Featuring one song, written in the 1930s by J. Fred Coots, lyrics by Haven Gillespie.
You Go To My Head has been recorded by artists as diverse as Lena Horne, Rod Stewart, Petula Clark, Rosemary Clooney and Smokey Robinson.
Presented here are five traditional versions by five superstars of their day. Which one is your favourite?
Sax Baby Sax!
The magical Miss Sarah Vaughan and the Count Basie Orchestra
The Chairman of the Board recorded when he was still the mail boy
The incomparable Miss Ella Fitzgerald
Final version from Miss Billie Holliday
omg Fay you know it escaped me that it was Valentine's (don't worry for Mrs. Lewy; we celebrated early this year).
ReplyDeleteIn no particular order:
Sinatra's voice is awesome. Everyone knows it. Even Sinatra. Especially Sinatra. Too navel gazing for me.
Ella Fitzgerald: I love this because she's got waaay more voice than she's using here - she does the song to do the song, not to show off her voice. Music for when that young woman who's out of your league has asked you upstairs for coffee on the second date, and you're necking on her couch, and it's wonderful, and you're not even directly aware that it's Ella singing, because Ella's voice has become part of your world, and hasn't dragged you away into hers...
Sarah Vaughn - a complete sound - her voice and the brass complement each other perfectly - it's a kind of duet. It's the third date and you and your squeeze are out at the club, and the working week dissolves, and you and your date share a glance, and for the first time, you have both let your guard down, and let each other in, and you are both amazed and gratified that you like what you see...
Louis Armstrong - not my thing. Too slow, too much gravel. Music to look for your keys under the streetlight when you're drunk by.
Billie Holiday - I love the really vintage WWII feel. Conjures visions of a femme fatal spy who stabs the Abwehr officer just before he gets her completely undressed. Cut to her re-affixing her earrings and zipping up her dress unassisted as the record skips at the end. Aaand scene.
(I have a rich inner life).
lewy, great reviews, thank you!
DeleteSinatra's voice is awesome. Everyone knows it. Even Sinatra. Especially Sinatra. Too navel gazing for me.
I agree. With the first two sentences. For all his hubris and thuggery and maybe nasty personalty, I could listen to Sinatra until the cows come home. His voice transcends all else for me.
Ella Fitzgerald: I love this because she's got waaay more voice than she's using here - she does the song to do the song, not to show off her voice. If I could have only one album, featuring only one singer for the rest of my life it would be Ella. Yes, I do love her that much.
DeleteSarah Vaughn - a complete sound - her voice and the brass complement each other perfectly - it's a kind of duet.
DeleteWow, you nailed that completely, Sarah is the best at duets. Especially with Billy Eckstine......We seem like passing strangers now....
Louis Armstrong - not my thing. Too slow, too much gravel. Music to look for your keys under the streetlight when you're drunk by.
DeleteI'm not a huge Satchmo fan either but I did like this collaboration with Oscar Peterson.
Billie Holiday - I love the really vintage WWII feel. Conjures visions of a femme fatal spy who stabs the Abwehr officer just before he gets her completely undressed. Cut to her re-affixing her earrings and zipping up her dress unassisted as the record skips at the end. Aaand scene.
DeleteLovely description.
Again, I'm not a BH fan but I see (or rather hear) the talent here and understand why people are. Having said that, I do like her version of this song.
Lewy, I loved the way you looked at these versions. I may agree, I amy disagree. I don't know, I am writing this as I am listening.
ReplyDeleteLouie and Oscar: At first I thought it was something that was playing when you discovered when she wasn't a squeeze: she was your life. Then I noticed that it was in a minor key. It was there all along; I didn't notice it at first. Wired (feeling, not the recording). Made it very melancholy.
Sarah and William: What Lewy said, but it is not that either of you let your guard down: Sarah opened the door to your souls.
Frankie: When did Frankie sing with Jan Savit? Sounds happier then the first two recordings. This was when he was still singing "Bennie and the Jets" and before he started writing musicals
Ella: Uh, this is the way it is supposed to be sung. Lewy describes Ella's talents perfectly.
Bille: Very interesting. Very upbeat at points then the minor key hits you. I mean that in a good way. It is like she is happy thinking about the guy she wants, then realizes she can't have him. Crash landing.
My biggest memory of the song was in the early '80's in Northern California when Winchell's Donuts used it in their commercials. At least i think it was Winchell's Donuts.
Good tunes. I enjoyed them all.
And happy Valentines Day to my Sweetie!
My biggest memory of the song was in the early '80's in Northern California when Winchell's Donuts used it in their commercials. At least i think it was Winchell's Donuts.
DeleteThis single sentence destroyed my life.
Although that was more than a single sentence.
DeleteThe entire comment destroyed my life.
img:"http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d170/lewy14/roflmao_zpsgfoc5xo8.gif"
DeleteI didn't say it was the BEST memory of the song, I just said it was the biggest. It was one of those commercials that was on every break on every station.
ReplyDeleteJust the thought of it being a donut commercial pained me. Inexorably.
DeleteI hear ya, Fay.
DeleteIt is like she is happy thinking about the guy she wants, then realizes she can't have him.
ReplyDeleteYes, she can't have him - because she just stuck an ice-pick in his neck! Because she's with the Allies! See, it all fits!
