Mention the song Singin’ in the Rain to most people and it will bring to mind the 1952 film of the same name directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, and starring Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds.  A lot of people are probably not aware, however, that this song by Arthur Freed (lyrics) and Nacio Herb Brown (music) was in fact published far earlier, in 1929.

I’ve always been a fan of Cliff Edwards, also known as Ukelele Ike, and have a particular fondness for the delightfully surreal performance (on the left below) of the song from the film The Hollywood Revue of 1929.  The most hilariously surreal moment, however, is left to the end of the film when song is reprised against a towering backdrop of Noah’s Ark.