Monday night was special - My husband, my Mom, and I went to hear Michael Feinstein. Until I had heard he was part of the concert series, I had never heard them (sometimes I can have my head in the sand and be clueless about jewels).
This man has a phenomenal repertoire of 20th century music in his brain that transmits through the fingers and the voice. Especially the music from the Great American Songbook - he is a music historian/anthropologist/archivist of music from the greatest of composers and lyricists of Broadway and the crooners that we all know and love.
Not only does he sing and play, but he told stories of the times he spent with Ira Gershwin and Frank Sinatra, as well as other well known artists. And..... what I heard through some of his stories are the concerns that some of these tunes will be lost as time transpires.
I got to thinking of the tunes my grandmother would play on the piano, and how I rarely....rarely...hear these tunes today.. "I'll Take you Home Again, Kathleen", "My Buddy", "Whispering"- and though Feinstein only played one from that era -"Alexander's Ragtime Band"(who can hear Al Jolson singing this one?), I wonder when these songs will not be remembered. Which ones will remain in the repertoire of popular song? "As Time Goes By" should stick, as Casablanca remains popular to this day.
I saw folks excited about hearing these tunes, bringing memories known only to them. They lived when the music was popular on the radio - there was not MTV, and if you saw the movie, you saw it once, not over and over again as we can today. They had 78 records (I know that there are some of you that have no idea what a 78 is) and you had to get up after every tune to move the needle to play again - and you were lucky if it lasted 4 minutes on each side of the record (ummm - no remote). Tunes were heard on the family piano, with purchased sheet music (who has bought sheet music lately?).
And then during the concert, Feinstein thanked those that had an impact on his love for this music and for those that made a difference in his career. And then the surprise - - he thanked his parents, and his father came to the stage. Feinstein played the piano, and his father sang "It's Been a Long, Long Time" - and Feinstein joined him in a duet. I couldn't help but think of how nostalgic it was for both of them, and for the audience. I share with you the lyrics and a little history of that tune:
Peaked at # 1 in 1945
Competing versions charted that year by Harry James (#1); Charlie Spivak (#4); and Stan Kenton (#6)-
World War II ended the month before this Crosby recording hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1945. Accompanied by Les Paul on the guitar, Bing effectively captures the swelling anticipation of Americans regarding the imminent return of their boys from overseas. The song remained on the charts for 16 weeks.
Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
This man has a phenomenal repertoire of 20th century music in his brain that transmits through the fingers and the voice. Especially the music from the Great American Songbook - he is a music historian/anthropologist/archivist of music from the greatest of composers and lyricists of Broadway and the crooners that we all know and love.
Not only does he sing and play, but he told stories of the times he spent with Ira Gershwin and Frank Sinatra, as well as other well known artists. And..... what I heard through some of his stories are the concerns that some of these tunes will be lost as time transpires.
I got to thinking of the tunes my grandmother would play on the piano, and how I rarely....rarely...hear these tunes today.. "I'll Take you Home Again, Kathleen", "My Buddy", "Whispering"- and though Feinstein only played one from that era -"Alexander's Ragtime Band"(who can hear Al Jolson singing this one?), I wonder when these songs will not be remembered. Which ones will remain in the repertoire of popular song? "As Time Goes By" should stick, as Casablanca remains popular to this day.
I saw folks excited about hearing these tunes, bringing memories known only to them. They lived when the music was popular on the radio - there was not MTV, and if you saw the movie, you saw it once, not over and over again as we can today. They had 78 records (I know that there are some of you that have no idea what a 78 is) and you had to get up after every tune to move the needle to play again - and you were lucky if it lasted 4 minutes on each side of the record (ummm - no remote). Tunes were heard on the family piano, with purchased sheet music (who has bought sheet music lately?).And then during the concert, Feinstein thanked those that had an impact on his love for this music and for those that made a difference in his career. And then the surprise - - he thanked his parents, and his father came to the stage. Feinstein played the piano, and his father sang "It's Been a Long, Long Time" - and Feinstein joined him in a duet. I couldn't help but think of how nostalgic it was for both of them, and for the audience. I share with you the lyrics and a little history of that tune:
Peaked at # 1 in 1945
Competing versions charted that year by Harry James (#1); Charlie Spivak (#4); and Stan Kenton (#6)-
World War II ended the month before this Crosby recording hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1945. Accompanied by Les Paul on the guitar, Bing effectively captures the swelling anticipation of Americans regarding the imminent return of their boys from overseas. The song remained on the charts for 16 weeks.
Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams
I've dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Ah, kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long time
Haven't felt like this my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams
I dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Long, long time
Extra credits added by Robin Hood
I dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Long, long time
Extra credits added by Robin Hood
To hear the tune above click to this page and locate the song in the "Listen to Samples"
I brought home a souvenier Michael Feinstein's Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway
go check it out and listen to the excerpts and take a walk down memory lane. Got it autographed too!
Pictures of my Victrola in my living room:
I brought home a souvenier Michael Feinstein's Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway
go check it out and listen to the excerpts and take a walk down memory lane. Got it autographed too!
My grandfather bought this when I was very young.
The collection of needles for the record player - they look like tiny nails.
Need to adjust the speed of tempo of the music - adjust the knob....It was a fine evening... a trip down memory lane for many. Thank for the memories!
3 comments:
Oh, I love Michael Feinstein! How lucky for you!
I remember my Mother & Father singing this song, and many others from that time, as we rode along in that old Chevy. They would harmonize beautifully all the way home and the memory of that is one of my best.
What is a cradle lay Episcopalian?
My husband's family is from Jefferson, Ga is that near you?
I have had this song stuck in my head all day.
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