Lounge Music
Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:42 pm
Interesting programme on BBC Radio 4 today about Lounge Music - I've copied some of the transcript below. Any thoughts friends? I've never heard of Julie London!
"Major recording artists like Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee had enjoyed huge hit records in the '40s and '50s but were struggling to sell records in the fast-changing world of '60s pop. I'm not sure that they wanted to embrace the new era as such, but I think their record companies did! I'm intrigued to discover more about this particularly kitsch sub-genre of Lounge Music, as there is actually something very cool about Ella Fitzgerald singing the hippy-trippy 'Put A Little Love In Your Heart', or Mel Torme re-working the sunshine pop classic, 'Happy Together'.
And if we are talking Lounge, let's not forget the weighty Burt Bacharach catalogue! Who remembers the sublime recordings of 'This Guy's In Love With You' by Sammy Davis Junior, or 'What The World Needs Now' by Tony Bennett? And how about a subtle and insouciant version of 'Wives And Lovers' by Julie London? (although her renditions of 'Yummy, Yummy, Yummy' and 'Stoned Soul Picnic' are far more apposite if we are talking about real psychedelia!).
Have you checked out Dean Martin's dreamy interpretations of 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' or 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' by Jimmy Webb? Speaking of whom, Sammy Davis Jr does a fabulous job belting out his iconic compositions, 'Up, Up And Away' and 'Wichita Lineman'.
SUPER-COOL SOUNDS FOR SWITCHED-ON SWINGERS.
Blossom Dearie: 'Sunny'
Mel Torme: 'Sunshine Superman
Ella Fitzgerald: 'Sunshine Of Your Love
Dean Martin: 'For Once In My Life'
Frank Sinatra: 'Mrs. Robinson'
Sammy Davis Jr: 'You've Made Me So Very Happy'
Nancy Wilson: 'Spinnin' Wheel'
Mark Murphy: 'Windmills Of Your Mind'
Count Basie & The Mills Brothers: 'Gentle On My Mind'
Al Martino: 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You'
Bobby Darin: 'Charade'
Lena Horne: 'Wives And Lovers'
Tony Bennett: 'Alfie'
Carmen McRae: 'Close To You'
Peggy Lee: 'Somethin' Stupid'
Wayne Newton: 'Strangers In The Night'
Matt Monro: 'Georgie Girl'
Esther Phillips: 'The Girl From Ipanema'
Sarah Vaughan: 'Jive Samba'
Julie London: 'Light My Fire'
Greetje Kauffeld: 'Cabaret'
And here's another fantastic playlist of film and TV music, either lesser-known titles from great soundtracks, or supercool versions of well known themes.
Burt Bacharach: South American Getaway (Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid)
Dave Grusin: Sunporch Cha Cha (The Graduate)
George Duning: Way-Out Calypso (Bell, Book & Candle)
Lalo Schifrin: Roulette Rhumba (The Man From UNCLE)
Neal Hefti: Cartoon Capers (How To Murder Your Wife)
Henry Mancini: Something For Audrey (Two For The Road)
Francis Lai: Elephant Shake (Hannibal)
Burt Bacharach: Bond Street (Casino Royale)
Michel Legrand: The Boston Wrangler (The Thomas Crown Affair)
Count Basie & His Orchestra: Goldfinger
Tito Rodriguez: Theme From The Apartment
Hugo Montenegro: The Fox
Quincy Jones: Baby Elephant Walk
Tony Hatch: Gotta Getaway (The Persuaders)"
"Major recording artists like Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee had enjoyed huge hit records in the '40s and '50s but were struggling to sell records in the fast-changing world of '60s pop. I'm not sure that they wanted to embrace the new era as such, but I think their record companies did! I'm intrigued to discover more about this particularly kitsch sub-genre of Lounge Music, as there is actually something very cool about Ella Fitzgerald singing the hippy-trippy 'Put A Little Love In Your Heart', or Mel Torme re-working the sunshine pop classic, 'Happy Together'.
And if we are talking Lounge, let's not forget the weighty Burt Bacharach catalogue! Who remembers the sublime recordings of 'This Guy's In Love With You' by Sammy Davis Junior, or 'What The World Needs Now' by Tony Bennett? And how about a subtle and insouciant version of 'Wives And Lovers' by Julie London? (although her renditions of 'Yummy, Yummy, Yummy' and 'Stoned Soul Picnic' are far more apposite if we are talking about real psychedelia!).
Have you checked out Dean Martin's dreamy interpretations of 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' or 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' by Jimmy Webb? Speaking of whom, Sammy Davis Jr does a fabulous job belting out his iconic compositions, 'Up, Up And Away' and 'Wichita Lineman'.
SUPER-COOL SOUNDS FOR SWITCHED-ON SWINGERS.
Blossom Dearie: 'Sunny'
Mel Torme: 'Sunshine Superman
Ella Fitzgerald: 'Sunshine Of Your Love
Dean Martin: 'For Once In My Life'
Frank Sinatra: 'Mrs. Robinson'
Sammy Davis Jr: 'You've Made Me So Very Happy'
Nancy Wilson: 'Spinnin' Wheel'
Mark Murphy: 'Windmills Of Your Mind'
Count Basie & The Mills Brothers: 'Gentle On My Mind'
Al Martino: 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You'
Bobby Darin: 'Charade'
Lena Horne: 'Wives And Lovers'
Tony Bennett: 'Alfie'
Carmen McRae: 'Close To You'
Peggy Lee: 'Somethin' Stupid'
Wayne Newton: 'Strangers In The Night'
Matt Monro: 'Georgie Girl'
Esther Phillips: 'The Girl From Ipanema'
Sarah Vaughan: 'Jive Samba'
Julie London: 'Light My Fire'
Greetje Kauffeld: 'Cabaret'
And here's another fantastic playlist of film and TV music, either lesser-known titles from great soundtracks, or supercool versions of well known themes.
Burt Bacharach: South American Getaway (Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid)
Dave Grusin: Sunporch Cha Cha (The Graduate)
George Duning: Way-Out Calypso (Bell, Book & Candle)
Lalo Schifrin: Roulette Rhumba (The Man From UNCLE)
Neal Hefti: Cartoon Capers (How To Murder Your Wife)
Henry Mancini: Something For Audrey (Two For The Road)
Francis Lai: Elephant Shake (Hannibal)
Burt Bacharach: Bond Street (Casino Royale)
Michel Legrand: The Boston Wrangler (The Thomas Crown Affair)
Count Basie & His Orchestra: Goldfinger
Tito Rodriguez: Theme From The Apartment
Hugo Montenegro: The Fox
Quincy Jones: Baby Elephant Walk
Tony Hatch: Gotta Getaway (The Persuaders)"