"Baubles, Bangles, and Beads" is Caity Gyorgy's rendition of the classic standard from the 1953 musical Kismet, composed by George Forrest and Robert Wright based on a melody by Alexander Borodin. Featured on her 2024 album Hello! How Are You?, the song is performed in E-flat at 159 BPM with a swing feel over a 36-bar ABCA form. The tune has a long history in jazz, with notable recordings by Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Kirby Stone Four, among many others. Pianist Anthony D'Alessandro takes the featured solo, improvising over roughly two-thirds of a chorus through the 36-bar form, his playing threading through the song's distinctive harmonic progressions with lyrical invention and rhythmic vitality. The ABCA form's 36-bar length sets it apart from the more common 32-bar standards, and the returning A section at the end creates a satisfying sense of resolution within each chorus. Gyorgy's vocal interpretation of the melody brings freshness to this well-traveled standard, her phrasing balancing respect for the song's theatrical origins with the rhythmic freedom of jazz singing. The inclusion of "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads" on the album demonstrates her commitment to keeping the Great American Songbook tradition alive alongside her own original compositions, offering listeners a familiar entry point into her musical world.
