Melodic Mastery of Richard Rodgers " He Was Too Good to Me." There is general agreement that America's masters of the " pure melodic line" are Jerome Kern and Richard Rodgers. Both came from a middle class Germanic family background which may account for their more educated training and formal melodic creations. Others like George Gershwin,Irving Berlin and Harold Arlen came from poor Eastern European immigrant families which may account for their more vigorous syncopation and jazz influenced writing. Rodgers was particularly adept at step-wise writing where he would start with just a few notes, relatively close together and then create a wider melodic arc generating additional drama and tension . A perfect example is " He Was Too Good To Me" with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for a 1930's show " Simple Simon"
A rather rueful verse introduces the singer's lament of how she ended up losing her one great love even though she acknowledges, throughout the main section, how wonderfully he treated her.
The final line ends sadly with " He Was Too Good -------To Be True."
Carly Simon provides a very respectful and heartfelt rendition made even more personal because her family and the Rodgers Family were quite good friends in NY Café Society. Her father founded the publishing firm of Simon & Shuster
LINK: .
http://youtu.be/EKD0Xk6aBuc
Friday 19 July 2013
ANGEL EYES: A GREAT " SALOON" SONG
Angel Eyes: A Great " Saloon" song. In his live performances, Frank Sinatra often would group together what he called " saloon " songs.In addition to his iconic " One More For My Baby," he often would sing " Angel Eyes". This is a song written by Matt Dennis, a talented pianist, composer, singer and arranger for the Tommy Dorsey band. Written in 1946, with lyrics by Earl Brent, the song has been very popular with jazz performers because of the interesting harmonic patterns and meandering melodic line.
Dennis was an excellent performer of his own materials which includes such other well known standards like
" Everything Happens To Me" " Will You Still Be Mine ?" " The Night We Called It a Day" and "Violets For Your Furs" , all songs written in 1941 with lyrics by Tom Adair.
The first version features Ella Fitzgerald in a live performance and a brief introduction by Sinatra himself.
FITZGERALD: http://youtu.be/BLcjQpI9cXg
The second version is Sinatra"s epic performance in the Nelson Riddle arranged LP " Only The Lonely."
This song was the one chosen by Sinatra as the last song he would perform before his official retirement.
LINK: http://youtu.be/o0HoodY9pXg
Dennis was an excellent performer of his own materials which includes such other well known standards like
" Everything Happens To Me" " Will You Still Be Mine ?" " The Night We Called It a Day" and "Violets For Your Furs" , all songs written in 1941 with lyrics by Tom Adair.
The first version features Ella Fitzgerald in a live performance and a brief introduction by Sinatra himself.
FITZGERALD: http://youtu.be/BLcjQpI9cXg
The second version is Sinatra"s epic performance in the Nelson Riddle arranged LP " Only The Lonely."
This song was the one chosen by Sinatra as the last song he would perform before his official retirement.
LINK: http://youtu.be/o0HoodY9pXg
Thursday 18 July 2013
APRIL IN PARIS: WHAT A DELIGHTFUL THOUGHT AND-------- A GREAT SONG
April in Paris: What a Delightful Thought and a Great Song: I have already lauded the melodic and harmonic richness of Vernon Duke ( born Vladimir Dukelsky),. The expatriate Russian composer was a contemporary of Igor Stravinsky who composed major classical works in ballet, symphonic and other styles. He also managed to write some genuine American popular songs like " Autumn in New York:, an earlier blog and one sung brilliantly by Dawn Upshaw
." "April in Paris" written in 1932 for the musical " Walk A Little Faster" has very evocative lyrics by E,Y, Harburg which tell of" Chestnuts in blossom, Holiday tables under the trees"etc., imagery that is almost a musical travelogue. The song has an extended verse that unfortunately is not utilized in most vocal recordings.
