Restless

I love this song. It is washing me over with something so pure and ethereal I can barely listen to it and breathe at the same time. And it gets better with each listen.



What is that you say? It isn't a cover? Don't care--I'm sharing it anyway.

At Last

"At Last" is a song that was written in 1941 by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical Orchestra Wives. The song was first performed both in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday. However we all know that the distinction for the definitive version goes to none other than the illustrious Etta James, who released the song in 1961.



It has been covered a close to hundred times by many artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, Jason Mraz, Céline Dion, Norah Jones, and Aretha Franklin. Beyoncé’s version (released in late 2008 in conjunction with her role as Etta James in the movie Cadillac Records) caused a mild controversy when she was chosen to sing it at the inauguration ball of President Obama in January 2009. Etta James subsequently made some disparaging remarks at some concerts, although she later clarified that she holds no animosity for the singer.

Hiatus

I'll be going out of town here soon, so I've left you with a slew of entries to hold you over in my absence.

Tootles!

Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love

This popular standard was written in 1928 by Cole Porter, and made its debut in Porter's first Broadway success (after a string of failures) in a musical called Paris. It was performed by French chanteuse Irène Bordoni for whom Porter had written the musical as a starring vehicle after her husband insisted that Porter give Broadway one more chance. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate a copy of this version.

Bing Crosby with Dorsey Brothers and Their Orchestra

Recently Alanis Morrisette did a jolly cover of it that I rather like. It’s from the 2004 film De-Lovely:

John Mayer on Covering a Song

This is a bit of commentary from John Mayer on the mechanics of covering a song.

Over the Rainbow

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a pop standard most commonly associated with Judy Garland, and is generally considered to be her signature song. It was written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. While Garland’s version remains definitive and, in my humble opinion, magnificent, there was a version by the Hawaiian artist Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole that gained some popularity for its sparse arrangement and distinct ukulele accompaniment. Though Iz passed away in 1997, his music has remained a staple of movies, television and commercials ever since. I am not ashamed to say I learned about this version when Jason Castro sung it on American Idol in 2008.

Six-year-old Connie Talbot became an internet sensation and favorite on the show Britain’s Got Talent when she wowed the judges with her rendition of this standard in 2007.

The original: