Fun to be Fooled-Last Song before the Hollywood Transition: " Life Begins at 8:40 " was a successful 1934 Shubert Brothers production with music by Harold Arlen. " Fun To Be Fooled" has been described as a reflective, semi-torch song , one in which the singer indulges in a certain resigned humour at losing in the love game. In the bridge or release Arlen again resorts to 3 sets of octave jumps which always seem to inject a little more dramatic flavour into the song.
I specially like the lyrics in the release that sing, almost tongue in cheek that " It's that old Debbil Moon having his fling once more, Selling me Spring once more, I'm afraid love is king once more !" Near the end, the lyrics repeat that it's " Fun to be fooled, Fun to pretend, This little dream won't end !"
Lee Wiley a sultry, warm-voiced singer is the perfect person to deliver what is a difficult song to capture both the sadness of one who knows that love won't last and the adult acceptance that life sometimes does really suck ( pardon the contemporary vernacular.)
Lee Wiley had a history replete with a great many gentlemen callers, beaux ,boyfriends, lovers like Victor Young ,Bunnie Berrigan and Artie Shaw. Nonetheless her younger brother Ted asked her if she ever regretted any of her life decisions she'd made in her life. She answered that no,, that she wasn't sentimental-that when she broke up with somebody, it didn't faze her. Maybe she really believed that it was fun ( or inevitable) to be fooled in her own life.
LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg8rdXh0eHg
Monday 30 September 2013
Sunday 29 September 2013
JOYOUS SONG-" LET'S TAKE A WALK AROUND THE BLOCK"
Joyous Song-" Let's Take A Walk Around the Block" For the 1934 show " Life Begins at 8:40" Arlen,Ted Koehler and Ira Gershwin wrote what Arlen's biographer , Edward Jablonski described as " A gentle musical-social commentary." In it a young, impoverished couple who " Are flat in old Manhattan" imagine a dream grand tour to London ,Paris, Venice and the Grand Canyon. However, given the lack of funds, they decide to settle for a local tour and decide to just take a walk around the block. Despite the depression and its crushing social and economic woes, this is not like Harburgs" Brother Can You Spare a Dime" After all, audiences wanted to indulge in a brief escapist moment and light entertainment since the reality outside the theatre would be a sobering condition.
I am particularly intrigued by the sly rhyming line when the imaginary trip continues with" "Then Vladivostok... Where Bolsheviks flock."
Since the song and the whole show, including performances by Bert Lahr and Ray Bolger, was to create momentary relief from the depressing depression, who better than Doris Day to illuminate the unalloyed optimism of a young American couple who have faith in a better future. Doris Day, an underrated singer, has a strong vibrant voice and presence and delivers the essence of the Arlen melody ands sprightly Koehler/Gershwin lyrics.
Will Feidwald, in his massive and insightful book " A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers " said that " There's that voice---Doris Day has a sound like bottled sunshine." His pronouncement is eloquent, descriptive and perfect..
'
The arrangement by Frank Devol is quite humorous and quirky also capturing the essence of the song. It might have been done by Nelson Riddle on a busman's holiday or maybe even by the Sauter Finnegan orchestra who pioneered exotic instrumentation and subtle, sophisticated humour for the musically aware.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwLW560x0Dw
I am particularly intrigued by the sly rhyming line when the imaginary trip continues with" "Then Vladivostok... Where Bolsheviks flock."
Since the song and the whole show, including performances by Bert Lahr and Ray Bolger, was to create momentary relief from the depressing depression, who better than Doris Day to illuminate the unalloyed optimism of a young American couple who have faith in a better future. Doris Day, an underrated singer, has a strong vibrant voice and presence and delivers the essence of the Arlen melody ands sprightly Koehler/Gershwin lyrics.
Will Feidwald, in his massive and insightful book " A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers " said that " There's that voice---Doris Day has a sound like bottled sunshine." His pronouncement is eloquent, descriptive and perfect..
'
The arrangement by Frank Devol is quite humorous and quirky also capturing the essence of the song. It might have been done by Nelson Riddle on a busman's holiday or maybe even by the Sauter Finnegan orchestra who pioneered exotic instrumentation and subtle, sophisticated humour for the musically aware.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwLW560x0Dw
Wednesday 25 September 2013
AS LONG AS I LIVE =FINAL COTTON CLUB SONG
As Long As I Live-Final Cotton Club Song: The 1934 Cotton Club Parade, featuring Lena Horne and the Jimmy Lunceford orchestra, was the final Cotton Club edition for which Arlen and Koehler created several memorable songs " As Long as I Live" and " ILL Wind" which was featured in an earlier post. Alec Wilder described " As Long as I Live" as " Not having a dated note in it and a joyous affirmation of a sadly neglected song form." The lyrics are sung directly to the object of the singer's desire and begin in the chorus with " Maybe I can't live to love you as long as I want to, Life isn't long enough baby, But I can love you as long as I live."
