Rhapsody in Blue

This tune was originally called American Rhapsody but Gershwin changed the name to Rhapsody in Blue so that it would sound more like a painting.

It was written in 1923 and was first performed in New York the following year. It became clear to the audience very quickly that this was no ordinary painting. Indeed, it was no painting at all. 

It was a tune.

Gershwin had fooled everyone. The blue did not refer directly to the colour blue as one would apply to a painting. Gershwin's idea was to use the colour "blue" in the metaphorical sense to "paint" the mood of the tune. It was an astonishing success and there is no record whatsoever of anyone being in the least annoyed by Gershwin's little trick.

However, Gershwin died in 1937 when PG Wodehouse hit him with a golf ball. Accidentally, apparently, whilst playing golf.