The Showtunes Sing-Off - Irving Berlin - "Always" - Part 1 of 2

starthrower said:

Not my favorite Berlin song. I'm not normally a Tony Bennett fan but that's a great sounding record and he's in good voice. Also love Sarah and Billy even if it's a tad too polite sounding. And Billie Holiday is great! I'm not a fan of early Sinatra. It's too mannered and polite. Did he re-record this later on? If so I'd have listen to a more mature rendition.

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Thoughtful analysis - My thanks for providing your insights - I have the vintage Capitol '61 Sinatra on tap for Round 2 - There will be a break of between three and four weeks between rounds lest listener fatigue becomes a factor - Ten to twelve versions of the same tune can try the patience - and endurance - of even the heartiest of souls

Cheers!

starthrower said:

Not my favorite Berlin song. I'm not normally a Tony Bennett fan but that's a great sounding record and he's in good voice. Also love Sarah and Billy even if it's a tad too polite sounding. And Billie Holiday is great! I'm not a fan of early Sinatra. It's too mannered and polite. Did he re-record this later on? If so I'd have listen to a more mature rendition.

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It's interesting how many here don't like these early songs, especially when they are sung the way they were originally sung. Charles Harrison had a big hit in 1920 with I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time. What do you think? It was also a big hit for the Andrews Sisters in 1941 and for Jo Stafford and Nat Cole in 1946. But they might as well have been from another planet, so different are their versions, after jazz and swing made their mark on the American popular song.

I can listen to the Jo Stafford version...or maybe not that upload. It skips. The others are too square sounding.

starthrower said:

I can listen to the Jo Stafford version...or maybe not that upload. It skips. The others are too square sounding.

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Sorry about the bad Jo Stafford upload. You should listen to a good one, she is one of my favorites of that era. I expected you not to like Charles Harrison, yet his was the version that made the song a hit originally, and it's similar in style to the original version of Always linked by mbhaub. This to me illustrates the profound shift in Amercian music caused by the influence of jazz and swing in the 20s, 30s and 40s. Songs like Always and Apple Blossom Time were completely reimagined.

fluteman said:

Sorry about the bad Jo Stafford upload. You should listen to a good one, she is one of my favorites of that era. I expected you not to like Charles Harrison, yet his was the version that made the song a hit originally, and it's similar in style to the original version of Always linked by mbhaub. This to me illustrates the profound shift in Amercian music caused by the influence of jazz and swing in the 20s, 30s and 40s. Songs like Always and Apple Blossom Time were completely reimagined.

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Same here - She'll be making regular appearances...

Shaughnessy said:

Same here - She'll be making regular appearances...

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Some Bing Crosby too - early and late.

I voted for Billie Holiday since hers was the only version which did not sentimentalize the song which suffers from too much out of the gate.

SanAntone said:

I voted for Billie Holiday since hers was the only version which did not sentimentalize the song which suffers from too much out of the gate.

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Spoken like a true jazz man. What we really need is a musique concrète version of Always. That will get rid of the sentimentalism.

Hmmm... This isn't like comparing different performances of an aria. This is like comparing apples, oranges, bananas, kumquats and jackfruit. Which is "best"? I like a varied diet.

Woodduck said:

Hmmm... This isn't like comparing different performances of an aria. This is like comparing apples, oranges, bananas, kumquats and jackfruit. Which is "best"? I like a varied diet.

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Try "Stardust" - 1500 recordings. Now topped by "Yesterday," but only in quantity, not in quality.

Billy - Sarah (the ORIGINAL GOOD version, not a cut out) and the GREAT Frank. I LIKE such contests. Classic music is not the only one on the earth. Thanks.