This is a classic interpretation by Whiteman who was previously billed as a 'Jazz' orchestra...in the late ''20's and early 30's. Not really jazz but 'jazzy' uptempo arrangements designed more for dancing and casual listening. He had a lot of great sidemen - young players, many of whom went on to lead their own bands. First time for me to hear this and think I prefer it over the painfully self-inflicted version by Billie Holiday. Never mind the mindless referrals to 'scary' movies. This has a lot of great musical qualities.

Who is singing on the record?

An excellent song. The beginning sounds like something out of an old episode of "Tom and Jerry".

As far as I know Billie Holiday does the most famous/well known version of this song. It's even in an episode of The Simpsons. It is also known as "The Hungarian Suicide Song". But it's a great song no matter who does it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloomy_Sunday

Is this free to use in any manner? is it in the public domain? It's a fantastic song and I want to use it in a no-budget film.

Great recording, though the gloomy effects are a bit much. :-) I first knew this song from an amazing cover by Canadian artist Danny Michel, which you can find here: http://www.dannymichel.com/Gloomy%20Sunday.mp3

The Rolling Stones have nothing on Paul Whiteman if the item I heard about Gloomy Sunday is true: that the song was banned from radio play because several suicides were attributed to it. There was a heavy depression still going on,lots of folks hurting mentally, spiritually.
Billie Holiday did a version a few years later, gloomier yet because of other issues.

Never heard this before and I am fascinated by it. It's Dracula coming down the staircase for the first time, or the Frankenstein monster coming alive or Lawrence Talbot watching the hair on the back of his hands grow. I absolutly love it