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Last broadcast on Sun, 8 Nov 2009, 21:00 on BBC Radio 2.
Synopsis
Every Sunday Russell Davies presents the history of popular song, spotlighting its greatest exponents.
This week, noting the usefulness of TV advertisements in prolonging the life of old classics, Russell plays an Ella Fitzgerald/Ink Spots song. He moves on to pay tribute to the recently-departed composer Vic Mizzy.
Russell then turns to a new box set of previously unreleased Frank Sinatra material, as well as a new release from the Andre Previn Trio with Peggy King. Two other songs act as a valete to the just-departed Clinton Ford and the show closes with Previn once more.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW
While we are, of course, in the business of making a programme each week for home consumption, we’re always more than delighted to welcome, thanks to the world-wide web, an increasing number of regular listeners from many thousands of miles from the show’s home in London: And, what’s more, to welcome their input, assistance and, as in the case of one email this week – criticism: Here’s what we received from Valery Sutherland, all the way from Connecticut:
“When you played 'Music Makes Me', you mentioned that Fred Astaire introduced it in "Flying Down to Rio'. It was actually Ginger Rogers who introduced the song. Remember her? Astaire partnered her in ten movies.
These were Rogers/Astaire films. NOT Astaire movies!”
Well, that’s telling us! Not that we’re in any way unhappy over such a slap-on-the-wrist, as it gave us an opportunity to rediscover a little gem of Ginger’s, whose recorded output sans Fred we found to be surprisingly slim. A look on the music section of her own website lists ONLY Fred & Ginger items: A check in Rust’s “Complete Entertainment Discography” reveals eight solo items of songs from the Fred & Ginger RKO movies (excluding rejects) and a mere three others – “Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”, “Eeny Meeny Miney Mo” (with Johnny Mercer) and the one we played- ‘Don’t Mention Love To Me’. Considering her effectiveness onscreen in such numbers as “I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket”, “Pick Yourself Up” or “They All Laughed” we find this astonishing.
Russell Pays Tribute to The Recently-Departed Clinton Ford
Recommendations
This week we give over the bulk of our Review space to a look at the sumptuous new boxed set from Reprise of previously unheard Frank Sinatra material – “Sinatra – New York” (8122 79858-1). It comprises four CDs and one DVD plus a handsome 44-page book containing many pictures and articles by friends and associates and with some performances that are very different from the commercial and concert ones with which we are all familiar: CD 1 finds Sinatra at the Manhattan Center in 1955 & The United Nations in ’63. On disc 2 he’s at Carnegie Hall in 1974 and on #3 at Madison Square Garden the same year. Yes, this is “The Main Event”, exactly the same programme with the Woody Herman Band - but recorded the previous day and without Howard Cosell’s introduction. #4 takes us back to Carnegie Hall - in 1984 – and Radio City Music Hall in 1990. Thirty five yearsworth of entertaining from Ol’ Blue Eyes that remains great entertainment – and with the bonus of a DVD of a 1980 Carnegie Hall concert. Sound quality varies, but is generally excellent and repertoire is not as repetitious as you might expect. For Sinatraphiles – a must!
For a memory of the recently-departed Clinton Ford, Castle Music have released, on 2 CDs, a selection of the best of Ford’s work with most of the comedy songs (‘The Old Bazaar In Cairo’, ‘Riley’s Cowshed’) on CD 1 while CD 2 displays his ‘Country’ persona through classics lie ‘Old Shep’& ‘El Paso’. “Clinton Ford – Run To The Door” is on CM DDD502.
Tracklist
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Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots — I’m Beginning To See The Light
Ella Fitzgerald – The War Years (1941-1947), MCA/GRP, GRP 26282 -
Vic Mizzy and His Orchestra — The Addams Family Theme
The Addams Faily Original TV Soundtrack, RCA, 610572 -
Les Brown & His Band Of Renown W. Doris Day — My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time
The Coplete Doris Day With Les Brown, Sony Music Special Products, CCM-029-2 -
Tony Bennett — In A Sentimental MoodBennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, RPM Records/Columbia, 495296-2 -
The Merry Macs — Pretty Kitty Blue Eyes
Mairzy Doats (1938-1948), ASV Living Era, CD AJA 5393 -
Frank Sinatra — Oh! Look At Me NowSinatra: New York, Reprise, 8122 79858-1 -
Frank Sinatra — My Heart Stood Still
Sinatra: New York, Reprise, 8122 79858-1 -
Frank Sinatra — The Summer Wind
Sinatra: New York, Reprise, 8122 79858-1 -
Peggy King And Andre Previn — More Than You Know
The Andre Previn Trio With Peggy King, Sounds Of Yesteryear, DSOY784 -
Johnny Mercer With Andre Previn — Slippin’ Around The Corner
The Johnny Mercer Audio Scrapbook, Magic, AWE 5 -
Clinton Ford With George Chisholm & The Inmates — The Night I Appeared As Macbeth
The Piccadilly/Pye Anthology, Castle Music, CMDDD 502 -
Clinton Ford — Fan Dance Fanny
The Piccadilly/Pye Anthology, Castle Music, CMDDD 502 -
Ginger Rogers — Don’t Mention Love To Me
So Rare 2: A Second Selection By Barry Humphries, Bilarm, BAC 12-2 -
Dinah Shore & André Previn — Sleepy Time Gal
Dinah Sings - Previn Plays/Somebody Loves Me, Capitol, 7243 4 93067 2 1
Broadcast
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Sun 8 Nov 200921:00
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