The entire song is an unadorned statement of permanent devotion but in a straight forward and slightly humorous positive manner, It is not a " torch ", the term Arlen used to describe torch songs laden with sorrow and almost tragic sentiments. It's a builder-upper ( the title of a later Arlen song we will be featuring.)
This performance is by Maxine Sullivan, a veteran jazz singer from the 1940's and 50's who made an entire record of songs from the Cotton Club. At age 75, She gave a live performance of" As Long as I Live" in 1985 . She appeared with a small combo that positively lifts one's spirits with Sullivan singing in the very energetic and direct style that would have been enjoyed in those earlier Cotton Club shows.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0dpHzlhntA
POSTSCRIPT: I would like to quote Will Freidwald from his 800 page " A Biographical Guide To The Great Jazz and Pop Singers" He describes " Her cool, honey-flavoured contralto with which she trimmed off everything nonessential from a melody, reducing it to its bare minimum by dispensing with anything that remotely suggested exhibitionistic pyrotechnics. She might be considered a key player in the development of the Swingin' Lover style later perfected by Sinatra." Her motto from the beginning was " I had no choice, I had to swing it."
'
The entire song is an unadorned statement of permanent devotion but in a straight forward and slightly humorous positive manner, It is not a " torch ", the term Arlen used to describe torch songs laden with sorrow and almost tragic sentiments. It's a builder-upper ( the title of a later Arlen song we will be featuring.)
This performance is by Maxine Sullivan, a veteran jazz singer from the 1940's and 50's who made an entire record of songs from the Cotton Club. At age 75, She gave a live performance of" As Long as I Live" in 1985 . She appeared with a small combo that positively lifts one's spirits with Sullivan singing in the very energetic and direct style that would have been enjoyed in those earlier Cotton Club shows.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0dpHzlhntA
POSTSCRIPT: I would like to quote Will Freidwald from his 800 page " A Biographical Guide To The Great Jazz and Pop Singers" He describes " Her cool, honey-flavoured contralto with which she trimmed off everything nonessential from a melody, reducing it to its bare minimum by dispensing with anything that remotely suggested exhibitionistic pyrotechnics. She might be considered a key player in the development of the Swingin' Lover style later perfected by Sinatra." Her motto from the beginning was " I had no choice, I had to swing it."
'
Sunday 22 September 2013
LET'S FALL IN LOVE- A MOVIE SONG
Let's Fall in Love-A Movie Song : Arlen and Ted Koehler were invited to write music for a 1933 Hollywood film called Let's Fall in Love. On the train trip out to California, the song took shape and eventually was called the same name as the film.
It features a verse or introductory section that has some clever rhyming by Koehler,
" It's just a mental, sentimental, incidental alibi"
" Why go on stalling, I am falling, love is calling, why be shy?
The song has a natural swinging pulse and is yet another example of Arlen's ability to be casual, funny and up beat. In the version featured, Frank Sinatra is in fine form backed by a very jazzy arrangement by Johnny Mandel. Mandel came out of the big band era and is also a fine composer of songs like The Shadow of Your Smile, Emily, the theme from Mash. Sinatra is more loose and improvisational in his own approach. He starts with the bridge, then goes back to the verse before swinging the chorus. The album is appropriately called Ring A Ding Ding and I would defy anyone not to tap their feet while listening.
Diana Krall. the fine singer/pianist offers a more relaxed but still pulsating version proving that there a number of ways to swing a song.
SINTARA LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=061kkZU8gPY
KRALL LINK. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHXQAs9vlk
It features a verse or introductory section that has some clever rhyming by Koehler,
" It's just a mental, sentimental, incidental alibi"
" Why go on stalling, I am falling, love is calling, why be shy?
The song has a natural swinging pulse and is yet another example of Arlen's ability to be casual, funny and up beat. In the version featured, Frank Sinatra is in fine form backed by a very jazzy arrangement by Johnny Mandel. Mandel came out of the big band era and is also a fine composer of songs like The Shadow of Your Smile, Emily, the theme from Mash. Sinatra is more loose and improvisational in his own approach. He starts with the bridge, then goes back to the verse before swinging the chorus. The album is appropriately called Ring A Ding Ding and I would defy anyone not to tap their feet while listening.
Diana Krall. the fine singer/pianist offers a more relaxed but still pulsating version proving that there a number of ways to swing a song.
