# Cocktails for Two > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cocktails_for_Two > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cocktails_for_Two.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktails_for_Two > Source revision: 1354148800 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Cocktails for Two" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Song by Carl Brisson "Cocktails for Two" Song by Carl Brisson Published 1934 Genre Swing Songwriters Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow "**Cocktails for Two**" is a song from the [Big Band](/source/Big_Band) era, written by [Arthur Johnston](/source/Arthur_Johnston_(composer)) and [Sam Coslow](/source/Sam_Coslow). The song debuted in the movie *[Murder at the Vanities](/source/Murder_at_the_Vanities)* (1934), where it was introduced by the Danish singer and actor [Carl Brisson](/source/Carl_Brisson). [Duke Ellington](/source/Duke_Ellington)'s version of the song was recorded in 1934 and was inducted into the [Grammy Hall of Fame](/source/List_of_Grammy_Hall_of_Fame_Award_recipients_A-D) in 2007. The song alludes to [Repeal](/source/Repeal_of_Prohibition_in_the_United_States), the ending of [Prohibition in the United States](/source/Prohibition_in_the_United_States). The introduction begins with: Oh what delight to Be given the right to Be carefree and gay once again. No longer slinking, Respectably drinking Like civilized ladies and men. The song was written in 1934, and the [21st Amendment](/source/Twenty-first_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution), which ended Prohibition, was ratified in December of the previous year. ## Renditions [Spike Jones and His City Slickers: Cocktails for Two](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpikeJones.CocktailsForTwo.excerpt.ogg) 16-second sample, as the musical [mayhem](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mayhem) begins *Problems playing this file? See [media help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Media).* 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](/source/Johnny_Green) and [Will Osborne](/source/Will_Osborne_(singer)), for the [ARC](/source/American_Record_Corporation) (Green on [Brunswick](/source/Brunswick_Records); Osborne on [Melotone](/source/Melotone_Records_(US))--among other labels),[1] but possibly its best known version is the comedic [sound effects](/source/Sound_effects)-laden version by [Spike Jones and His City Slickers](/source/Spike_Jones) a decade later.[2] 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](/source/Joel_Whitburn). Sam Coslow hated Jones' irreverent treatment.[3] Even so, the recording's success earned him large royalties.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 2026, Jones' recording of the song was selected by the [Library of Congress](/source/Library_of_Congress) for preservation in the [National Recording Registry](/source/National_Recording_Registry) for its "cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation's recorded sound heritage."[4] [Jonathan and Darlene Edwards](/source/Jonathan_and_Darlene_Edwards) (a comedy act by [Paul Weston](/source/Paul_Weston) and [Jo Stafford](/source/Jo_Stafford)) also lampooned the song on their first LP, [The Piano Artistry of Jonathan Edwards](/source/The_Piano_Artistry_of_Jonathan_Edwards), released in 1957. [Bing Crosby](/source/Bing_Crosby) recorded the song in 1955[5] for use on his [radio show](/source/The_Bing_Crosby_Show_(1954%E2%80%931956)) and it was subsequently included in the box set *The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56)* issued by [Mosaic Records](/source/Mosaic_Records) (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.[6] Other covers include [Zarah Leander](/source/Zarah_Leander)'s [Swedish](/source/Swedish_language) version for [Odeon](/source/Odeon_Records) in 1934, [Tommy Dorsey](/source/Tommy_Dorsey)'s swing version for Victor (#26145) on October 31, 1938, [Keely Smith](/source/Keely_Smith)'s version on her album *Politely!* (1958),[7] and [Ray Charles](/source/Ray_Charles) and [Betty Carter](/source/Betty_Carter) for their album *[Ray Charles and Betty Carter](/source/Ray_Charles_and_Betty_Carter)* (1961). ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Whitburn, Joel (1986). [*Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954*](https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/456). Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. [456](https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/456). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-89820-083-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-89820-083-0). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #12"](https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1633224/m1/#track/4). 1972. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Coslow_1977_3-0)** [Coslow, Sam](/source/Sam_Coslow) (1977). [*Cocktails for Two: The Many Lives of Giant Songwriter Sam Coslow*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YS4UAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Sam+Coslow%22+%22cocktails+for+two%22+%22spike+jones%22). Arlington House. p. 145. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0870003925](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0870003925). Retrieved 2013-05-10. ... 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. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["National Recording Registry Inducts Sounds of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, The Go-Go's, Vince Gill, Weezer, Reba McEntire and More"](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). *Library of Congress*. Retrieved 14 May 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["A Bing Crosby Discography"](http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/CBS.html). *BING magazine*. International Club Crosby. Retrieved December 1, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["allmusic.com"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bing-crosby-cbs-radio-recordings-1954-56-mw0001951404). *allmusic.com*. Retrieved December 1, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Discogs.com"](https://www.discogs.com/Keely-Smith-Politely/master/334377). *Discogs.com*. Retrieved December 1, 2017. ## Further reading - Coslow, Sam (1977). *Cocktails for Two*. New York: Arlington House. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-87000-392-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87000-392-5). - Young, Jordan R. (2005). *Spike Jones Off the Record: The Man Who Murdered Music.* (3rd edition) Albany: BearManor Media [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-59393-012-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-59393-012-7). Authority control databases MusicBrainz work --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cocktails for Two](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktails_for_Two) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktails_for_Two?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.