Pete Kelly's Blues (song)

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“Pete Kelly’s Blues” is a song from the 1955 Warner Bros. film Pete Kelly’s Blues. The music was written by Ray Heindorf and the lyrics by Sammy Cahn, and it’s performed in the movie by Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Anthony. The song was published in 1955.

The film’s soundtrack includes ten jazzy tunes from the Roaring ’20s, plus an orchestral title track and an orchestral version of “I Never Knew.” The orchestral tracks were released as a 45 rpm single (Columbia 40533) with Ray Heindorf conducting and Matty Matlock as jazz director.

Several artists recorded the tune over the years. A 1955 studio album by Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald was issued, but contractual issues kept them from appearing on the Columbia album. A soundtrack LP for a later TV series appeared in 1959, and a 1958 studio recording of the songs was released by RCA Victor. Ella Fitzgerald re-recorded the song in 1964 for Hello, Dolly! (arrangement by Frank DeVol). June Christy issued it as a single, later included as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Something Cool. Bobby Darin included it on his 1959 album This Is Darin.