Matt Monro Forum

Sunrise, Sunset: Is this one of the most beautiful songs ever written?
And has Matt Monro ever sounded better?

It is not uncommon for me to cry my way through listening to this song!
I have two young daughters I think the world of. I only need to of had a rough day at work, be all stressed out and then play this song - hey presto - I'm a blubbering wreck before you can say "pass the kleenex". The first line of the song always gets to me, "Is this the little girl I carried?" - hear that and I guarantee I'm sobbing.
But not because the song makes me unhappy, just the opposite, although the song is a sad one, it helps me remember why I go to work so the effect is positive!

What a gorgeous song, but it wouldn't affect me half as much if it were not for Matt Monro's faultless interpretation.
Just thought I'd tell you all, I really love this song!

Gray

Gray, such a lovely posting, and we agree with you, Sunrise Sunset is a beautiful song, just one of many superb renditions sung in Matt's own inimitable style, the lyrics and the tunes that stir the emotions for so many reasons in our individual lives, and Gray you are not alone when it comes to reaching for the kleenex
How true that lovely song, " Life Is Nothing Without Music "
and what we owe to composers, lyricists, musicians and singers such as Matt.

" More" Than The Greatest Love
The World Has Known
This Is The Love I Give To You Alone."

Lena & Harry

Thanks for your reply, it's funny you know, I have just recalled a story from a few years back.
I was chatting to a professional musician and I mentioned to her that someone I knew had started singing lessons. She asked me if that person cried a lot, because, according to her, "all the best singers cry a lot".
I wonder if this is true!?
I can see what she was intimating - and she may have a point, Pavaroti is always holding a hankerchief!

Sorry Lena & Harry, twas me who posted the above, I forgot to sign in.
But, what do you expect from a man who can't operate the electric can opener, I've no chance with a computer!

Gray

That may be true Gray. right or not It takes feeling of a song and expression of the lyrics to achieve this. Johhny Ray is of course the first singer that comes to mind with his song "Cry" and then there's Jimmy Scott known as "Crying Jimmy Scott" because of his songs such as "Motherless Child" and "My Mothers Eyes" which apparently never failed to have him genuinely crying buckets all the way through these type of songs.
Opera singers have been known to genuinely sob when actually required singing arias like Pagliaccli for instance along with the atmosphere in the audience.
Pavarotti, according to his former agent first used a handkerchief for a special performance at Carnegie Hall when he had a cold and even been used to hold throat lozenges in, so is perhaps now a versatile prop.
He does use it to mop his brow too

Hi Gray,
It's catching but we did log in but don't know what happened.
It was our reply.

Lena & Harry

Thanks for this info, I only know 'walking in the rain' by Johnny Ray so I will definately keep an eye out for some of his other stuff.
And yes, I can see how opera singers get filled with emotion too..isn't music a powerful medium?

Gray