This is a clip from the time frame period I was just talking about. And look who it is! It's Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. They're singing "Tony Rome" and it's great. Did I say that out loud?
Ella Fitzgerald- Get Ready, Ella Fitzgerald was one of the finest singers we're likely to hear. To be honest she also had a touch of the kitsch. In all candor I'll never be ready to hear Ella Fitzgerald sing, "Get Ready." It's way punchy, potentially uncutous and for me, a little scary to hear her "get with the kids" and assumedly later, "let it all hang out."
Ella Loved Rock!: Ella also tackled "Ooh Baby Baby," "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" and "The Sunshine of Your Love." I find that horrifying...
Sammy Davis- Wichita Lineman- I'm a big fan of Jimmy Webb but frankly I have no idea why so many people covered "Wichita Lineman." This is quite a reflective and sedate song when you think about it. That fact didn't stop thousands from screaming the lyrics and all but obliterating the song's inherent longing. This pretty much what happens here. This song is so bad, it's good. Equipped with "freak-out" guitar, and "groovy" organ fills, Sammy puts some pep in this often drearily paced song. The big problem? This is full of hooey, franklyit's hard to imagine Sammy scaling anything to get up a telephone pole.
An Idiot's Take: Great cover!
Frank Sinatra- A Bunch of Stuff. After a great run of hits for Capitol and Reprise that roughly spanned 1952 to 1965, Frank seemed to have lost his marbles right after and during the release of Sinatra: A Man and His Music. Throughout the spoken intros of the album Sinatra treated himself like an old fuddy-duddy and was all but calling it a wrap. Subsequent albums found Frank accumlating quite a stash of regrettable covers like "Mrs. Robinson," "Downtown," "Goin' Out of My Head" and "Little Green Apples." George Harrison's "Something" wasn't safe either and is the best from the truly wrongheaded Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits Volume 2.
Good music and nehru jackets just don't mix...
4 comments:
unfortunately I don't know any of these songs. I do know both singers (yes, I'm excluding Sammy) had very unique and specific sounds; I can't imagine their covers sounding that good.
Shawn, actually "Get Ready" was ok--but pointless, I don't think many people want to hear Ella Fitzgerald cover the Temptations. The very idea LOL.
Those songs Frank Sinatra picked were worse, he seemed to sing those songs with a bit of disdain. And a pissy Frank Sinatra isn't a joy to listen to.
ella covering the temptations? ha! I may have to download this if it's available
Heh heh it's hilarious because Ella sounds so serious, but it's not horrible.
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