It had been thought by some that the song was really inspired by a poem called вЂњTo a SkylarkвЂќ by the 19 th century English romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

In addition to вЂњSkylark,вЂќ Mercer was known for such songs as вЂњLittle BirdsвЂќ (performed by Julie Andrews) and вЂњBob White,вЂќ which name-checks more than a dozen birds in a duet he sang with Bobby Darin. It also may have had something to do with his love of birds, or at least a love of writing about them. With lyrics by Mercer and music by Carmichael, the song was about the universal search for love, with the singer asking the titular bird if it has any idea where the man or woman of oneвЂ™s dreams can be found:Д«y many accounts, the song was inspired by MercerвЂ™s ill-fated affair with the much younger actress/singer Judy Garland. вЂњSkylarkвЂќ was first recorded in 1941 by three different female big band vocalists. When asked about the recording by DownBeat magazine in 1985, she said, вЂњвЂ™SkylarkвЂ™ is just an incredible adventure to sing вЂ“ I just love it.вЂќ The three albums of standards (the other two were WhatвЂ™s New and For Sentimental Reasons) sold in the millions, with exceptional performances by Ronstadt and arrangements by the great Sinatra orchestrator Nelson Riddle. RonstadtвЂ™s instincts were obviously correct when she felt that a switch from her rock and country leanings might do well with the public, maybe believing that a good song was a good song, period.

Among the songs on the second of those albums, Lush Life, was the classic by Tin Pan Alley writers Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael, вЂњSkylark.вЂќ

But more than 30 years ago Linda Ronstadt, purportedly against the advice and wishes of much of her camp, recorded a trilogy of albums that featured some of the most memorable jazz, big band and Great American Songbook compositions. Bob Dylan is currently doing it in a big way, and Rod Stewart did it вЂ“ maybe overdid it вЂ“ earlier in this millennium.

Skylark songs