Seriously: the reason I associate songs of that era with war movies is simple: my parent's generation lived through the war; my first encounter with the music was watching war movies on TV with them. My mother would get nostalgic and ask my father, remember this one? And she'd start singing with the TV...
So now I hear that kind of sound in the music, and boom. Trench coats. Searchlights. Big 40's hair. Crappy little German pistols. The whole 9 yards.
I remember hearing music like this - perhaps even some of these recordings -- on the radio, so I have more of a first hand experience with it than from movies. I do see how you relate to it, though.
DeleteWhat a fun way to do this, Fay!
ReplyDeleteHands down, my favorite was Ella. And in second place young Frankie.
I love My Funny Valentine, sung my Tony Bennett. I got to know it from listening to my dad's records when I was a kid. Listening to these versions of You Go To My Head made me think of it.
About 30 years ago I bought a Harry James album. I heard this song, and while I did not consciously "know" it, I certainly knew it. I must have heard it a number of times when I was really young and it was in the core of my memory.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UcHWYi111U
Here is one that I heard on a free CD from a radio programming company, also about 30 years ago. Again, I did not "remember" it, but I sure knew it. This singer went on to be a hockey commentator on the CBC (not really).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmYiJ98o7l4
"The Man With The Horn" sounds like Saturday morning cartoon music to me - at least that's my association...
ReplyDelete"Band of Gold" was played at the beginning of the premier episode of Mad Men according to Wiki. To me it sounds like something I'd expect to hear in an American Graffiti style movie. Maybe the Lords of Flatbush or whatnot...
I love the selection Fay, and lewy your reviews are wonderful. I have to go with Ella. Pretty much, I always have to go with Ella.
ReplyDeleteHappy (belated) Valentine's Day everyone!
Sorry I came so late to this, but it has been the month from Hell for both myself and my son, and it seems to get no better.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is the Sarah Vaughn version. Pure sexuality.
Second is Ella, what else need I say?
Third is Billie Holiday. I think she purposely turned down the volume for this song.
Fourth is Frank, even though I mostly hear "I am Great" in the lyrics of any song he sings.
Satchmo comes in fifth, I'm afraid. This is just not his material
Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that, Dances. Have you been sick?
DeleteYes, very sorry Dances. Stay strong my brother. [manly backslap/]
DeleteBTW: given that life is throwing up multiple distractions for the Table's good people, there is some truth to my comment to Fay about this becoming a music blog - for my part I'm choosing not to post vexing political stuff here, at least for the time being. Next year is election year; gotta pace ourselves! ;)
When the going gets tough, the tough post kitten videos. (And dogs. We like dogs. Hi Ari!)
Meanwhile there are epic, multi-hundred comment flame wars in the comments at the Financial Times concerning the Greek debt crisis - fun stuff. They see me trollin' they hatin'... but I won't be about that here. Not our thing.
Sometimes when the political front seems really bad, I am hesitant to post anything that is not "serious," although that is when we probably need it the most.
Deletealthough that is when we probably need it the most.
DeleteMy sentiments in a nutshell.
Great points, you two.
DeleteLately neither of us has been able to watch any partisan thing at all. Honestly, will all the terrible, terrible things going on in the world - and the horrid response from our govt. - I'd much rather listen to some good youtube tunes.
DWT, I'm so sorry that you and Gus have been having such a rough time. As always, you know we're here for you and your son. Call if you need anything, anything at all, or if you just need to talk. Sending hugs and prayers your way.
DeleteYou are wise lewy. I've started to post serious stuff, but just...couldn't. Like florrie said, the things happening are terrible. Matt, I've hesitated to post light things too, but you're right, we need it most now.
Was finally able to get enough snow dug out to have heating oil delivered today, after adding four 5 gallon cans over the last week to keep it going.
DeleteTrouble is, we were so low that it stirred up all the sediment at the bottom of the tank, so now the nozzle is making that weird warbling it does just before clogging completely, dammit.
We are running the furnace for a while to get the temp up inside then I will change it before going to bed.
I've been playing a lot of solitaire over the last few weeks. I find it a good metaphor for life. No matter how carefully you play, if the cards are not right, you lose.
Most people only win rarely, including me
Hmmmm. Ignore that prior whine (not the solitaire part, but the furnace part) for now. The sound has gone from the furnace again.
DeleteThe oil is injected under 100 psi, so perhaps it cleared the blockage in that way.
We will pay attention for a few days, and if it starts again, at least I have a new nozzle ready to go.
Well, so DON'T ignore the prior whine. The furnace ran fine for a couple of hours, but about 9:25, I noticed that I was feeling chilly. Checked my thermometer and found it to be just 66 degrees.
DeleteA rapid change of the nozzle (I'm getting good at that, but my hands reek of fuel oil) and a reset of the furnace igniter control and it lit and is merrily heating the house.
Of course, since the wind chill is supposed to be in the mid 20's (below) and the furnace has shown itself unworthy of trust, I will sit up for a couple of hours to be sure it continues to cycle correctly.
I know! I'll go play solitaire
Well, I hope your furnace kept on crankin' through the night Dances. It's been cold where you are, damn cold. Your family is lucky to have such an accomplished "fix it" guy.
DeleteIt'll be spring soon. Things always look a bit better when the sun is warm and the trees are blossoming. Hang in there friend. {{{DWT}}}
will=with
ReplyDeletesheesh