The Masquerade Is Over is a jazz and pop standard written in 1938 by Allie Wrubel (music) and Herb Magidson (lyrics). It was first recorded by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra with Bea Wain on the vocal refrain, recorded January 20, 1939 and released as a single in 1939. The song tells of a romance unmasked and fading, with the singer acknowledging that the masquerade is over and even joking about Pagliacci as a clown in disguise. It is not tied to a single original album but has become a widely performed standard, featured on many vocal and instrumental collections over the years. The tune has been covered many times, including instrumental versions such as Ike Quebec’s Swing Seven in 1947 and numerous vocal takes by artists across decades, cementing its place in the jazz standards repertoire.
