Great Singing & Dancing to Cole Porter's " From This Moment On."
KISS ME KATE was Cole Porter's greatest Broadway musical and was transferred into a wonderful MGM film. The story is loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew. In this number, Ann Miller playing the hard-to-handle Bianca is pursued by 3 men, including Bob Fosse, the future choreographer/director ( he's wearing the yellow hat.)
Listen also to the wonderful arrangement by Conrad Salinger, the king of arrangers for musical films whose strings literally swing the dancers into frenzied dance routines.
This number will keep your own toes and fingers happily tapping in time.
https://youtu.be/YTBrVuEvZbg
Saturday 19 December 2015
Wednesday 16 December 2015
SINATRA SINGS ARLEN'S PURE MELODY " MY SHINING HOUR"
Sinatra sings Arlen's pure melody " My Shining Hour."
Harold Arlen is justly renowned as the most blues and jazz influenced of the major creators of The Great American Songbook. But he was also capable of writing a pure, singing melody without the need for clever harmonic support.
As proof of his versatility to plumb the depths of both the ethereal and the down to earth lament, Arlen wrote two songs for the 1942 film, The Sky's The Limit." Starring Fred Astaire and Joan Leslie, My Shining Hour was first sung by Leslie in a nightclub and later as a burgeoning romantic duet as he walks the lady home.
However, as the wartime romance flounders, Astaire gets drunk, smashes the mirror in a bar and leaves in a sad and lonely state. Sinatra has an iconic rendition of One For My Baby as he pours out his troubles to Joe, the silent bartender.
As a contrast, his version of the tender ballad My Shining Hour showcases Frank Sinatra's uncanny ability to put him in the character portrayed in the song . You can hear his desire and hope with the lyric stating " In my dreams, your face will flower, Through the darkness of the night" thus making that moment his own Shining Hour, a sentiment especially poignant during WW2.
https://youtu.be/BEr6Kvi4wZs
Harold Arlen is justly renowned as the most blues and jazz influenced of the major creators of The Great American Songbook. But he was also capable of writing a pure, singing melody without the need for clever harmonic support.
As proof of his versatility to plumb the depths of both the ethereal and the down to earth lament, Arlen wrote two songs for the 1942 film, The Sky's The Limit." Starring Fred Astaire and Joan Leslie, My Shining Hour was first sung by Leslie in a nightclub and later as a burgeoning romantic duet as he walks the lady home.
However, as the wartime romance flounders, Astaire gets drunk, smashes the mirror in a bar and leaves in a sad and lonely state. Sinatra has an iconic rendition of One For My Baby as he pours out his troubles to Joe, the silent bartender.
As a contrast, his version of the tender ballad My Shining Hour showcases Frank Sinatra's uncanny ability to put him in the character portrayed in the song . You can hear his desire and hope with the lyric stating " In my dreams, your face will flower, Through the darkness of the night" thus making that moment his own Shining Hour, a sentiment especially poignant during WW2.
https://youtu.be/BEr6Kvi4wZs
Saturday 12 December 2015
SINATRA ADVISES THE LOVELORN WITH " I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU SO"
Sinatra advises the lovelorn with " I could have told you so."
FraNk Sinatra's tempestuous romantic adventures have been well documents and a number of his saloon or torch songs have been among his most remarkable recorded and live performances. Angel Eyes and One For My Baby are two outstanding examples of hte lament for love gone wrong.
In this song, Frank plays the role of romantic advisor who tells the male listener that " She'd love you awhile and desert you ." Both in the song and in his life, Frank speaks and sings with hard won experience in affairs of the heart.
The melody is by Jimmy Van Heusen, a favourite Sinatra composer and personal friend. The advice to the lovelorn lyrics are by Carl Sigman.
For those males who have been led astray by a woman, this song may have mournful resonance . Women, on the other hand, may conclude, from their own experiences, that the dude deserved it. C'est La Vie !
https://youtu.be/ppfVAOzKJxs
FraNk Sinatra's tempestuous romantic adventures have been well documents and a number of his saloon or torch songs have been among his most remarkable recorded and live performances. Angel Eyes and One For My Baby are two outstanding examples of hte lament for love gone wrong.
In this song, Frank plays the role of romantic advisor who tells the male listener that " She'd love you awhile and desert you ." Both in the song and in his life, Frank speaks and sings with hard won experience in affairs of the heart.
The melody is by Jimmy Van Heusen, a favourite Sinatra composer and personal friend. The advice to the lovelorn lyrics are by Carl Sigman.
For those males who have been led astray by a woman, this song may have mournful resonance . Women, on the other hand, may conclude, from their own experiences, that the dude deserved it. C'est La Vie !
https://youtu.be/ppfVAOzKJxs
CY WALTER -POPULAR NY SONG MAGICIAN HONOURED WITH A 100 YEAR CENTENNIAL CELBRATION
Cy Walter-Popular NY song magician honoured with a 100 year Centennial Celebration.