In the release or middle section, the lyrics continue" I never knew the charm of Spring, Never met it face to face, I never knew my heart could sing, Never missed a warm embrace , till, April in Paris, Whom can I run to, What have you done to my heart? "
The version featured here is by Frank Sinatra who gives it a very dramatic and impassioned reading. In fact, he starts with the release or mid section, and the returns to the beginning section, repeats the bridge and ends with " What have you done to my heart ?
In the 1950's Count Basie had a hit up-tempo instrumental version proving that the music itself was noteworthy and when evocative lyrics are added, " April in Paris" stands as an excellent marriage of words and music.
LINK:
http://youtu.be/VkTMiV2_rw0
BONUS:
Singers Unlimited "April in Paris" A voices only track, 4 singers over dubbing as many as 20 separate vocal lines to end up sounding like an orchestra.
LINK: http://youtu.be/GDYkDt2ilIA
." "April in Paris" written in 1932 for the musical " Walk A Little Faster" has very evocative lyrics by E,Y, Harburg which tell of" Chestnuts in blossom, Holiday tables under the trees"etc., imagery that is almost a musical travelogue. The song has an extended verse that unfortunately is not utilized in most vocal recordings.
In the release or middle section, the lyrics continue" I never knew the charm of Spring, Never met it face to face, I never knew my heart could sing, Never missed a warm embrace , till, April in Paris, Whom can I run to, What have you done to my heart? "
The version featured here is by Frank Sinatra who gives it a very dramatic and impassioned reading. In fact, he starts with the release or mid section, and the returns to the beginning section, repeats the bridge and ends with " What have you done to my heart ?
In the 1950's Count Basie had a hit up-tempo instrumental version proving that the music itself was noteworthy and when evocative lyrics are added, " April in Paris" stands as an excellent marriage of words and music.
LINK:
http://youtu.be/VkTMiV2_rw0
BONUS:
Singers Unlimited "April in Paris" A voices only track, 4 singers over dubbing as many as 20 separate vocal lines to end up sounding like an orchestra.
LINK: http://youtu.be/GDYkDt2ilIA
Sunday 7 July 2013
HAUNTED HEART- A SCHWARTZ & DIETZ FAVOURITE
Haunted Heart- A Schwartz & Dietz favourite: Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz were a composer and lyricist team whose many songs ended up in the 1953 MGM musical " The Bandwagon " with " That's Entertainment" rivalling " There's No Business Like Show Business" as the flag waving favourite for the entertainment industry. Schwartz started life as a lawyer , then had a fine career as a composer and also became a Hollywood film producer. Howard Dietz a dedicated craftsman with words had a lengthy career as a publicist with MGM Pictures where it was said he wrote lyrics on the back of MGM Stationery.
In 1948, they collaborated on a musical revue called " Inside USA" based on a popular book by John Gunther. Haunted Heart is from that show and is a most tender and evocative love song that laments the fact that the singers haunted heart won't let her be free and that ghost within her has captured her completely. Given the nature of the lyrics , it must be sung with consummate sincerity and conviction or it could risk becoming maudlin.
Jane Monheit, a promising cabaret and jazz singer does treat the song with the tenderness it demands with every word uttered passionately yet controlled. Her performance forces you closer and closer to listen attentively. The response of the audience at the Rainbow Room is evidence of the spellbinding quality of her performance. Certainly the hushed string arrangement only enhances the mood conveyed by the piece itself and Jane Monheit's reverent treatment. The song was once made popular by Perry Como and Jo Stafford but this version is the best I have been able to unearth. This is not a song for the cynical but for those who still maintain a spark of romance in their private moments.. Other songs like " I See Your Face Before Me" and " If There is Someone lovelier Than You" provide further evidence of this writing team's ability to create some of the most deeply romantic songs of the Twentieth Century
LINK: http://youtu.be/oYLI0tfiBpU
'
Link: http://youtu.be/oYLI0tfiBpU
In 1948, they collaborated on a musical revue called " Inside USA" based on a popular book by John Gunther. Haunted Heart is from that show and is a most tender and evocative love song that laments the fact that the singers haunted heart won't let her be free and that ghost within her has captured her completely. Given the nature of the lyrics , it must be sung with consummate sincerity and conviction or it could risk becoming maudlin.
