View source for Baubles, Bangles, & Beads

{{Short description|Show tune from the 1953 musical "Kismet"}}
"'''Baubles, Bangles, & Beads'''" is a [[popular music|popular]] song from the 1953 [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]'', credited to [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] and [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]]. It is based on the second movement from string quartet nr.2 in D major, "Scherzo. Allegro" by Russian composer [[Alexander Borodin]].

==Background==
Like almost all the music in that show, the melody was based on works by Alexander Borodin,<ref>Kaye, Colin. [https://www.pattayamail.com/arts-entertainment/classical-connections-stolen-melodies-40394 Classical Connections: Stolen melodies], ''www.pattayamail.com'', September 3, 2021.</ref><ref>McHugh, Dominic [https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/193063472.pdf “I’ll Never Know Exactly Who Did What”: Broadway Composers as Musical Collaborators]. ''Journal of the American Musicological Society'', Vol. 68, Number 3, pp. 605–652 ISSN 0003-0139, electronic ISSN 1547-3848.</ref> in this case the second theme of the second movement of his ''[[String Quartet No. 2 (Borodin)|String Quartet in D]].'' The "Kismet" setting maintains the original's 3/4 [[waltz]] rhythm; pop music settings change the rhythm to a moderate four-beat accompaniment. [[Jazz]] musicians are especially drawn to the song's beguiling melody and advanced harmonic structure. The familiar AA'BA+Coda structure of the song is energized by a [[key change]] up a [[major third]] [[interval (music)|interval]] for every section; the transition is marked by a harmonic progression from the central major key of one section to the tritone minor key of the following section.{{cn|date=December 2021}}

==1953 recordings==
The best-selling version of the song was recorded by [[Peggy Lee]] on September 16, 1953<ref>{{cite web |title=peggyleediscography.com |url=https://peggyleediscography.com/p/decca.php |website=peggyleediscography.com |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> and charted briefly that year.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 |date=1986 |publisher=Record Research Inc. |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-083-0 |page=270}}</ref> Other versions were recorded that year by Lu Ann Simms and [[Georgia Gibbs]].

==Kirby Stone Four recording==
*The [[Kirby Stone Four]] re-make hit No. 25 in the Billboard Top 100 in 1958<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/the-kirby-stone-four|title=The Kirby Stone Four Baubles, Bangles And Beads Chart History|website=Billboard.com|access-date=October 28, 2019|archive-date=May 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531195431/https://www.billboard.com/music/the-kirby-stone-four|url-status=dead}}</ref> and remains a favorite on adult standard stations.

==Other recordings==
The song has appeared on numerous albums over the years including:
* [[Gerry Mulligan]] - ''[[Recorded in Boston at Storyville]]'' (1956)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000308844|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 1, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Wes Montgomery]] - ''[[Fingerpickin']]'' (1957)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/fingerpickin-mw0000648315|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 3, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Lena Horne]] - ''[[Give the Lady What She Wants]]'' (1958)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/give-the-lady-what-she-wants-mw0000743859|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 3, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Eydie Gorme]] - ''Gorme Sings Showstoppers'' (1958)<ref>{{cite web |title=Discogs.com |url=https://www.discogs.com/Eydie-Gorme-Gorm%C3%A9-Sings-Showstoppers/master/139745 |website=Discogs.com |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Frank Sinatra]] - ''[[Come Dance with Me! (album)|Come Dance with Me!]]'' (1959),<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/come-dance-with-me%21-mw0000651533|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=December 1, 2024}}</ref> ''[[Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim]]'' (1967)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000652265#trackListing|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=December 31, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Kay Starr]] - ''Movin' on Broadway'' (1960)<ref>{{cite web |title=Discogs.com |url=https://www.discogs.com/Kay-Starr-Movin-on-Broadway/master/942542 |website=Discogs.com |year=1960 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>
* [[June Christy]] - ''[[The Cool School (album)|The Cool School]]'' (1960)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-cool-school-mw0000842295|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 2, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Sarah Vaughan]] - ''[[You're Mine You]]'' (1962)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/youre-mine-you-mw0000617456|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=December 31, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Oscar Peterson Trio]] - [[Affinity (Oscar Peterson album)|Affinity]] (1962)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/affinity-mw0000470437|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 3, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Chet Atkins]] - ''[[Travelin' (Chet Atkins album)|Travelin']]'' (1963)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/travelin-mw0000863275|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 3, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Johnny Mathis]] - ''[[So Nice (Johnny Mathis album)|So Nice]]'' (1966)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/so-nice-johnny-mathis-sings-mw0002440835|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=January 2, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Sylvia Telles]] - ''[[The Face I Love / It Might As Well Be Spring (Sylvia Telles album)|The Face I Love]]'' (1966)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.discogs.com|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/693700-Sylvia-Telles-It-Might-As-Well-Be-Spring|website=www.discogs.com|accessdate=January 18, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Dionne Warwick]] - ''[[On Stage and in the Movies]]'' (1967)<ref>{{cite web|title=www.discogs.com|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/117408-Dionne-Warwick-On-Stage-And-In-The-Movies|website=www.discogs.com|accessdate=January 1, 2025}}</ref>
*Argentine composer [[Ernesto Acher]] mixed the ''[[scherzo]]'' of Borodin's string quartet with this piece of music, under the name "Borodin, Bangles & Beads" in 1987 on his album ''Juegos'' <ref>"Borodin, Bangles & Beads" (Borodin's ''Scherzo'' from the Quartet n° 2/Baubles, Bangles & Beads) is also on the album  [https://play.spotify.com/album/1GQPzkjir0gObtc6NXrGdO ''Mischief with Mozart - Comical Combat with the Classics''] (Stradivari Classics).</ref>
* [[Sofia Hoffmann]] - [[Rebirth_(Sofia_Hoffmann_album) | Rebirth]] (2022)<ref>{{cite web|title=SOFIA HOFFMANN NA SMOOTH FM: ENTREVISTA E NOVO ÁLBUM! |url=https://smoothfm.pt/artigo/sofia-hoffmann-na-smooth-fm-entrevista-e-novo-album |access-date=October 25, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

{{Peggy Lee}}
{{Kismet}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baubles, Bangles, and Beads}}
[[Category:1954 songs]]
[[Category:Songs from musicals]]
[[Category:Songs written by Robert Wright (writer)]]
[[Category:Songs written by George Forrest (author)]]
[[Category:Benny Goodman songs]]
[[Category:Popular songs based on classical music]]
[[Category:Arrangements of compositions by Alexander Borodin]]