SINTARA LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=061kkZU8gPY
KRALL LINK. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHXQAs9vlk
Friday 20 September 2013
I GOTTA RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES- A WOMANS SAD LAMENT
I Gotta Right To Sing the Blues-A Woman's Sad Lament: In the " Earl Carroll's Vanities" of 1932,,Arlen and Ted Koehler created a standard still popular today. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues. The verse or introductory segment states that the singer's heart " Is in Pain" and her song " Couldn't belong to someone feeling gay."
The chorus maintains more details of this sorrowful tale where she feels the right to feel low down, " down around the river." When she sings that the " Deep Blue Sea Will soon be calling me" there is a not-so-veiled threat about drowning herself and that's why she " Has a Right To Sing The Blues."'
In the show there was a beautiful showgirl called Anya Taranda. She had been a successful model and was chosen because Earl Carrol advertised the show as having " The Most Beautiful Girls in the World." Harold was instantly smitten and they became quite close, eventually marrying with marital difficulties later on in their lives.
There are males who have recorded the song but the lyrics clearly were meant for a woman to sing. Jack Teagarden always sang it but with changes in the lyrics.
One vivid performance by a woman is by Eydie Gorme who died just recently at age 84. Her partnership with husband Steve Lawrence was dynamic since both were fine singers and together made wonderful music based on their obvious love for each other.
Gorme has a strong, clear voice with a huge vocal range and her performance is a defiant exposition of the blues unlike other more tragic versions. Nevertheles,she still expresses the pain and uncertainty born of an unhappy love affair.
LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecRzOlCFees
The chorus maintains more details of this sorrowful tale where she feels the right to feel low down, " down around the river." When she sings that the " Deep Blue Sea Will soon be calling me" there is a not-so-veiled threat about drowning herself and that's why she " Has a Right To Sing The Blues."'
In the show there was a beautiful showgirl called Anya Taranda. She had been a successful model and was chosen because Earl Carrol advertised the show as having " The Most Beautiful Girls in the World." Harold was instantly smitten and they became quite close, eventually marrying with marital difficulties later on in their lives.
There are males who have recorded the song but the lyrics clearly were meant for a woman to sing. Jack Teagarden always sang it but with changes in the lyrics.
One vivid performance by a woman is by Eydie Gorme who died just recently at age 84. Her partnership with husband Steve Lawrence was dynamic since both were fine singers and together made wonderful music based on their obvious love for each other.
Gorme has a strong, clear voice with a huge vocal range and her performance is a defiant exposition of the blues unlike other more tragic versions. Nevertheles,she still expresses the pain and uncertainty born of an unhappy love affair.
LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecRzOlCFees
IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON - (WITHOUT YOUR LOVE)
It's only a Paper Moon ( Without Your Love) In 1932, for a not so great show called The Great Magoo, Arlen, E.Y.Harburg and Billy Rose wrote a whimsical song that suggested, among other things, that the moon was only paper, that the sea was only cardboard, that it's a Barnum and Bailey world, just as phony as it can be-nothing in life was real unless as the song goes " It wouldn't be make believe, " If you believed in me."
Again it's another example of how Arlen, with the right collaborators, can create light-hearted and wistful , funny songs as well as his more serious and profound works like
" Last Night When We Were Young ". or " Blues in the Night."
It is a tune much favoured by jazz musicians since it lends itself to a swinging tempo and a rhythmic pulse.
In the early days of the Nat King Cole Trio, Nat Cole demonstrated the jazz friendly nature of the song not only in his singing but in the interplay with members of the trio. In less than 3 minutes, we are treated to a lesson in how an innovative jazz treatment can enhance
a standard American popular song.
Nat Cole Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc5RMYvXOhA
Again it's another example of how Arlen, with the right collaborators, can create light-hearted and wistful , funny songs as well as his more serious and profound works like
" Last Night When We Were Young ". or " Blues in the Night."
It is a tune much favoured by jazz musicians since it lends itself to a swinging tempo and a rhythmic pulse.
In the early days of the Nat King Cole Trio, Nat Cole demonstrated the jazz friendly nature of the song not only in his singing but in the interplay with members of the trio. In less than 3 minutes, we are treated to a lesson in how an innovative jazz treatment can enhance
a standard American popular song.
Nat Cole Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc5RMYvXOhA
ARLEN'S " GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING ( SITTIN" ON A RAINBOW)
Arlen's " Got the World on a String ( sittin' on a Rainbow) Although Arlen is sometimes mistakenly viewed as basically a purveyor of the blues and unhappy love affairs,( Stormy Weather, Ill Wind, Man That Got Away) He wrote quite a number of upbeat, positive songs like Get Happy, Over The Rainbow, Right As The Rain and this song " I've Got The World on a String. Arlen and Koehler wrote this for the Cotton Club Parade of 1932. It starts out with a verse that sings " Merry Month of May, Sunny Skies of Blue, Clouds have rolled Away and The Sun Peeps Through-Happiness" . Do these words not exude a positive view of life?
