Ellington, Duke. (1899-1974). "I'm Brown but I'm Red, White & Blue" - Unpublished Autograph Song Manuscript.
Unpublished autograph musical manuscript in Duke Ellington's hand for the patriotic song titled "I'm Brown But I'm Red White & Blue," written out in pencil with a simple piano accompaniment, representing the previously thought lost two minutes from his magnum opus "Black, Brown and Beige." The lyrics read: "Say I'm Brown but I'm Red White & Blue / My folks are patriots thru and thru / Why we've got lots of pride and we'll fight for our side / Cause we're Brown and We're Red White and Blue." 1 p. on manuscript paper; light toning and one very small tear to the right edge; easily legible and overall in very fine condition. 9.5 x 12.5 inches (24.2 x 31.8 cm). Provenance: Duke Ellington Estate.
If asked to identify Ellington's magnum opus, many Ellington authorities would point to "Black, Brown and Beige," which traced in music the journey of African Americans from Africa to the new world, slavery, emancipation and beyond. When the piece received its Carnegie Hall premiere on 1/23/43, it was, at 48 minutes, Ellington's longest extended work, but when it was given its dress rehearsal the night before at Rye High School, it was two minutes longer. Leonard Feather, a celebrated writer on Jazz who was working as press agent for Ellington at the time of the concert, recalled the occasion in his autobiography, "The Jazz Years: Earwitness to an Era" (p. 64): "We were all stunned by the brilliance of Duke's 'tone parallel to the history of the American Negro,' as he subtitled it. Most of us had just one reservation: towards the end of the 'Beige' movement, Duke had written a lyric, pompously delivered by Jimmy Britton, declaring that: We're black, brown and beige but we're red, white and blue.' Such simplistic flag-waving seemed redundant, but I had already found out that Duke was stubborn about clinging to his convictions. Only after [talent agent] Bill [William] Morris, Dr. [J.T.] Mize [head of the music department at Rye High School], Dan James [Ruth Ellington's husband] and I had expressed our feelings strongly was it agreed that Duke did not need to wear his Americanism on his sleeve. The lyrics were eliminated and 'B, B & B' ran forty-eight instead of fifty minutes the next night."
Ellington, Duke. (1899-1974). "I'm Brown but I'm Red, White & Blue" - Unpublished Autograph Song Manuscript.
Unpublished autograph musical manuscript in Duke Ellington's hand for the patriotic song titled "I'm Brown But I'm Red White & Blue," written out in pencil with a simple piano accompaniment, representing the previously thought lost two minutes from his magnum opus "Black, Brown and Beige." The lyrics read: "Say I'm Brown but I'm Red White & Blue / My folks are patriots thru and thru / Why we've got lots of pride and we'll fight for our side / Cause we're Brown and We're Red White and Blue." 1 p. on manuscript paper; light toning and one very small tear to the right edge; easily legible and overall in very fine condition. 9.5 x 12.5 inches (24.2 x 31.8 cm). Provenance: Duke Ellington Estate.
If asked to identify Ellington's magnum opus, many Ellington authorities would point to "Black, Brown and Beige," which traced in music the journey of African Americans from Africa to the new world, slavery, emancipation and beyond. When the piece received its Carnegie Hall premiere on 1/23/43, it was, at 48 minutes, Ellington's longest extended work, but when it was given its dress rehearsal the night before at Rye High School, it was two minutes longer. Leonard Feather, a celebrated writer on Jazz who was working as press agent for Ellington at the time of the concert, recalled the occasion in his autobiography, "The Jazz Years: Earwitness to an Era" (p. 64): "We were all stunned by the brilliance of Duke's 'tone parallel to the history of the American Negro,' as he subtitled it. Most of us had just one reservation: towards the end of the 'Beige' movement, Duke had written a lyric, pompously delivered by Jimmy Britton, declaring that: We're black, brown and beige but we're red, white and blue.' Such simplistic flag-waving seemed redundant, but I had already found out that Duke was stubborn about clinging to his convictions. Only after [talent agent] Bill [William] Morris, Dr. [J.T.] Mize [head of the music department at Rye High School], Dan James [Ruth Ellington's husband] and I had expressed our feelings strongly was it agreed that Duke did not need to wear his Americanism on his sleeve. The lyrics were eliminated and 'B, B & B' ran forty-eight instead of fifty minutes the next night."