Nuages
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Sample of "Nuages"
 From a 1946 recording by Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli and the Quintette du Hot Club de France |
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"Nuages" (French pronunciation: [nɥaʒ]) is one of the best-known compositions by Django Reinhardt. He recorded at least thirteen[1] versions of the tune, which is a jazz standard and a mainstay of the gypsy swing repertoire. English[2] and French lyrics have been added to the piece which was originally an instrumental work. The title translated into English is "Clouds", but the adaptation with English lyrics is entitled "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues". Reinhardt's 1946 recording (as can be heard in the sample above) is in the key of G major.
Background
"Nuages" was released by Django Reinhardt and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France on the French Swing label as a 78-RPM single (SW88, OSW.146) in 1940. The flip side is "Les Yeux Noirs".
Selected recorded versions, 1940–1953
- 1940, 1 October – Django Reinhardt with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, the first recording of "Nuages"
- 1942 – Lucienne Delyle, vocal version of "Nuages" with French lyrics by Jacques Larue
- 1942 – Denny Dennis with the Stanley Black Orchestra, vocal version entitled "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues My Baby Sings", with English lyrics by Spencer Williams
- 1946 – Peggy Lee with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra, vocal version entitled "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues" (this recording was not issued until 2000)
- 1947 – Monica Lewis, vocal version entitled "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues"
- 1953, 10 March – Django Reinhardt, his final recording of "Nuages"
Other recordings
Tony Bennett used the music with new lyrics that he wrote for a song entitled "All for You", released in 2004 on the album The Art of Romance.
Joe Pass recorded the song in 1964.[3]
The guitarist Charlie Byrd, Michel Legrand, Tal Farlow, Willie Nelson, and the Gipsy Kings have recorded the song.