" I WONDER WHAT BECAME OF ME" -ART SONG FROM " ST.LOUIS WOMAN"

" I Wonder What Became of Me"-Art Song From " ST. Louis Woman"

In addition to " I Had Myself A True Love" there was another " art" song" written for St. Louis Woman, Lila's sad lament entitled " I Wonder What Became Of Me." Lila sang this number as she was taken away by police after shooting and killing Biglow Brown.
 Such songs can be described as another form of anaria, songs that require a trained voice and like concert songs, sung formally on stage as part of a recital. Despite the beauty of the song, it was cut from the original production because it sounded similar to " I Had Myself a True Love"  and who have also added more story complexity to an already cluttered libretto.

The song has continued to enjoy performances by a number of female singers including Audra McDonald who performed " I Had Myself A True Love" on an earlier post on this Arlen blog.
In contrast to McDonald's, formal concert style presentation, this version is by the sultry voiced jazz singer Chris Connor. It was recorded in a studio with large orchestral backing as opposed to just a piano accompaniment. Nonetheless, Connor conveys the inherent sadness and reflective tone of Mercer's lyrics. This presentation i further proof that a good song ( versus a " hit" song) is capable of providing a variety of performances, all of which must do appropriate justice to the music and lyrics.

Connor Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_UsZyjMUEk