 in full…

1. Summertime
2. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
3. Misty
4. Mack The Knife
5. I Get A Kick Out Of You
6. Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love)
7. Moonlight In Vermont
8. Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off 
9. ‘Round Midnight
10. Dream A Little Dream Of Me