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Billie Holiday Rules!


Batmans Robin

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“The Way You Look Tonight” is a tune that brings back fond memories. I won’t go into details but her name was Gail and the version by "The Lettermen" has always put me in a great mood. I enjoy the Tina Brooks version as well and that disc gets a fair amount of play. I probably have a couple copies but I’ll keep my eye out for another Michael. I’ve heard many of the versions listed below but not the one by Art Tatum. I’ll have to check that one out. Allan?

From Wikipedia: "The Way You Look Tonight" is a song featured in the film Swing Time, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. It was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Dorothy Fields later remarked, "The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn't stop, it was so beautiful." [1] The song was sung by John "Lucky" Garnett (played by Fred Astaire) while sitting at the piano. Penelope "Penny" Carroll (played by Ginger Rogers) was busy washing her hair in an adjacent room, and feeling anything but beautiful at the time.

This song was also popularly performed by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Bublé, Joey McIntyre, Rod Stewart, Andy Williams, Ray Quinn, Steve Tyrell and as a duet between Bing Crosby and his wife Dixie Lee. Jazz pianist Art Tatum has an instrumental recording in the collection The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces. The song was also performed by The Lettermen and became a hit for them in 1961 (Billboard #13 pop, #3 easy listening). Billie Holiday also recorded this song, in 1936 (it can be found on "The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol.2"). It has also been covered by Chad & Jeremy, and by Bryan Ferry. The Lettermen's and Chad & Jeremy's versions were slowed-down, crooning versions, rather than the original dance tempo number as in the film the song was written for'. The Lettermen's version is, in fact, an MOR modification of a doo-***/R&B version of the late 1950s version by the Jaguars.

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Sometime in the late 70s/early 80s, Blue Note released a boatload of previously unreleased LPs by Lee Morgan, Dexter Gordon, Blue Mitchell and others. I bought about 10 of them sealed for under $30 each. The music is great for the most part but the pressings were mediocre at best. I can't remember the name of the series but I have 2 or 3 from Lee Morgan (late 60s LPs Taru and Sonic Boom?? are the only two I can recall off the top of my head - Maybe Nigeria is the 3rd??). Edit: Nigeria was a Grant Green LP from the same series.

I don't know if there is much more hidden away in the vaults but who knows?

I too am a Billie Holiday fan but rarely play her albums for some reason. Helen Merrill seems to get about 75% of the female jazz play in my house these days with Anita O'Day a far off second.

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  • 3 weeks later...

JB, JB, JB.......you have it all wrong, sweetie.........Robin never summered in D.C., how goshe! Robin always use to hang with me and the rest of the girls, at the Pines on Fire Island......We would have the best time giving each other pedicures and sipping Daiquiri's ........we would play Liza all day and Barbara all night, Oh those were the days my freind....we thought they would never end........

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JB, JB, JB.......you have it all wrong, sweetie.........Robin never summered in D.C., how goshe! Robin always use to hang with me and the rest of the girls, at the Pines on Fire Island......We would have the best time giving each other pedicures and sipping Daiquiri's ........we would play Liza all day and Barbara all night, Oh those were the days my freind....we thought they would never end........

I've noticed in the past that the guys who make the most fuss about
homosexuals are either gay themselves or concerned that they might be.

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