Feelin’ Good

In today’s musical climate, pop music can mean anything from Mariah Carey to Miley Cyrus. But, in the 1940s, 50s and even into the 60s, it largely referred to what we now call standards—the crooning melodies of classy dames and dapper dandies sung in smoke-filled venues like the Copacabana. These songs were meant to be covered, and a multitude of artists have taken a stab at them pretty much nonstop since that time. This will be the first in a series on standards. Today’s installment: “Feeling Good.” The song was written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd and was first performed by Gilbert Price of the original Broadway cast. Wikipedia holds that this song has been covered no less than 31 times, and the genres vary wildly. But below I have included three that I find entertaining.

The original:



The (arguably) definitive version by Nina Simone:



My personal favorite by Michael Bublé: