Memory: The Singer's Singer

[Rmoore]

Yes Hearbreakers was a 'Greatest Hits' type album issued in the early 80's and was a MASSIVE hit. It spawned a sequel More Heartbreakers and later on both were combined as 'Complete Heartbreakers' on CD. The discs contain nothing unique (they used to, but the one unique track - an alternate of One Day - is now on Alternate Monro)

[karl]

I think it's great when younger people discover a singer from another era and search for their back catalogue, I did the same when I was Wahzy's age.

Good luck in your search, you are fortunate that there is so much of Matt still available, do you have the dvd of the Australian concert? That is brilliant!

[Wahzy]

I have the Australian concert on DVD. Just bought Matt Sings Nelson Swings but says 6 week delivery time on Amazon? Luckily they have an Mp3 rip so I downloaded it straight away into iTunes. Still nice to have the CD as well though.

[ROBERT M.]

Matts singing voice was definitely at it's best during the 60's (60-70) .......so powerful and strong ...............and Richard, I like Matt singing Diana ............Matt gives a heartwarming vocal on the song

[Rmoore]

Each to their own Robert, I only know that Matt hated the song!

[ROBERT M.]

Surely if an artist dislikes a song so much he would not touch it with a barge pole......... knowing he would be recording a song he detests (it's like deceiving his fans)..............but as I said, Matt sings the song very well IMO

[paul jh]

I also like Diana. And I LOVE The Lady Smiles and I read that Matt Monro preferred a more scaled back arrangement than the one with the strings. Usually the producers and arrangers know best.

I prefer the recordings with full orchestra and don't care for those recordings with just piano (and perhaps drums and bass) on Alternate Monro and Matt Uncovered. But I do like the ones with a small group like The Folks Who Live on the Hill and In the Arms of Love.

[ROBERT M.]

Here is Diana for anyone who doesn't know the song ..............please everyone give us your comments regarding the song .........Richard's words were "pretty awful" ......I cannot describe the song in those particular words at all !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udtSVf5GOEg

[Rmoore]

Pardon me for having an opinion! But seriously, I don't like it and neither did Matt but i'm sure he'd be delighted that you do.

The song was forced upon him by EMI who were hoping to cash in on the Charles and Diana Wedding. Sometimes you have to go with the people who hold your contract! There are many artists who've been forced to record songs they didn't want to so it's nothing unusual.

The story with The Lady Smiles and the rest of the New York sessions is not that clear cut Paul. Matt recorded with a small group and expected the recordings to be issued that way. The overdubs were made without his knowledge and that's what he didn't like. I don't think he particularly disliked what they had done - but he was very annoyed that he didn't know about it until it was released hence the somewhat annoyed comment quoted in Michele's book (the same with the edited US version on We're Gonna Change The World). He later used some of the overdubbed arrangements in his live shows so he can't have disliked them too much. All of this is another example of the record company going over the artist head.

I don't know why you say you prefer the overdubbed version of Lady Smiles to the small group as even I haven't heard that one!

[ROBERT M.]

The song Diana was actually written by Matts best friend and manager Don Black ..............maybe Matt didn't want to disappoint Don by not recording the song

[karl]

I neither like nor dislike the song, Matt sings it perfectly but it is somewhat twee.

Great pics of Matt though, he really suited a hat.

However returning to singers recording songs they hated. Dusty hated Windmills Of Your MInd and yet she recorded a brilliant version of that song. I have a copy of a letter she wrote where she said "That Blooody Awful Song" and yet it did very well for her in the States.

It just goes to show the sheer professionalism of the singer to sing a sincere version of a song they dislike with a passion.

So yes Richard. you were merely stating Matt's (and your) thoughts. I think Robert abhors the thought of anyone saying anything against Matt. Much as I love Dusty I do not like everything she sings and can be critical of her.

Hey! A great Diana song was recorded by Paul Anka - about a hundred years ago, remember?

[ROBERT M.]

There are only a few songs by Matt which I don't really like, but Diana is not one of those

[ROBERT M.]

........if Matt had stated that he disliked Diana so much, surely that would have hurt the feelings of lyricist Don Black his best mate, so it just does not add up really

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Well, as Richard explained it's not always the singers choice when it comes to the songs they sing, although I quite like Matt's version of Diana, reminds me a lot of his song Georgia.
Remembering Lita Roza too who apparently hated the song ...How Much Is That Doggie In The Window. ( Me Too ) you know, the one that brought her millions, so perhaps she experienced the same at the time of recording.

[karl]

It's the same with Sandie Shaw hating Puppet On A String but it obviously sold millions, I'd love to hate a song like that if I was the singer, I think I could live with the hate!!!