Another fun cover of a classic old song that I found this year is Bjork's version of Dean Martin's Sway. The music and her voice are old-movie-star-glamorous, and that she's not singing in English is irrelevant. After all, you know the words already ... "Other dancers may pee on the floor/dear, but my eyes will see only you"
I am embarrassed to admit that I did not know until this summer that Swing Out Sister's version of Am I the Same Girl was not the original. I have one of the blogs in my links (I wish I could remember which one) to thank for cluing me in to Miss Dusty's being the original.
From the movie High Society, the duet "Well, Did You Evah" between Frank and Bing was probably my favorite discovery of the year. I've listened to it over and over and over and enjoy it every time. Karen - Miss Sparkleneely? - I think if you don't already love it wholeheartedly, then you certainly will.
Autumn
Paul, the gentleman who runs Ain't Superstitous, But These Things I've Seen, put together a summer mix that included a song by Bobby Darin I'd never heard called Lovin' You and I was a goner. My player says I've played it only 298 times, but that can't be right. Also, it doesn't include how many times I played it in the car.
At Fong Songs I found a Dixieland cover of a Bond theme - Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen - From Russia With Love and it was love at first listen. That one got a minimum of 337 plays, evidently.
And as long as I'm talking about music blogs I love, I might as well throw this out now: Locust St. This is the best, most eloquently, most thoughtfully, most knowledgably written music blog out there. The music posted is eclectic and spans the last century or more. Lately, there's been a series of very early (starting in 1900!) 20th century music; ragtimes, cakewalks, country, jazz, etc. I am in love with the blog in general and the series in particular. If you read Shorpy, this would be the musical equivalent. Shorpy + Locust St. = All Eyes And Ears - 100 years. Anyway, here are the three most beloved tunes I got from Locust St.
Duke Ellington - Three Suites: Overture
Nora Bayes - You Can't Get Away From It (1914)
Scott Joplin & Arthur Marshall - Swipesy Cakewalk (1900)
And finally, I think I'll wrap this up with one new, excellent Christmas song: from "What a Night," Harry Connick, Jr.'s Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies.
The first photo was taken in August on a beautiful summer day in Marietta, Ohio, the second and third in Columbus.
Thanks for coming by and reading and commenting this year, everyone. It's awfully nice of you.
Posts
6 comments:
Hi Dane, I love this rundown of your favorite tunes of the year, regardless of how long they've been around- what a wonderful idea. You are always an inspiration.
That Crosby/Sinatra duet is one of my favorite things ever, but you also have lots here I've never heard so thank you very much.
I hope you have fun on New Year's Eve and that 2009 is your best year yet!
Hi Greer! Thank you for the kind words - I always assume my posts like this are considered pretty lame. :)
I hope your New Year's Eve is a great time and that your whole New Year is the best, too!
I DO love it! You can't go wrong with The Two Greats singing Cole Porter. (And the line, "Don't dig that kind of croonin', chum" is such a fabulous in joke...) And the movie is just divine. Thank you so much for the mp3 -- I just have a scratchy record!
there's also the instrumental of "Am I the Same Girl" called Soulful Strut by Young Holt Unlimited -- it is AWESOME, as is Barbara Acklin's version -- I didn't even know Miss Dusty did it!!!
Your blog is the best. I love it and you!!! xoxo
I'm so glad you saw this one - every time I hear that song I think of you and know you'd love it too. And I do love that in joke. :)
I do enjoy some Soulful Strut, too. :)
I love you to pieces, too!
337 plays? Gosh, My most played song was 8, but something like 3600 songs were played at least once.
Happy New Year!
Only 8? :) I can really run a song into the ground when I like it enough.
Happy New Year, Joe!
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