Avalon – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 175

Avalon is another tune that I had heard before, but had only played once before. I heard Andrew Wilson, and his band of youngin’s playing outside their RV in the Weiser Fiddletown Campground, and was compelled to join in.

They were gracious enough to join me for today’s fiddle tune a day. Coming to you once again from Weiser, Idaho.

Avalon (Al Jolson song) From Wikipedia

Written by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva, Vincent Rose
Written 1920
Form Jazz standard
Original artist Al Jolson

“Avalon” is a 1920 popular song written by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose.[1] It was introduced by Jolson and interpolated in the musicals Sinbad and Bombo. Jolson’s recording rose to number two on the charts in 1921.[1] The song was possibly written by Rose, but Jolson’s popularity as a performer allowed him to claim composer co-credit.[1] Originally, only Rose and Jolson were credited, and DeSylva’s name was added later.[1]
A popular jazz standard, the song has been recorded by many artists, including Cab Calloway (1934), Coleman Hawkins (1935) and Eddie Durham (1936). The Benny Goodman Quartet played the song in their famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert.[1] The song was included in the biographical films The Jolson Story (1946) and The Benny Goodman Story (1956), and is also being noodled by Sam (Dooley Wilson) at the piano right before he plays As Time Goes By in the movie Casablanca (1942).[2]

The tune’s opening melody resembles a part of Giacomo Puccini’s aria E lucevan le stelle, from the opera Tosca, but in the major key.[1] Puccini’s publishers sued the song’s composers in 1921 for use of the melody, and were awarded $25,000 and all subsequent royalties of the song by the court.[1]

Avalon Lyrics

I found my love in Avalon
Beside the bay.
I left my love in Avalon
And I sailed away.
I dream of her in Avalon
From dusk till dawn.
So I think I’ll travel on
To Avalon.

Every morn’ my memories stray
Across the sea where flying fishes play.
And as the night is falling
I find that I’m recalling
That blissful all-enthralling day.

Beside the bay.
And I sailed away.
I dream of her in Avalon
From dusk till dawn.
So I think I’ll travel on
To Avalon.