In the main chorus, Koehler states that "I've Got The World on a String, Sittin' on a Rainbow, Got The String Around My Finger What A World, What A Life. I'm In Love."
The bridge or mid-section boldly states " Life is a Beautiful Thing" and the rest of the song continues in this buoyant fashion with Arlen's supple melody underscoring the energetic lyrics.
The first version is by Ella Fitzgerald who did a 2 CD collection of Arlen songs. She sings the delightful verse which sets up the theme carried through the main chorus and the bridge.
The second version features Frank Sinatra in a swinging arrangement by Nelson Riddle. He does not sing the verse but offers an equally valid forceful treatment in contrast with Ella's more restrained praise of the positive. ( A future post will showcase an Arlen/Johnny Mercer classic titled " Accentuate the Positive", further proof the Arlen was most capable of seeing the sunny side of life.
Fitzgerald Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-OnkUtrjg
Sinatra Link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cPG1t52GgI
In the main chorus, Koehler states that "I've Got The World on a String, Sittin' on a Rainbow, Got The String Around My Finger What A World, What A Life. I'm In Love."
The bridge or mid-section boldly states " Life is a Beautiful Thing" and the rest of the song continues in this buoyant fashion with Arlen's supple melody underscoring the energetic lyrics.
The first version is by Ella Fitzgerald who did a 2 CD collection of Arlen songs. She sings the delightful verse which sets up the theme carried through the main chorus and the bridge.
The second version features Frank Sinatra in a swinging arrangement by Nelson Riddle. He does not sing the verse but offers an equally valid forceful treatment in contrast with Ella's more restrained praise of the positive. ( A future post will showcase an Arlen/Johnny Mercer classic titled " Accentuate the Positive", further proof the Arlen was most capable of seeing the sunny side of life.
Fitzgerald Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-OnkUtrjg
Sinatra Link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cPG1t52GgI
Tuesday 17 September 2013
BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BUE SEA- SWINGING ARLEN NUMBER
Between The Devil and the Deep Blue sea-Swinging Arlen Number: Harold Arlen and his lyricist partners wrote many songs that dealt with mature and sometimes sobering subject matters. " Last Night When e Were Young" is an excellent example as are " Ill Wind" and " Stormy Weather." At the same time, Arlen and Ted Koehler wrote a number of delightful rhythm numbers for the Cotton Club resident bands of Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. In 1931, the Cotton Club presented a new show ," Rhyth-mania" with Arlen and Koehler introducing " Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." It swings right from the first notes and drives relentlessly from beginning to end. The bridge or release introduces a quite different musical approach before a return to the original theme.
The vocal version features Ella Fitzgerald backed by the orchestra arranged by Billy May, a veteran big band arranger .May also did albums with Frank Sinatra featuring imaginative and up beat numbers. Ella swings effortlessly with her usual natural articulation and phrasing with every word clearly stated.
The instrumental version features Duke Ellington in a brief 2 minute explosion of unrelenting rhythm that would have probably backed the barely clad dancers in the Cotton Club's famous chorus line. This is jazz free of inhibition and echoes Arlens' own early experiences as a teen age pianist, singer and arranger with hot jazz bands in Buffalo before he left for New York.
Fitzgerald Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNJ-teaAIHA
Ellington Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKb5k3g71YU
Note: More Cotton Club numbers will be next
The vocal version features Ella Fitzgerald backed by the orchestra arranged by Billy May, a veteran big band arranger .May also did albums with Frank Sinatra featuring imaginative and up beat numbers. Ella swings effortlessly with her usual natural articulation and phrasing with every word clearly stated.
The instrumental version features Duke Ellington in a brief 2 minute explosion of unrelenting rhythm that would have probably backed the barely clad dancers in the Cotton Club's famous chorus line. This is jazz free of inhibition and echoes Arlens' own early experiences as a teen age pianist, singer and arranger with hot jazz bands in Buffalo before he left for New York.
Fitzgerald Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNJ-teaAIHA
Ellington Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKb5k3g71YU
Note: More Cotton Club numbers will be next
Monday 16 September 2013
LAST NIGHT WHEN WE WERE YOUNG- PROFOUND MUSIC AND WORDS
Last Night When We Were Young-Profound Music and Words: Earlier in New York, Arlen met .E.Y. Harburg, a lyric writer with a strong social conscience. In 1935, they wrote " Last Night When We Were Young" for the motion picture " Metropolitan" . It was to be sung by Lawrence Tibbett, an opera star but only was used as instrumental background in the film. Alec Wilder, the perceptive popular song scholar declared that " This is a most remarkable and beautiful song. It is one which goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music. It hasn't any artiness about or pretense. It is written with such intensity ....it's obviously deeply felt, both by the composer and the lyric writer." Arlen said that it started with just an initial short phrase then further developed into the finished creation. The initial line was " Last Night When We Were Young" which Harburg felt captured " The whole pathos of the human situation . Harburg ended the song poetically with the sorrowful words " The Arms That Clung --Last Night- When We Were Young."
