Expert: Jim Tompkins-MacLaine - 5/11/2006

Question
What is the best reference online to find out information about a song. I know this is vague, but here's a couple examples:If I'm listening to a tune,say "Cheek to Cheek" , I want to know who wrote lyrics and music,where it  originated from-movie, Broadway show and who performed it -where can I go to look up this information; or if I hear a certain Jazz performer, where can I find his or her discography? Things like this. Being able to find this info on one site would be helpful.  Thank you for youur time and any direction.
Al NYC  

Answer
Start at Amazon.com with the title of the song. That will give you listings of recordings, and one of those is bound to be the original source. From there, Google the composer or lyricist. MANY MANY MANY composers, even dead ones, have web sites. They are FULL of information. Also, performers, in this case, Fred Astaire, have websites too. Go there and wallow in the luxury created by some adoring fan. There you will nearly always find a good discography.