Skylark - Ella Fitzgerald - MP3 instrumental karaoke

From its opening flutter of woodwind to the way Ella Fitzgerald's voice swoons and dips like a bird in flight, coveted jazz standard "Skylark" beautifully evokes the hovering bird of its namesake. With lyrics by a loved-up Johnny Mercer – who poured his desire for lover Judy Garland into the song – and music by Hoagy Carmichael, who was inspired to compose the tune based on a Bix Beiderbecke cornet improvisation, "Skylark" was first published in 1941 and the following year brought to life by a slew of artists, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra (with vocals from Ray Eberle), Harry James and His Orchestra (with vocals from Helen Forrest), Dinah Shore, and Bing Crosby. "Queen of Jazz" Ella Fitzgerald took on the song more than twenty years later, recording her version of "Skylark" for her 1964 studio album with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book.