It has been reported that Arlen regarded this as his finest creation. Certainly it is in keeping with his own self-described melancholia that can be detected in a number of his most significant works. Young Judy Garland ( Francis Gumm at the time) upon hearing Lawrence Tibbett's recording was overcome admitted it was her most cherished song. For Garland, Arlen would subsequently provide " Over The Rainbow" and " The Man That Got Away" as showpieces for two of Garland's most iconic film performances.
Please listen to two versions of the song. The first with Frank Sinatra , the second by Judy Garland.
Both singers approach the song with restraint demonstrating the deeply felt emotional commitment of Arlen and Harburg. I remember hearing the Sinatra version on my tiny radio more than 50 years ago.( on radio station CHML where Gordie Tapp, of HEE HAWfame played only the best of the Great American Songbook. I still have vivid recollections upon hearing the song as it washed over me not that I would have grasped the fundamental import of the lyrics. When both song writers and performers are in complete understanding of what will transform a musical creation, then we are lucky to have moments like these.
NOTE: Sam Arlen, Harold's son and heir, did like this post and confirmed that this song was his Father's favourite. It has been describes as an Art Song in 32 bars
Sinatra Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUMiCmYWao
Garland Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1XjfYLKV4
SINATRA LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUMiCmYWao
GARLAND LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1XjfYLKV4
It has been reported that Arlen regarded this as his finest creation. Certainly it is in keeping with his own self-described melancholia that can be detected in a number of his most significant works. Young Judy Garland ( Francis Gumm at the time) upon hearing Lawrence Tibbett's recording was overcome admitted it was her most cherished song. For Garland, Arlen would subsequently provide " Over The Rainbow" and " The Man That Got Away" as showpieces for two of Garland's most iconic film performances.
Please listen to two versions of the song. The first with Frank Sinatra , the second by Judy Garland.
Both singers approach the song with restraint demonstrating the deeply felt emotional commitment of Arlen and Harburg. I remember hearing the Sinatra version on my tiny radio more than 50 years ago.( on radio station CHML where Gordie Tapp, of HEE HAWfame played only the best of the Great American Songbook. I still have vivid recollections upon hearing the song as it washed over me not that I would have grasped the fundamental import of the lyrics. When both song writers and performers are in complete understanding of what will transform a musical creation, then we are lucky to have moments like these.
NOTE: Sam Arlen, Harold's son and heir, did like this post and confirmed that this song was his Father's favourite. It has been describes as an Art Song in 32 bars
Sinatra Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUMiCmYWao
Garland Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1XjfYLKV4
SINATRA LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUMiCmYWao
GARLAND LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1XjfYLKV4
Saturday 14 September 2013
STORMY WEATHER -A COTTON CLUB FAVORITE
Stormy Weather-A Cotton Club Favorite: Black entertainers were the essential attraction at Harlem's Cotton Club. Both Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway played their own compositions and backed singers and dancers is a fast paced, tightly choreographed format. Ethel Waters, a leading performer had been in Chicago working on Al Capone's nightclub circuit. She wanted to get out of Chicago and, in her own words " Went back to New York glad to be alive." Arlen played his latest song for Waters. She was so impressed that she agreed to sing "Stormy Weather" . Waters said that " I was singing the story of my misery and confusion, of the misunderstandings in my life I couldn't straighten out, the story of wrongs and outrages done to me by people I had loved and trusted." Those feelings were poured into her singing and demeanour. On opening night, the audience made her sing 12 encores.
That song singlehandedly resurrected Water's career and led her to Hollywood as well as dramatic acting roles, notably in " Member of the Wedding " co-starring with Julie Harris on Broadway and later on film.
Later on, Lena Horne became equally identified with the song although she did not display the same degree of anguish that was so present in Ethel Waters performances.
The video you will see offers both Waters and Horne singing the title song . Each singer brought their unique style to the song with Waters more poignant lament contrasted with Horne's more straightforward ballad approach. The song is still popular today even though it has an unusual structure of 36 rather than the conventional 32 bar A-A-B-A format used in most popular songs. When asked about the different length of the piece , Arlen said that it was not planned that way. " I didn't count the measures till it was over. That was all I had to say and the way I had to say it." When George Gershwin mentioned the structure and indicated that Arlen hadn't repeated a phrase in the first eight bars, Arlen replied " I never gave it a thought." That statement alone provides a clue to Arlen's unorthodox approach to song writing. He relied on an unconscious muse that his friend Robert Wachsman described Arlen as " A feeler, not a thinker "when he was composing. He would admittedly become totally immersed, even lost, in the moment of creation.
