Does anyone sing a Matt track better than Matt?

michduncg · Post by **michduncg** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:22 am

Matt's one of the few singers I can think off where I have never heard anyone cover one of his 'own' tracks better than Matt does.

By his own tracks, I mean ones that he originally released. So, I've never heard better covers of 'Softly as I leave you' (Bobby Darins' cover is far weaker emotionally), 'Born Free' should only be ever sung by Matt - expecially that huge end note, and I don't think anyone would dare try to cover from 'From Russia with Love'! (Isn't it strange how Bond themes are NEVER covered!).

I'm not saying that Matts version of every song he sang is necessarily my favourite (I still prefer Bobby Darin's upbeat version of 'More' for instance), but he had the unique ability to stamp his personality on any of the tracks written he initially recorded. What a guy!

What do you all think?

jon · Post by **jon** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:30 pm

I note that Russell Watson has covered "Born Free" on his new album and, having heard this, I can say that he most certainly doesn't sing it as well as Matt, the phrases being less joined up than in Matt's version: slightly surprising for a so-called trained singer like Watson. I'm reluctant to knock Russell in view of his recent illness, but I just wish he would decide what kind of singer he is/wants to be, like all the other so-called "crossover"singers such as Hayley Westenra and Andre Bocelli, fraudulently marketed as "classical".

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:12 pm

Jack Jones did a cover of "From Russia With Love" Mike. I have it on CD, but have yet to listen to it. Michael Buble did a fair cover of "Softly As I Leave You" but it's not a patch on Matts far superior version. Lena Horne has also coverd this song.

john · Post by **john** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:21 pm

Andy Williams did a version of Softly As I leave You which was quite nice, but not like our Matt's, also I have Julie Rogers singing a couple of Matt's songs including Walk Away, which is also a nice version, but the original is the best. I think this is the case with most artists, when they first bring a record out you get used to listening to that particular version.

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:14 pm

You are of course right John, even though another artist's version is often equally as good and sometimes even better. Sinatra had an album out in the early Sixties with the Title
"Softly As I Leave You." his version of this song certainly didn't beat Matt's, but it was about that time with this album when he was trying to incorporate some rock and roll into his music with drum kits, keyboards and backing vocals, the kind of sound that he could see wasn't going away. Pass Me By... Talk To Me Baby.... Emily....were just Three of the songs on this one.

michduncg · Post by **michduncg** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:44 pm

I agree with you to a point John, you do always compare things to the original. And in Matts case, if he sung the original then I generally prefer it. But in the case of many other artists, I am not as loyal! As anothe example, I think that Michael Bubles cover of 'Come fly with me' is actually better than Sinatra's, and I prefer Matt singing 'My way' too.

jon · Post by **jon** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:58 am

This debate also raises the question of whether there can ever be a "definitive" version of a song. I tend to think the greatness of a song lies in its universality and in the ways it can be interpreted in many different ways by different singers. A song should be regarded as a work of art, not the property of one particular artist. I think this is the limitation with many pop and rock songs, in that they are identified with one band and no other. Even with my favourite popular singers, Matt and Johnny Mathis, I would never argue, no matter how much I like their version of a song, that theirs is the definitive one, any more than an aria sung by, say, Pavarotti is the definitive version of that aria. I would certainly say that Matt and Johnny may sing a song technically better than other singers, but that is a separate issue.

I guess Mike is right that Matt's signature numbers like "Born Free" and "Softly As I Leave You" have not really been "covered" by other singers in any significant way. But I wonder how many of us would dare to suggest that we prefer someone else's version of a song recorded by Matt. I can certainly think of a few songs recorded by Johnny Mathis whose version, believe it or not, I prefer to his: "Solitaire" and "The Way We Were" are two that come to mind.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:56 am

I do not recall Matt singing "Solitaire" or "The way we were" --or have I misread your posting !!

jon · Post by **jon** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:07 pm

Hi Marian

Yes, you have slightly misread my post, perhaps because I didn't phrase it very well. I wasn't suggesting Matt had sung "Solitaire" or "The Way We Were". I meant to say that I prefer other artists' versions of these songs to JM's - the Carpenters in the case of "Solitaire", and Streisand in the case of "The Way We Were". It would have been nice if Matt had recorded these but as far as I know, he didn't.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 4:28 pm

Yes Jon-I thought I must have misread your post--my head is all over the place at present.

In the case of "Solitaire" much as I love the music of Neil Sedaka-I just cannot bear that song--whoever sings it !!!!

Marian · Post by **Marian** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:59 pm

I like the Carpenters version of "Solitaire".

Marian

grandpajan · Post by **grandpajan** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:34 pm

I have in my possession, a taped interview with Matt in San Francisco, in 1967. In the interview Matt had a great admiration of Perry Como. His comment: "he's so in tune". I can't recall any of Perry Como's hits being covered by Matt. Maybe someone can come up with one. I have a lot of Perry's songs in my library and will try and find any songs of Matt's that Perry covered to see what Perry sounds like.

john · Post by **john** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:01 pm

Matt sang Till The End Of Time and also Prisoner Of Love. I have a feeling that Perry sang Portrait Of My Love on an album from the mid seventies, where he covered all british songs. I can't remember what the album is called but I know I have it in my collection somewhere.

grandpajan · Post by **grandpajan** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:12 pm

I have that album (LP) in my library also. It is called "The Best Of The British". When I get home I will look to see what songs are on it.

john · Post by **john** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:16 pm

Prisoner Of Love by Matt was originally issued on a Fontana single in the late fiftie's, and then re issued on the Tony Blackburn meets Matt Monro lp. I think he originally rcorded Till The End Of Time on the From Hollywood With Love lp from the mid sixties, this track has been released on cd a few times since.