Archive for the 'crooners' Category

Poetry to our ears

Published July 6th, 2010 in crooners and music. 0 Comments

Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1886 – 1918) was an American journalist, poet, literary critic, lecturer, and editor. Though a prolific poet whose works celebrated the common beauty of the natural world as well as his religious faith, Kilmer is remembered most for a short poem entitled “Trees” (1913), which was published in in 1914. At the time of his deployment to Europe during the first World War (1914–1918), Kilmer was considered the leading American Catholic poet and lecturer of his generation, A sergeant in a U.S. Infantry Regiment, Kilmer was killed at the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 at the age of 31.

The text stated below is the original written by Kilmer.

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

There have been several variations on the text, including many parody texts substituted to mimic Kilmer’s seemingly simple rhyme and meter, and questioning the poem’s choice of metaphors.[37] Of the often repeated parodies, one of the most known is “Song of the Open Road” by Ogden Nash (1902–1971):

I think that I shall never see
A billboard lovely as a tree.
Indeed, unless the billboards fall,
I’ll never see a tree at all.[38]

Jerry Vale

Published December 6th, 2009 in juke box, cover version, Italian Americans, sinatra and crooners. 0 Comments

Jerry Vale (born Gennaro Luigi Vitaliano, 1932, The Bronx, NY, USA) is an American singer. I only discovered him today via the “Related” secion of youtube while listening to Des O’Connor (please hold you laughter).

I can’t quite put my finger on Vale, I can hear influences from various - more famous - singers of his era.

This has a distinctive sound, its powerful, yet not reaching the overbearing tones of David Whitfield.

This would have suited the 1980s Perry Como.

Can’t you just hear Dean Martin?

and now we understand why, Vale covered other artists hits

this is his cover of the classic Tommy Edwards song - It’s all in the game.

here is the Tommy Edwards version, he really “owns” the song, I’ve never heard a better version.

At the time of writing Vale is still alive, he is truly a great artist.

Tino Rossi

Published August 25th, 2009 in french music, al bowlly, old time music, crooners, audio, easy listening and music. 0 Comments

Tino Rossi (1907–1983) was a singer and film actor from Corsica, France

ifted with an operatic voice, a “Latin Lover” persona made him a movie star as well. Over his career, Rossi made hundreds of records and appeared in more than 25 films, the most notable of which was the 1953 production, Si Versailles m’était conté directed by Sacha Guitry. His romantic ballads had women swooning and his art-songs by Jules Massenet (1842-1912), Reynaldo Hahn (1875-1947), and other composers helped draw sold out audiences wherever he performed.

I only discovered him on YouTube - don’t you just love the internet? - sadly his airtime these days is likely limited to Hollywood soundtracks of WWII dramas, perhaps one of his records played in an belle epoque cellar French bar.

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