The Lamp Is Low
Song by Mildred Bailey / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the album by Marilyn Maye, see The Lamp Is Low (album).
"The Lamp Is Low" is a popular song from the 1930s. The music was written by composers Peter DeRose and Bert Shefter, adapted from Pavane pour une infante défunte, a composition by Maurice Ravel. The lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish.
Mildred Bailey made the first notable recording of "The Lamp is Low" for Vocalion Records (catalog No. 4845) on April 24, 1939.[1] Covers by various other musicians quickly followed, including one by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (vocal by Jack Leonard) recorded on May 1, 1939 on Victor Records (catalog No. 26259). The Dorsey version was a hit[2] and helped the song to feature on the hit parade in 1939 for nine weeks. The song continues to be a favorite of jazz musicians.[3]