"Mountain Greenery" is an upbeat show tune composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart, written for the second edition of the Broadway revue The Garrick Gaieties in 1926. It stands as one of the earliest hits from the celebrated Rodgers and Hart partnership.
Set in C major with a 32-bar AABA form, the melody bounces along with infectious swing-era energy, painting a picture of carefree escape from the city to the mountain countryside. Hart's lyrics are characteristically brilliant, full of witty internal rhymes and enjambment—rhyming "coverlet" with "lover let" and "beanery" with "keener re-"—that give the song a playful, sophisticated charm. The harmony stays largely within bright diatonic territory, with the bridge offering a contrasting modulation that adds depth to the otherwise sunny character of the piece.
The song was first performed on stage by Sterling Holloway, and the earliest recording was made by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra in 1926. Mel Tormé's 1956 recording became a top-five hit in the UK, bringing the song renewed popularity. Ella Fitzgerald's definitive rendition on Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book (1956) remains a beloved interpretation of this classic Rodgers and Hart number.
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