"ONE FOR MY BABY"- A SONG STILL TRAVELS THAT LONG,LONG MUSICAL " ROAD"

" One for my Baby:--A song that still travels that long, long, musical "road:"  Arlen and Mercer created another classic song for the film " The Sky's The Limit."  Unlike the serene and almost classical ballad form of " My Shining Hour:, they fashioned what has aoften been called the definitive saloon song. " One For My Baby" ( and One More For The Road) begins with what biographer Edward Jablonski said that " The song begins with one of the most original first lines ever written, It's quarter to three" as he unburdens himself to Joe , the bartender."
Alec Wilder, a very pro Arlen advocate, was never certain of the reasons for the song's universal popularity. He always felt that the lyrics, as they unfold tell the sad and bitter tale of the man who laments that " This  torch that I've found, Must be drowned or it soon might explode". In addition to the evocative nature of the love-lost character Mercer's words, the melody has a late-night saloon character which Jablonski claimed was due to the fact that" "Arlen was one of the few white musicians who could play these authentic styles ; not even Gershwin equaled Arlen in playing the blues."
 In the film. Astaire is depressed because of his breakup with Joan Leslie. He starts drinking heavily. He dances off his frustration and starts demolishing glasses and finally shattering the large mirror behind the bar

Astaire's violent  drunken behaviour is totally at odds with Frank Sinatra's iconic performances. Sinatra not only sings the song but acts out the words during his live performances. His is one of the most memorable combination of singing and acting to be found in  twentieth century popular music. Sinatra makes us believe in the anguish that he portrays so convincingly as he ends the song singing " Make it one for my baby, and one more for the road-That long,( it's so long,) long road" while the piano accompaniment slowly plays out a 4 bar resolution of the song.
The Capitol studio recorded version, with Nelson Riddle ,is also interesting and is added for comparative purposes.

ASTAIRE LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD7sqGJ3NBg

SINTRA LIVE LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJpJoYYGzjM

RIDDLE STUDIO VERSION: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOHvxxEIE3o