'
lINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97T_lLDONoA
That song singlehandedly resurrected Water's career and led her to Hollywood as well as dramatic acting roles, notably in " Member of the Wedding " co-starring with Julie Harris on Broadway and later on film.
Later on, Lena Horne became equally identified with the song although she did not display the same degree of anguish that was so present in Ethel Waters performances.
The video you will see offers both Waters and Horne singing the title song . Each singer brought their unique style to the song with Waters more poignant lament contrasted with Horne's more straightforward ballad approach. The song is still popular today even though it has an unusual structure of 36 rather than the conventional 32 bar A-A-B-A format used in most popular songs. When asked about the different length of the piece , Arlen said that it was not planned that way. " I didn't count the measures till it was over. That was all I had to say and the way I had to say it." When George Gershwin mentioned the structure and indicated that Arlen hadn't repeated a phrase in the first eight bars, Arlen replied " I never gave it a thought." That statement alone provides a clue to Arlen's unorthodox approach to song writing. He relied on an unconscious muse that his friend Robert Wachsman described Arlen as " A feeler, not a thinker "when he was composing. He would admittedly become totally immersed, even lost, in the moment of creation.
'
lINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97T_lLDONoA
ARLEN CONQUERS THE COTTON CLUB
Arlen conquers the Cotton Club: By 1930, the Depression in America was in full sway. Unemployment doubled in one year with 4 million Americans looking for work. Prohibition did offer employment opportunities in the form of the profitable but illegal distribution of alcohol products to speakeasies, hotels, clubs and bars in New York city. Distribution was controlled by strong, ruthless gangsters like Owney Madden who also owned the Cotton Club in Harlem. The Cotton Club featured all black performers that were admired by a largely white audience . Over a four year period, Arlen and Koehler created at least two shows a year that often dealt with more risqué subjects like drug use and sexual subjects that often reflected the realities of life during the Depression era.
A 1984 film , The Cotton Club was a crime drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was a stylish depiction of racial discrimination where blacks could perform but were not welcome in the audience, wonderful singing and dancing scenes and the influence of gangster control of both liquor distribution and night club entertainment.
One Cotton Club number , filmed by Coppola was Ill Wind. It is a sensual and dramatic Arlen/Koehler song sung by Lonette McKee and it also shows some of the more sordid aspects of the speakeasy era . It provides insight into the actual environment in which the two songwriters worked for several turbulent but successful years.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9nOjTbdPKQ
NOTE: The next few posts will showcase more songs and performers of Arlen &/Koehler's memorable Cotton Club songs.
A 1984 film , The Cotton Club was a crime drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was a stylish depiction of racial discrimination where blacks could perform but were not welcome in the audience, wonderful singing and dancing scenes and the influence of gangster control of both liquor distribution and night club entertainment.
One Cotton Club number , filmed by Coppola was Ill Wind. It is a sensual and dramatic Arlen/Koehler song sung by Lonette McKee and it also shows some of the more sordid aspects of the speakeasy era . It provides insight into the actual environment in which the two songwriters worked for several turbulent but successful years.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9nOjTbdPKQ
NOTE: The next few posts will showcase more songs and performers of Arlen &/Koehler's memorable Cotton Club songs.
Friday 13 September 2013
ARLEN' FIRST HIT-JUST BY ACCIDENT
Arlen's First Hit-Just by Accident: In New York, Arlen was pursuing a career as a singer . He hated the indignity and impersonal nature of the audition process. However, Vincent Youmans, an established Broadway song writer ( Tea for Two, More Than You Know, Without a Song, Hallelujah!, Time on my Hands) wanted to produce his own show and hired Arlen for the role of Cokey Joe, a singer-pianist in a production called Great Day. Unfortunately, Youmans talent as a composer did not translate into success as a producer and the title Great Day, did not describe what became an expensive failure.
However, while still acting as a rehearsal pianist he would play a few notes that would cue the dancers to get ready to rehearse. It was just a few notes of his own creation. Fortunately, an established song writer , Harry Warren, felt that that there was a potential for a song in what Harold had been playing and told Harold " To write it up" and put Arlen in touch with lyricist Ted Koehler. The result, Arlen/Koehlers first commercial success " Get Happy." When Ruth Etting ( whose life was depicted in the Hollywood musical Love Me or Leave me with Doris Day playing Etting) introduced the song in a Broadway musical revue, it became a major success. The song had elements of a Negro spiritual with references to " judgement day" " troubles" " The Lord" and " sins" and " sinners." The success as a composer let Arlen abandon a career as a performer and concentrate completely on creating memorable songs first with Ted Koehler and subsequently with E.Y. Harburg, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin and Leo Robin.
