Weekend Music Threefer

 

One of the greatest American composers, Irving Berlin, was born 133 years ago today in Czarist Russia (and lived to 101!).  It's hard to select from a songbook that extends from 1907 to 1971, one that includes such standards as "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Easter Parade," "White Christmas," "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody," and, of course, "God Bless America."  We decided to go with three favorites that also showcase other mega talent:  "How Deep Is The Ocean" written in 1932 and recorded by Ella Fitzgerald in 1958;  "Blue Skies," written in 1926 and recorded by Count Basie in 1945 (vocal by Jimmy Rushing);  and "Cheek To Cheek," written in 1935 and performed that same year by Fred Astaire in the film "Top Hat" (where the song is arguably eclipsed by the dancing of Astaire and the glowing Ginger Rogers.).  Hope you enjoy.

 

  

 

Weekend Music

This is a departure from our usual selection(s), in that we're featuring someone known for dance (to say the least) rather than singing.  But we couldn't pass up the opportunity to acknowledge the 120th birthday today of the legendary, multi- talented Fred Astaire.  The first song is from 1936's "Swing Time," composed by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields: "The Way You Look Tonight."  The song was unusual in that Astaire sang the song to the incandescent Ginger Rogers while seated (although they danced to it at another point in the movie). Astaire's version reached the top of the charts that year.  The second is from 1949's "The Barkleys of Broadway," composed by George and Ira Gershwin, and is a reprise of the same song Astaire introduced in the 1937 movie, "Shall We Dance":  "They Can't Take That Away From Me."  Astaire and Rogers didn't dance to the number in the 1937 movie, but they did in "The Barkleys of Broadway," which is why we wanted to feature it here.  Hope you enjoy.

Evening Palate Cleanser

We're embarrassed to say we only recently saw this clip from the 1937 movie "Damsel in Distress," starring Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine, and Burns & Allen.  As you might guess, there wasn't much Astaire couldn't do with his feet:



Note to Silver Spring Bureau Chief Brian:  think you can incorporate this into your drumming?