Hello Young Lovers

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:16 pm

Hi Paul--It seems as though "Hello Young Lovers" is a unanimous favourite!

I think you have saved your bacon with your last line.

Marian

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:30 am

Paul

Thanks for your review!
I think I may have to re-appraise the song after your comments!
As the world's worst 'singer in the shower', Matt Monro's voice has always been the focal point for me!
Will listen to the album again this weekend and keep your comments in mind...

Thanks again!

Gray

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:24 pm

Gray - Please don't re-appraise your opinion of the song. The wonderful thing about music is that each person has their own strong feelings about the song. Matt Monro's vocals are sensitive and understated in Hello Young Lovers --- just perfect in my opinion. I feel that in some other songs, the arrangement better matches his always excellent vocals.

I also like the Johnny Mathis version of Hello Young Lovers that Marian mentions. He does the opening verse, which is always an added bonus. (Sometimes I like the opening verse more that the song, e.g., Stardust; one time Frank Sinatra only recorded the opening verse of Stardust.)

Good luck with your singing career! I enjoy singing along with Matt Monro while driving.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:19 pm

Hi Paull-I wish more singers would include the opening verse to the song--so many songs have such lovely openings, but they are seldom heard.
"Hello Young Lovers" is just one of many!

Marian

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:41 pm

It seems like more singers are now including the opening verse. But back in the 1960s when Matt Monro recorded these songs, very seldom did singers and arrangers include the opening verse. I absolutely love his Fly Me To The Moon, but I would have loved to hear him sing that gorgeous opening verse.

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:47 am

Hi Paul / Marian

I agree with you both whole heartedly regarding opening verses, they are beautiful intro's into the songs.

Paul, listened to Hello Young Lovers frequently this weekend, still love the song as much as I did last Friday.
You are correct, Matt Monro's voice is wonderfully understated, until the big notes, which then sound 10 times as impressive because of his restraint elsewhere.
You are far more knowledgeable than me when it comes to the scoring - (which only goes to show what a novice I am!) - because I am now going to display my ignorance by saying that I still like this part of the song also!

If you sing as you drive along, I now have an image of you straight from The Italian Job: belting out "On Days Like These" with shades on, winding your way through sun drenched avenues.

Anyway, must dash, I'm on stage in 10 minutes!

Gray

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:17 pm

Hi Paul--"Fly me to the moon" has a great intro---I only heard it for the first time quite recently, and was surprised how great it is. Rod Stewart included a lot of the intros on his "Songbook Collections", and Johnny Mathis often does, as we said earlier.

Two of my very favourites that are rarely heard are "Tea for Two"---and "Over the Rainbow"

"When all the world is a hopeless jumble.
And the raindrops tumble all around,
Heaven opens a magic lane.
When all the clouds darken up the skyway,there's a rainbow highway to be found.
Leading from your windowpane.
To a place beyond the sun.
Just a step behind the rainbow"

I cannot find the lyrics for "Two for Tea", but these two, sung by Jane Monheit are just perfection!!!

I must say that I have a mental pic of Paul, very similar to your desciption.--Wonder how close we are !!

Marian

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:25 pm

Hi Marian and Gray and everyone -- I don't know about the sun-drenched avenues. Washington doesn't look too much like Italy. But the sunglasses are spot on. Yesterday while driving to work, a young man driving a navy Mini Cooper convertible (with the Union Jack on back of the side mirrors) passed me while I was "belting out" a Matt Monro song in my Mazda. It was a special moment, but I wish I had been driving that Mini!

I've only heard Jack Jones sing the opening verse of Fly Me To The Moon. It's lovely. And I always play it first before the chorus. I think people are surprised to hear the long opening verse before the familiar part of the song. People also expect an up-tempo version, but I play it slowly and hear Matt Monro singing with me. If someone requests Fly Me To The Moon, I tell them that I play the Matt Monro version and not the up-tempo Frank Sinatra version.

To me, Doris Day sings the opening verse of Over The Rainbow better than anyone. I really can't listen to the song without the opening verse. When I play for sing-alongs, I always insist that they sing the opening verse. And I do hope you've heard Blossom Dearie sing Tea For Two. I love that opening verse as well, and she sings it perfectly. Another great opening verse and chorus is But Not For Me. I recall that Elton John sang the opening verse on the soundtrack to Four Weddings and a Funeral.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:11 pm

Hi Paul--no I have not heard Blossom Dearie sing "Tea for two"--nor Doris Day "Over the rainbow"I think Jane Monheit is the only one I've heard to sing the intros to those two.

I love "But not for me"--the intro---plus the ending--
-
"And every marriage plot, ends in a marriage knot,
But thers no knot for me" Very clever!

I also really love the intros to "Bewitched" and "Someone to watch over me"---if they are left off, I feel cheated !!!!

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:34 pm

Hi Marian, Paul, and all. We agree that it is truly a great pity that few singers sing the introductory verse to songs, like "Over The Rainbow." that you've mentioned , we do like Doris Day's recording, and Ella Fitzgerald's version is also excellent, complete with the verse, but Tony Bennett sings Fly Me To The Moon with the verse included, just fantastic, and in a noticably slower tempo.
Another verse to a great classic song........"Our Love Is Here To Stay"
The More I Read The Papers, The Less I Comprehend
The World with All it's Capers And How It All Will End.
Nothing Seems To Be Lasting But That Isn't Our Affair.
We've Got Something Permanent, I Mean In The Way We Care.

Again very few included the verse, but singer Dinah Shore made a nice recording.

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:38 pm

At sing-alongs, people love to sing that last line of But Not For Me. It's got to be one of the best lyrics ever written.

I agree completely on Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered and Someone To Watch Over Me.

I also feel cheated when the opening verse of Love Is Here To Stay is omitted:

The more I read the papers, the less I comprehend, the world and all its capers and how it all will end. Nothing seems to be lasting, but that isn't our affair. We've got something permanent, I mean in the way we care.

Why would anyone not record that?

Almost all of the Rodgers & Hart songs have great intros. Here's a cute one from To Keep My Love Alive:

I've been married and married, and often I've sighed "I'm never a bridesmaid, I'm always a bride". I never divorced them, I hadn't the heart. Yet remember these sweet words, "till death do us part"!

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:54 pm

Just a quick followup: I guess Matt Monro fans think alike! Separated by a large ocean, Lena and Harry wrote their message regarding the opening of Love Is Here To Stay at the exact same time as I did. But they sent their 4 minutes earlier than mine (probably while I was writing about To Keep My Love Alive)!

(I was recalling the Love Is Here To Stay verse from memory; so I'm pleased it matches Lena and Harry's perfectly!)

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:07 am

Hi Paul, great minds think alike, so they say, isn't that amazing.!! yes even though seperated by the Big Pond.
Also this song, "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "But Not For Me" both Gershwyn numbers.
"To Keep My Love Alive" is another great song, great lyrics, this one recorded again by the lady of song again Ella and others of course.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:43 am

Hi Paul, Lena and Harry---you must have been reading my mind---I did not know the intro to "Love is Here to stay " until I heard it on the latest Johnny Mathis cd---why do so many singers ignore it??

That is such a coincidence, both of you posting the lyrics at the same time---it is true---great minds really do think alike

I was going to mention "Ella Fitzgeralds" version of "To Keep my love alive", but you 2 beat me to it---but it always makes me smile!

I believe it came from a show or a film--am I correct??

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:12 pm

Hi Marian, Paul and all, As we are discussing that subject of the introductory verse to these songs, we thought it would be an idea to start a new thread and a new game. So we can get our thinking caps on.

So join in the fun.