Since Arlen enjoyed a long history of creating songs well suited for a number of major black entertainers like Lena Horne and Ethel Waters, who better than Ella Fitzgerald to sing Get Happy ?
The verse or introduction starts with Hallelujah, Hallelujah as a spiritual call to arms and when the main chorus begins, the singer exhorts the listener to " Forget Your Troubles and Just Get Happy."
The song is so infectious, that it does help to lift anyone's spirits.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwoPlRR9J_k
NOTE: The next several posts will reveal how Arlen and Koehler became a major presence at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem
However, while still acting as a rehearsal pianist he would play a few notes that would cue the dancers to get ready to rehearse. It was just a few notes of his own creation. Fortunately, an established song writer , Harry Warren, felt that that there was a potential for a song in what Harold had been playing and told Harold " To write it up" and put Arlen in touch with lyricist Ted Koehler. The result, Arlen/Koehlers first commercial success " Get Happy." When Ruth Etting ( whose life was depicted in the Hollywood musical Love Me or Leave me with Doris Day playing Etting) introduced the song in a Broadway musical revue, it became a major success. The song had elements of a Negro spiritual with references to " judgement day" " troubles" " The Lord" and " sins" and " sinners." The success as a composer let Arlen abandon a career as a performer and concentrate completely on creating memorable songs first with Ted Koehler and subsequently with E.Y. Harburg, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin and Leo Robin.
Since Arlen enjoyed a long history of creating songs well suited for a number of major black entertainers like Lena Horne and Ethel Waters, who better than Ella Fitzgerald to sing Get Happy ?
The verse or introduction starts with Hallelujah, Hallelujah as a spiritual call to arms and when the main chorus begins, the singer exhorts the listener to " Forget Your Troubles and Just Get Happy."
The song is so infectious, that it does help to lift anyone's spirits.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwoPlRR9J_k
NOTE: The next several posts will reveal how Arlen and Koehler became a major presence at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem
Thursday 12 September 2013
HAROLD ARLEN: IT ALL BEGAN IN BUFFALO
It all began in Buffalo: Born on February 15,1905, Hyman Arluck was the son of Celia and Samuel Arluck. Harold was blessed right from the beginning since he father was a noted cantor. In the Jewish synagogue ceremony, the cantor often sings unaccompanied and relies on a great deal of improvised singing. What better introduction to the idea that one could make up one's own music on the spot. His father had young Hyman sing during services but, from an early age, he was drawn to jazz and blues music.He was so attracted to the new and exciting popular music forms that he quit school in his mid-teens and formed a touring band known as the Buffalodians. He changed his name to Arlen and became Harold rather than Hyman which, in Hebrew, means " life."
Arlen was busy writing arrangements, creating new pieces and playing the piano. His singing was highly regarded and combined elements of Jewish as well as black influenced musical
styles. Later on, his writing style was ideally suited to performances by major black American performers like Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne and Cab Calloway. It seems that the mournful nature of the synagogue was quite similar to the blues and jazz influences of Afro American musicians that Arlen listened to in his teens and early twenties.
Listen to a 1928 recording of the Buffalodians in which Arlen sings an up tempo number written by Irving Berlin. Later on the blog post, it will be interesting to trace the development of Arlen's writing as it becomes more complex and advanced, a far cry from the jazzy, but strict, metronomic rhythmic accompaniment. Both the music and the accompanying images seem so natural a depiction of the Roaring Twenties-- bootleg booze, flappers and gangsters and a world that seemed not to have a care in the world.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OsEv6GQbEA
You can hear Arlen singing in his light, high voice which led him to believe he could follow a career as a solo act on the Vaudeville circuit.
In the following blog, we will see how he followed a singing career and the accidental way in which his first hit song came about.
Arlen was busy writing arrangements, creating new pieces and playing the piano. His singing was highly regarded and combined elements of Jewish as well as black influenced musical
styles. Later on, his writing style was ideally suited to performances by major black American performers like Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne and Cab Calloway. It seems that the mournful nature of the synagogue was quite similar to the blues and jazz influences of Afro American musicians that Arlen listened to in his teens and early twenties.
Listen to a 1928 recording of the Buffalodians in which Arlen sings an up tempo number written by Irving Berlin. Later on the blog post, it will be interesting to trace the development of Arlen's writing as it becomes more complex and advanced, a far cry from the jazzy, but strict, metronomic rhythmic accompaniment. Both the music and the accompanying images seem so natural a depiction of the Roaring Twenties-- bootleg booze, flappers and gangsters and a world that seemed not to have a care in the world.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OsEv6GQbEA
You can hear Arlen singing in his light, high voice which led him to believe he could follow a career as a solo act on the Vaudeville circuit.
