Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Song Book (Acoustic Sounds)

Released in 1956 as the first album on the newly established Verve label—and now reissued on almost the exact same date 70 years after it was first issued—Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book inaugurated Fitzgerald’s Song Book series and marked the beginning of her extended focus on composers associated with the Great American Songbook.

Produced by Norman Granz, the sessions paired Fitzgerald with arranger and conductor Buddy Bregman and a studio orchestra, establishing the large-ensemble format that characterized the early Song Book recordings.

The two-LP set presents 32 songs drawn from Cole Porter’s catalogue, from “All Through the Night” to “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love” to “What Is This Thing Called Love?”. Recorded across February and March of 1956, the album frames Ella’s immaculate phrasing and clarity with polished West Coast orchestration that blends swing, ballad writing, and classic Hollywood sheen, emphasizing the lyrical wit and melodic elegance of Porter’s writing.

Celebrated upon release and formative in shaping both Verve’s identity and Ella’s artistic trajectory, it remains a cornerstone of her discography and a defining document of 20th century American popular interpretation.
Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analogue tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.