Friday, January 02, 2009

Some Of My Favorite Songs Are



...extremely old (in case you haven't noticed). I like the old versions, and am overjoyed when someone comes up with a nifty new one.



My sister - pictured above in her precocious youth - has bought 3 new guitars in, like, a month. If she wasn't so good, I'd think she was cwazy. (I have a brother who's also an excellent musician). Anyway, this has prompted a lot of guitar discussions. I normally lean toward pianists (from Fats Waller, Nat Cole & Count Basie to Leon Russell & Ray Charles), but I do love me some Chet Atkins.

Here's Atkins and Suzy Bogguss, with fiddle player Johnny Gimble, doing one of my old favorites, After You've Gone (1918, composer Turner Layton, lyrics by Henry Creamer):



Next, Atkins and Mark Knopfler, I'll See You In My Dreams (1924, composer Isham Jones, lyrics Gus Kahn):



"British Invasion" duo Chad & Jeremy, Willow, Weep For Me (1932, Ann Ronell):



Just for good measure, The Mamas and The Papas, Dream A Little Dream Of Me (1931, composers Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, lyrics by Gus Kahn). It's not really a video, just a shot of the album cover, but the sound quality is good:



Eric Clapton, Nobody Knows You (When You're Down And Out) (1923, Jimmie Cox):



Piano & Big Band - Dr. John & Rickie Lee Jones, Makin' Whoopee (1928, composer Walter Donaldson, lyrics Gus Kahn):



One more piano! Diana Krall (another non-video video) doing If I Had You (1928, Ted Shapiro, Jimmy Campbell & Reginald Connelly):



A song I love so much, I bought this old sheet music - I even love the cover:



The Prince of Wales' favorite fox trot! That's the abdicated Edward, not upChuck - a king, dear, uncrowned.

1 comment:

Trombonology said...

I'm not worthy ... to be placed in such illustrious company. As you know, I don't get into naming guitars, but I'm making an exception: the soon-to-arrive Gretsch is going to be named after your childhood doll.

... Well, you know I like the old ones, too – both songs and versions, but every now and then, as you show, someone in more recent times has come along with a refreshing treatment. I like Chad & Jeremy's "Willow." (Groovy faux trees on the set, too.) And, of course, M & Ps' "Dream."