In the following blog, we will see how he followed a singing career and the accidental way in which his first hit song came about.
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Harold Arlen-The American " Natural"
Harold Arlen-The American " Natural" The Great American Songbook or Classic American Popular Song, was the collective creation of a number of American innovative song writers who breathed new life into American popular song traditions which had been immersed in European musical traditions. Alec Wilder contributed a landmark study in his 1973 book, American Popular Song The Great Innovators 1900-1950 . In the Introducution, Editor James T. Maher wrote that" probably just before the turn of the century, the American popular song took on and consolidated , certain native characteristics-verbal,melodic,harmonic and rhythmic-that distinguished it from the popular song of other countries." He went on to add that " These songs were American: unlike earlier songs published in America they were native not only in provenance but in their musical character. Their vigor,novelty and musical daring removed them light years from European precedent even though in Jerome Kern's song, one may sense certain vague resonances of contemporary London theater music."
Given the emergence of a distinctly American musical style, Wilder stated that there were a number of innovative creators of the new musical form and, at the top of his list, were Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin,George Gershwin,Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter and Harold Arlen. There were other notable composer and lyricists who contributed great songs to the " Songbook" but these six men had the most significant careers in terms of both quality as well as significant output.
Of all of these innovators, Harold Arlen is the sole subject of this blog and is referred to in the title as the American " Natural." Why natural ? Wilder believed that " Even in his later, more ambitious melodies, he never drew upon or was influenced by European music of any kind. He is wholly a product of American jazz, Big Band music and American popular song. In a New Yorker article, John Lahr ( the son of Bert Lahr. the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz) wrote that "Unlike the music of most of his contemporaries, Arlen's harmonic flair and his melodic opulence were not influenced by Europe; instead , they grew out of the liberating principles of American jazz."
Listen to the comments of his fellow innovative song writers.:
Irving Berlin: " He wasn't as well known as some of us and, in a nutshell , no one has written better songs than him":
Jerome Kern: " His songs are almost, without exception, genuine musical creations and not just experiments in limitation."
Richard Rodgers: " I realized he was the greatest new talent in years. He has a real valid talent and it's completely original."
Cole Porter: " A distinguished personality in music and I have admired him for years."
George Gershwin : " He is the most original of us all."
Ira Gershwin: " As one of the most individual of American show composers, he is distinctive in melodic line and unusual construction."
Johnny Mercer: " He is probably our most original composer"
These are the genuine words of praise for Harold Arlen by the song writers Wilder identified as the most innovative composers writing in the tradition of classic American popular song. What they uniformly express is the distinctive individuality and originality that are the hallmarks of Arlen's writing.
We will follow Arlen's life and creative development in chronological fashion from his teenage years in the 1920's till his death in 1986. It is a life and career well worth remembering.
Max Weissengruber
Given the emergence of a distinctly American musical style, Wilder stated that there were a number of innovative creators of the new musical form and, at the top of his list, were Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin,George Gershwin,Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter and Harold Arlen. There were other notable composer and lyricists who contributed great songs to the " Songbook" but these six men had the most significant careers in terms of both quality as well as significant output.
Of all of these innovators, Harold Arlen is the sole subject of this blog and is referred to in the title as the American " Natural." Why natural ? Wilder believed that " Even in his later, more ambitious melodies, he never drew upon or was influenced by European music of any kind. He is wholly a product of American jazz, Big Band music and American popular song. In a New Yorker article, John Lahr ( the son of Bert Lahr. the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz) wrote that "Unlike the music of most of his contemporaries, Arlen's harmonic flair and his melodic opulence were not influenced by Europe; instead , they grew out of the liberating principles of American jazz."
Listen to the comments of his fellow innovative song writers.:
Irving Berlin: " He wasn't as well known as some of us and, in a nutshell , no one has written better songs than him":
Jerome Kern: " His songs are almost, without exception, genuine musical creations and not just experiments in limitation."
Richard Rodgers: " I realized he was the greatest new talent in years. He has a real valid talent and it's completely original."
Cole Porter: " A distinguished personality in music and I have admired him for years."
George Gershwin : " He is the most original of us all."
Ira Gershwin: " As one of the most individual of American show composers, he is distinctive in melodic line and unusual construction."
Johnny Mercer: " He is probably our most original composer"
These are the genuine words of praise for Harold Arlen by the song writers Wilder identified as the most innovative composers writing in the tradition of classic American popular song. What they uniformly express is the distinctive individuality and originality that are the hallmarks of Arlen's writing.
We will follow Arlen's life and creative development in chronological fashion from his teenage years in the 1920's till his death in 1986. It is a life and career well worth remembering.
Max Weissengruber
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