Jane Monheit, a promising cabaret and jazz singer does treat the song with the tenderness it demands with every word uttered passionately yet controlled. Her performance forces you closer and closer to listen attentively. The response of the audience at the Rainbow Room is evidence of the spellbinding quality of her performance. Certainly the hushed string arrangement only enhances the mood conveyed by the piece itself and Jane Monheit's reverent treatment. The song was once made popular by Perry Como and Jo Stafford but this version is the best I have been able to unearth. This is not a song for the cynical but for those who still maintain a spark of romance in their private moments.. Other songs like " I See Your Face Before Me" and " If There is Someone lovelier Than You" provide further evidence of this writing team's ability to create some of the most deeply romantic songs of the Twentieth Century
LINK: http://youtu.be/oYLI0tfiBpU
'
Link: http://youtu.be/oYLI0tfiBpU
THE FOLKS WHO LIVE ON THE HILL- A RODGER'S & HAMMERSTEIN CLASSIC
The Folks Who Live On The Hill- A Rodgers & Hammerstein Classic: Much of the appeal of this song may be based on a universal desire to find that psychological sense of security where we can take refuge from the outside world and feel safe as well as comfortable. The lovely verse talks about how some men having " lofty goals " strive for success and recognition . Hammerstein takes a different point of view where "All I want is just a plot of land and live there with you." The main refrain then begins with a gradual upward ascent before a very short bridge or mid section ending with " And when the kids grow up and leave us " to introduce the final segment that ends with " And we like being called, what we have always been called, the folks who live on the hill." The melody gently supports the domestic sentiments of the lyrics which seem to have the greatest impact on the popularity of the song.
The version featured is one with a sensitive vocal presentation by Peggy Lee and an understated arrangement by Nelson Riddle. A high muted trumpet passage has an eery quality and together with a supportive string section provide a fine backup to the tender but expressive voice of Peggy Lee. Her greatest vocal assets are precise articulation, great interpretive powers and a restraint that brings the meaning of the song into such a clear focus. It is further proof that female singers don't have to bellow at full volume like so many of today's younger performers. Sensitivity is something that singers tend to acquire as their vocal artistry matures.
A Purely Personal Observation: There is a gentle sadness that pervades this performance, not just from Peggy Lee's singing but the orchestral background and the lonely trumpet passages. Could it be that the ideal of a home away from the troubles of the world is something that might not be realized and that influenced both the singer and he arranger ? Just a idle speculation on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
LINK:
http://youtu.be/---Uh2ctBcA
The version featured is one with a sensitive vocal presentation by Peggy Lee and an understated arrangement by Nelson Riddle. A high muted trumpet passage has an eery quality and together with a supportive string section provide a fine backup to the tender but expressive voice of Peggy Lee. Her greatest vocal assets are precise articulation, great interpretive powers and a restraint that brings the meaning of the song into such a clear focus. It is further proof that female singers don't have to bellow at full volume like so many of today's younger performers. Sensitivity is something that singers tend to acquire as their vocal artistry matures.
A Purely Personal Observation: There is a gentle sadness that pervades this performance, not just from Peggy Lee's singing but the orchestral background and the lonely trumpet passages. Could it be that the ideal of a home away from the troubles of the world is something that might not be realized and that influenced both the singer and he arranger ? Just a idle speculation on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
LINK:
http://youtu.be/---Uh2ctBcA
SOME OF MY FAVOURiTE SONGS AND PERFORMANCES
Some of My Favourite Songs and Performances: one of my most perceptive blog followers asked me to name a favourite song or performance. Let me explain my own criteria which his question forced me to think about in greater depth. In some cases, I have been so overwhelmed by a singer's performance that I would select the performance even though the song itself might not be one at the top of my list. An example would be Eydie Gorme singing " I'll Take Romance " from a live television performance on Youtube- Eydie Gorme I'll Take Romance) .Her voice is very clear and emotionally penetrating and near the end she dramatically climbs 4 octaves to end on a shattering high note. I first heard this on a vinyl record in 1958. I have never forgotten how powerful and compelling her singing was. The song is a good one but no where near the top of my list.
Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's " Blues in the Night" with Sinatra singing wistfully is, on one hand a perfect evocation of the classic blues form, one of America's greatest contribution to world music. You Tube- Frank Sinatra " Blues in the Night"(The blues tradition in its myriad of forms is as popular and powerful now as it ever was. Johnny Mercer's lyrics, anchored by the recurring words, " My Momma done told me" her cautionary advice that a woman's a " A worrisome thing, who'll leave you to sing, the Blues in the night." In this performance, the words,music,Sinatra's performance and Nelson Riddle's arrangement combine to create a near perfect work of art and one that could only have arisen from the fertile soil of the classic American popular songbook tradition.
As one who is attracted to complex harmonic construction, " All The Things You Are " is also a favourite of jazz musicians who cherish the lush chords and tricky modulations of Jerome Kern's composition which is sometimes thought of as an art song suitable as a concert piece given it's classical orientation and the rather styilized lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein Jr. I have selceted a jazz performance by Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond showing the improvisational flights of fancy that rich harmonic song construction can provide. You Tube-Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond-All the Things You Are."
Finally ,I would come to a song that has a very deep and personal connection. It's AlecWilder's " I'll Be Around " . It is a good song but may not have the same emotional resonance with a listener who has not vowed that they too will still be around " When he or she is gone !" You Tube-Sarah Connally sings jazz " I'll Be Around " By Alec Wilder?)
These thoughts were written at 3:30 AM as I start to recover from hip replacement surgery and who knows, on another day there would be different songs and reasons offered. It underscores the fact that popular song choices are a highly individual matter. What listeners will offer to explain the reasons for their exuberant shout " I really Love That Song" is one of my long range research goals. It is an area that has been relatively unexplored to date and one in which blog followers can participate. Glad to be back..
Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's " Blues in the Night" with Sinatra singing wistfully is, on one hand a perfect evocation of the classic blues form, one of America's greatest contribution to world music. You Tube- Frank Sinatra " Blues in the Night"(The blues tradition in its myriad of forms is as popular and powerful now as it ever was. Johnny Mercer's lyrics, anchored by the recurring words, " My Momma done told me" her cautionary advice that a woman's a " A worrisome thing, who'll leave you to sing, the Blues in the night." In this performance, the words,music,Sinatra's performance and Nelson Riddle's arrangement combine to create a near perfect work of art and one that could only have arisen from the fertile soil of the classic American popular songbook tradition.
As one who is attracted to complex harmonic construction, " All The Things You Are " is also a favourite of jazz musicians who cherish the lush chords and tricky modulations of Jerome Kern's composition which is sometimes thought of as an art song suitable as a concert piece given it's classical orientation and the rather styilized lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein Jr. I have selceted a jazz performance by Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond showing the improvisational flights of fancy that rich harmonic song construction can provide. You Tube-Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond-All the Things You Are."
Finally ,I would come to a song that has a very deep and personal connection. It's AlecWilder's " I'll Be Around " . It is a good song but may not have the same emotional resonance with a listener who has not vowed that they too will still be around " When he or she is gone !" You Tube-Sarah Connally sings jazz " I'll Be Around " By Alec Wilder?)
These thoughts were written at 3:30 AM as I start to recover from hip replacement surgery and who knows, on another day there would be different songs and reasons offered. It underscores the fact that popular song choices are a highly individual matter. What listeners will offer to explain the reasons for their exuberant shout " I really Love That Song" is one of my long range research goals. It is an area that has been relatively unexplored to date and one in which blog followers can participate. Glad to be back..
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