Night and Day (song)

"Night and Day"
Song
Published	1932
Writer(s)	Cole Porter

"Night and Day" is a popular song by Cole Porter. It was written for the 1932 musical play Gay Divorce. It is perhaps Porter's most popular contribution to the Great American Songbook and has been recorded by dozens of artists.

Fred Astaire introduced "Night and Day" on stage, and his recording of the song with the Leo Reisman orchestra was a #1 hit, topping the charts of the day for ten weeks. He performed it again in the 1934 film version of the show, renamed The Gay Divorcee, and it became one of his signature pieces.

There are several accounts on how Porter got inspiration to compose the song. One mentions that he was inspired by Islamic prayer when he visited Morocco. Another popular legend has it he was inspired by the Moorish architecture of the Alcazar Hotel in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

The song was so associated with Porter, that when Hollywood first filmed his life story in 1946, the movie was entitled Night and Day.

"Night and Day" has been recorded many times, notably by Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Eartha Kitt, Eddy Duchin, Charlie Barnet, Bill Evans, Art Tatum, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, Sondre Lerche, Doris Day, Charlie Parker, Deanna Durbin, Jamie Cullum, Etta James, The Temptations, U2 and The Rhythm Future Quartet

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