The most Senior Songbook devotees may remember Cy Walter, a most gifted pianist and composer who reigned supreme in the NY music scene from the 1930'sthru the 1960's. He played in the most elegant clubs and cabaret and finished his caree playing 6 nights a week at the Drake Hotel. His popular radio show, Piano Playhouse, had a very wide audience including US overseas military bases.. He specialized in show tunes, even the most obscure and Frank Sinatra and others would drop in to learn of any songs that they could add to their repertoire.
This past September, The Cy Walter Foundation, headed by son Mark Walter, hosted a Centennial Celebration of the compositions and elaborate arrangements of Cy Walter.
If yiou want to see and hear what it was like in New York during the flowering of classical American popular song, click on the link below and enjoy gifted singers. pianists and a talented orchestra bring the Walter musical legacy to artistic fruition.
https://youtu.be/Nxxzj7273E8
The most Senior Songbook devotees may remember Cy Walter, a most gifted pianist and composer who reigned supreme in the NY music scene from the 1930'sthru the 1960's. He played in the most elegant clubs and cabaret and finished his caree playing 6 nights a week at the Drake Hotel. His popular radio show, Piano Playhouse, had a very wide audience including US overseas military bases.. He specialized in show tunes, even the most obscure and Frank Sinatra and others would drop in to learn of any songs that they could add to their repertoire.
This past September, The Cy Walter Foundation, headed by son Mark Walter, hosted a Centennial Celebration of the compositions and elaborate arrangements of Cy Walter.
If yiou want to see and hear what it was like in New York during the flowering of classical American popular song, click on the link below and enjoy gifted singers. pianists and a talented orchestra bring the Walter musical legacy to artistic fruition.
https://youtu.be/Nxxzj7273E8
Friday 11 December 2015
ANGEL EYES-SINATRA'S DEFINITIVE SALOON SONG
Angel Eyes-Sinatra's Definitive saloon song
In his live performances, Frank Sinatra would often mention this song as the grand daddy of saloon songs, the time when disappointed lovers pour their woes into much alcohol. One for my Baby is is a similar heart-wrenching ballad where the bartender must listen to a sad story.
From a legendary Capitol recording of lament in song , the whole album was enhanced by sensitive Nelson Riddle arrangements with compelling singing and acting from Sinatra.
Frank Sinatra's own romantic life was quite tempestuous affording him the experience he so compellingly brought to these emotionally draining songs.
He actually starts with the bridge or middle section declaiming " Drink Up. All of you people, Order anything you may." It certainly sets the tone and atmosphere for the entire song.
https://youtu.be/o0HoodY9pXg
In his live performances, Frank Sinatra would often mention this song as the grand daddy of saloon songs, the time when disappointed lovers pour their woes into much alcohol. One for my Baby is is a similar heart-wrenching ballad where the bartender must listen to a sad story.
From a legendary Capitol recording of lament in song , the whole album was enhanced by sensitive Nelson Riddle arrangements with compelling singing and acting from Sinatra.
Frank Sinatra's own romantic life was quite tempestuous affording him the experience he so compellingly brought to these emotionally draining songs.
He actually starts with the bridge or middle section declaiming " Drink Up. All of you people, Order anything you may." It certainly sets the tone and atmosphere for the entire song.
https://youtu.be/o0HoodY9pXg
Thursday 10 December 2015
HOAGY CARMICHAEL'S MEMPHIS IN JUNE-A TRIBUTE TO A SOUTHERN WAY OF LIFE
Hoagy Carmichael's Memphis In June- A Tribute To A Southern Way Of Life
Memphis In June is a tender tribute to a now forgotten genteel Southern way of life where " Ladies are a siitin' and rockin'. watching the neighbours go by " or Cousin Amanda's baking a blueberry pie." The words are by Mitchell Parish and the composition is by that old country gentleman. Hoagy Carmichael. These artists also collaborated on Stardust and Stars Fell on Alabama, similar pieces of genuine,small town nostagia.
Both the composer and lyricist are traditional American males of a certain vintage but here, their song is sung by Annie Lennox, a noted Scottish pop singer. She makes you believe she knows and can sing about what happens in Memphis in the month of June, some time ago. Such is the power of the universal appeal of honest sentiment.
https://youtu.be/Op8pPrZ12cE
Memphis In June is a tender tribute to a now forgotten genteel Southern way of life where " Ladies are a siitin' and rockin'. watching the neighbours go by " or Cousin Amanda's baking a blueberry pie." The words are by Mitchell Parish and the composition is by that old country gentleman. Hoagy Carmichael. These artists also collaborated on Stardust and Stars Fell on Alabama, similar pieces of genuine,small town nostagia.
Both the composer and lyricist are traditional American males of a certain vintage but here, their song is sung by Annie Lennox, a noted Scottish pop singer. She makes you believe she knows and can sing about what happens in Memphis in the month of June, some time ago. Such is the power of the universal appeal of honest sentiment.
https://youtu.be/Op8pPrZ12cE
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