Series 34, Prog 2

THE BOB RUSSELL SONG BOOK

Bob Russell was a master lyricist who gave a permanent voice to some of the greatest melodies in American music history. Though his name is often overshadowed by the jazz titans and pop icons he collaborated with, his words remain permanently etched into the Great American Songbook.

Born Sidney Keith Rosenthal, Russell possessed a rare lyrical versatility. In the 1940s, he partnered with Duke Ellington, transforming Ellington’s instrumental big-band compositions into unforgettable vocal hits like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me”. Simultaneously, he demonstrated a unique gift for adaptation, writing the definitive English lyrics for massive international hits like "Brazil" and “Frenesi".

As his career progressed, Russell seamlessly transitioned to Hollywood. Working alongside a young Quincy Jones, he broke new ground in film scoring and captured two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song in the late 1960s. Even while tragically battling terminal lymphoma, Russell’s creative output never wavered. In his final months, he co-wrote the powerhouse ballad "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother” with Bobby Scott. The track became a global anthem for solidarity and brotherly love—most famously recorded by The Hollies—serving as a profound final act for a songwriter who spent his life translating raw human emotion into timeless rhythm and rhyme. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

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Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

Brazil - Frank Sinatra: Come Fly with Me (mono)

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore - Al Hibbler & Duke Ellington's Orchestra: Al Hibbler Sings with the Duke

Crazy He Calls Me - Georgia Cécile & Fraser Urquhart: Sure of You

Frenesi - Mel Tormé: Olé Tormé

I'm Not Supposed To Be Blue Blues - Anita O'Day & Caj Tjader: Time for 2

Blue Gardenia - Nat King Cole: Sings Ballads of the Day

Cocoanuts - Mavis Rivers: Swing Along with Mavis Rivers

No More - Irene Kral: Better Than Anything

You Came A Long Way From St Louis - Perry Como: Como Swings

Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me - Ed Townsend & Nelson Riddle's Orchestra: New in Town

For Love of Ivy - Billy Eckstine: The Complete Motown Singles - Volume 8: 1968

I Didn't Know About You - June Christy: The Misty Miss Christy

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - Bobby Scott: In Memory of the Race

Warm In December (aka Warm December) - Julie London: Calendar Girl

Dance, Ballerina, Dance (aka Ballerina) - Nat King Cole: At The Sands

Bob Russell 

(April 25, 1914 - February 18, 1970)

“You came a long way from St Louis, you broke a lot of hearts between…"

Image: Borre's Film/Pexels