Why Was I Born-Jerome Kern standard. In 1929, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein Jr. launched the musical " Sweet Adeline" which told the story about an ordinary girl who suddenly became a star on Broadway. The singer poses a number of questions to herself only to end without andadequate answer." Why Was I Born, Why am I living" and concludes with" Why was I born to Love You " Helen Morgan first sprang into prominence in " Showboat" playing Julie Laverne, a showgirl who gradually succumbed to alcohol as did Helen Morgan in real life. In " Sweet Adeline". Helen Morgan introduced " Don't Ever Leave Me" as well as " Why Was I Born", both sings that made her the quintessential torch singer, draped around a grand piano singing songs of love and despair.
Nonetheless, it is a well made song that allows female singers to demonstrate their capacity for expressive " torch" singing especially in night club or cabaret performances where the audience is close enough to witness the angst poured into the sing.
In the 1957 movie " The Helen Morgan Story", Ann Blyth portrayed the role of Helen Morgan in which her alcoholism was clearly displayed. But The singer actually heard on screen was Gogi Grant, a popular sing of the 1950's, most famous for the song " The Wayward Wind.'
Gogi Grant had a much stronger and richer voice than Helen Morgan and she conveys much more emotional strength than Helen Morgan had in her own life.
Despite some of the historical inconsistencies in the movie and the depiction of musical numbers, the song demonstrates a way in which popular songs were performed in the 1950's and Grant does perform in a very dramatic and convincing manner.
LINK: http://youtu.be/ROXCaNSkJWc
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