{{more citations needed|date=May 2013}} {{Infobox song | name = Cocktails for Two | cover = | alt = | type = | artist = Carl Brisson | album = | EP = | written = | published = 1934 | released = | format = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = [[Swing music|Swing]] | length = | label = | writer = [[Arthur Johnston (composer)|Arthur Johnston]], [[Sam Coslow]] | composer = | lyricist = | producer = | prev_title = | prev_year = | title = | next_title = | next_year = }}
"'''Cocktails for Two'''" is a song from the [[Big Band]] era, written by [[Arthur Johnston (composer)|Arthur Johnston]] and [[Sam Coslow]]. The song debuted in the movie ''[[Murder at the Vanities]]'' (1934), where it was introduced by the Danish singer and actor [[Carl Brisson]]. [[Duke Ellington]]'s version of the song was recorded in 1934 and was inducted into the [[List of Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients A-D|Grammy Hall of Fame]] in 2007.
The song alludes to [[Repeal of Prohibition in the United States|Repeal]], the ending of [[Prohibition in the United States]]. The introduction begins with: <blockquote> Oh what delight to<br /> Be given the right to<br /> Be carefree and gay once again.<br /> No longer slinking,<br /> Respectably drinking<br /> Like civilized ladies and men. </blockquote> The song was written in 1934, and the [[Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution|21st Amendment]], which ended Prohibition, was ratified in December of the previous year.
== Renditions ==
{{Listen | filename = SpikeJones.CocktailsForTwo.excerpt.ogg | title = Spike Jones and His City Slickers: Cocktails for Two | description = 16-second sample, as the musical [[wikt:mayhem|mayhem]] begins | format = [[ogg]] }}
Ellington's recording in 1934 of "Cocktails for Two" was by far the most popular of the year, and his second biggest hit of the year behind "Solitude" later on. Other popular version were also made by the orchestras of [[Johnny Green]] and [[Will Osborne (singer)|Will Osborne]], for the [[American Record Corporation|ARC]] (Green on [[Brunswick Records|Brunswick]]; Osborne on [[Melotone Records (US)|Melotone]]--among other labels),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954|date=1986|publisher=Record Research Inc|location=Wisconsin, USA|isbn=0-89820-083-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/456 456]|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/456}}</ref> but possibly its best known version is the comedic [[sound effects]]-laden version by [[Spike Jones|Spike Jones and His City Slickers]] a decade later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1633224/m1/#track/4|title = Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #12|year = 1972}}</ref> The Slickers first recorded it in 1944 with Carl Grayson supplying the vocal. It was their biggest all-time hit, reaching number 4 on the charts, according to [[Joel Whitburn]]. Sam Coslow hated Jones' irreverent treatment.<ref name="Coslow_1977"> {{cite book | last = Coslow | first = Sam | author-link = Sam Coslow | title = Cocktails for Two: The Many Lives of Giant Songwriter Sam Coslow | publisher = Arlington House | page = 145 | isbn = 0870003925 | date = 1977 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=YS4UAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Sam+Coslow%22+%22cocktails+for+two%22+%22spike+jones%22 | accessdate = 2013-05-10 | quote = ... the question I am most frequently asked is how I felt about Spike Jones's famous recording of 'Cocktails for Two' ... I hated it, and thought it was in the worst possible taste, desecrating what I felt was one of my most beautiful songs. }}</ref> Even so, the recording's success earned him large royalties.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} In 2026, Jones' recording of the song was selected by the [[Library of Congress]] for preservation in the [[National Recording Registry]] for its "cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation's recorded sound heritage."<ref>{{cite web |title=National Recording Registry Inducts Sounds of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, The Go-Go’s, Vince Gill, Weezer, Reba McEntire and More |url=https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/national-recording-registry-inducts-sounds-of-taylor-swift--beyonc---the-go-go-s--vince-gill--weezer/s/bc258688-e655-4ffb-9f91-f32b94956f36 |website=Library of Congress |access-date=14 May 2026}}</ref>
[[Jonathan and Darlene Edwards]] (a comedy act by [[Paul Weston]] and [[Jo Stafford]]) also lampooned the song on their first LP, [[The Piano Artistry of Jonathan Edwards]], released in 1957.
[[Bing Crosby]] recorded the song in 1955<ref>{{cite web|title=A Bing Crosby Discography|url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/CBS.html |website=BING magazine|publisher=International Club Crosby|accessdate=December 1, 2017}}</ref> for use on his [[The Bing Crosby Show (1954–1956)|radio show]] and it was subsequently included in the box set ''The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56)'' issued by [[Mosaic Records]] (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bing-crosby-cbs-radio-recordings-1954-56-mw0001951404|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=December 1, 2017}}</ref>
Other covers include [[Zarah Leander]]'s [[Swedish language|Swedish]] version for [[Odeon Records|Odeon]] in 1934, [[Tommy Dorsey]]'s swing version for Victor (#26145) on October 31, 1938, [[Keely Smith]]'s version on her album ''Politely!'' (1958),<ref>{{cite web|title=Discogs.com|url=https://www.discogs.com/Keely-Smith-Politely/master/334377|website=Discogs.com|accessdate=December 1, 2017}}</ref> and [[Ray Charles]] and [[Betty Carter]] for their album ''[[Ray Charles and Betty Carter]]'' (1961).
== References == {{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* Coslow, Sam (1977). ''Cocktails for Two''. New York: Arlington House. {{ISBN|0-87000-392-5}}. * Young, Jordan R. (2005). ''Spike Jones Off the Record: The Man Who Murdered Music.'' (3rd edition) Albany: BearManor Media {{ISBN|1-59393-012-7}}.
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[[Category:1934 songs]] [[Category:Spike Jones songs]] [[Category:Songs written by Sam Coslow]] [[Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients]] [[Category:Songs with music by Arthur Johnston (composer)]] [[Category:Songs about alcohol]] [[Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings]]