DESCRIPTION:
Ellington stepped to the microphone and announced: "Have a seat, Mr. Strayhorn. Of course you know Billy Strayhorn wrote our radio theme, 'Take the A Train.' And now the purpose, of course, of him appearing on tonight's program which is a little extra added thought?I should say?is that I'd like for him to play for Kay Davis to introduce a new tune of his called Lush Life."

As played at the 1948 concert?the first documented recording?Lush Life is a theatrical song to be sung dramatically. It seems as though Strayhorn's lyrics carry the melody. Duke must have also understood the nature of the piece as neither he nor Strayhorn ever arranged Lush Life for the Ellington orchestra. Occasionally, Duke invited Strayhorn to perform the song on stage, but it never became an official part of the working repertoire. To add further confusion as to the song's origins, Lush Life was not copyrighted until 1949 by Duke's publishing company Tempo Music.

Live in Carnegie Hall, New York City. November 13, 1948.