Your all time Favourite songs, sung by other Artist's

[ROBERT M.]

Hello everyone. I was trying to think of a new game for us all to join in with. This idea just came to me out of the blue. It's not a quiz type game, but it is so simple. We have had songs we wish Matt could have sung, but what about the "Greatest Songs" that we all love and cherish for one reason or another. Songs sung by OTHER ARTIST'S wether it be male vocalists, female vocalists, or even groups, anyone really. I bet we all have many many songs we love so much, for one reason or another. So let's hear about all the songs you love and like, and give a reason why you like that particular song. Many songs that we love are because they bring back many memories for us all from the past.

I will start off with one of my favourite songs. When I was growing up (I was quite young at the time) my mum bought our first record player, probably in the early 1960's. One of the first songs my mum bought (from the local Rediffusion shop) I think, was "Why" by Anthony Newley. I have absolutely loved the song ever since. I still love to hear it today, so gentle and romantic and just a lovely melody.

So come on don't be shy, lets hear all your lovely Favourite songs.

My tears will fall now that your gone

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Well Robert we could write a book on songs and memories, but I( Lena)
am going back to the war years with this memory of sitting in our local shelter with my family and neighbours all having our regular sing song and my sister and I got up and sang together that lovely song "You'll Never Know " Now last year Al Martino toured here and invited me up on the stage to dance with him and the orchestra struck up and played that very song "You'll Never Know" so you can guess I now have happier memories connected to that song.

[mariana44]

Hi Robert, Lena and Harry---what a great idea for a new quiz--the trouble is of course that there are SO MANY.

The first 2 that you have both chosen have connections for me also, as I have always loved Anthony Newley, back to his "Idle on Parade" days, and "Why" was a big favourite of mine--did you know Robert that he also sang this as a duet with his daughter Tara---on a Greatest Hits album?

"You'll never know" also has special connections for me as Johnny Mathis would sometimes finish a concert with this song--and at his last concert in the UK, over 10 years ago, some of us members in the fanclub rehearsed and sang it back to him at the end of his last cocert---the band even joined in with us--a lovely memory.

But for my first favourite I am picking a song that was a favourite of my husband and I when we were first married---he passed away last year so this song is very special to me.

"I pretend" by Des O' Connor.

Marian

[ROBERT M.]

Hello Mariana44, Lena and Harry and everybody. I'm pleased that you like this new quiz game idea I came up with Mariana44. The beauty of it is that everytime you remember a favourite song you love, you can post in on here and let us all know why you like that particular song so much.

That was a good story Lena you told us concerning Al Martino, and the same goes for the Johhny Mathis story, I bet there were a few tears about that night Mariana44.

I did not know Anthony Newley dueted with his daughter to sing "Why". Daughter Tara, I believe is also the daughter of Joan Collins, who Harry seems to know well!! from his taxi, the licky blighter!!

I see you chose "I Pretend" by Des O'Connor, as one of your favourites Mariana44, as your husband also liked the song. I don't know if I should say this but I am a "closet" Des O'Connor fan myself (don't tell Eric and Ernie) will you, we will keep it our little secret shall we
I do love "I Pretend", but I do have a very soft spot for another Des O'Connor song "123 O'Leary". I think it was because it was a hit song when I was getting into music during the 1960's. I love it. I do have a Des O'Connor "best of" album in my collection.

My tears will fall now that your gone

[mariana44]

Hi all---I have been thinking hard about this, like everyone I have so many favourites.

I have loved Karen Carpenter since her early days, and anything she sings sounds great. On the most recent Carpenters Cd [several years ago], some songs that Karen had recorded, but never before released were included. One of them was this great song, written by the very talented Paul Williams.

I have to admit that I do not understand it all, and it took me ages to learn the words, but nevertheless it is now one of my all time favourites, so here it is--

Karen Carpenter------The Rainbow Connection.

Karen also does a great duet medley with Ella Fitzgerald on this cd.

Marian

[ROBERT M.]

Hello Mariana44 and all. Karen Carpenter has a really angelic and pure voice hasn't she Mariana44. She and her brother Richard recorded some fabulous songs, and yes I do have a "best of" CD by the Carpenters. (By the way is the former boxing commentator Harry Carpenter their dad).

Another song I would like to add to the list of my favourite all time song's is "Any Dream Will Do" especially sung by Max Bygraves. I just love that particular song. The melody is just perfect. The song is so heartwarming. I believe the song is from the soundtrack of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat". Until I heard Max Bygraves's version I don't think that i'd heard the song before. But once I had heard it, I kept on playing it time after time as I love it so much.
Come on let's hear other peoples favourites, as we haven't heard from many other people yet.

My tears will fall now that your gone

[mariana44]

Hi Robert and all, Yes that song is from "Joseph", my favourite Lloyd Webber musical, after "Evita". I have never heard Max Bygraves singing it---I am more familiar with the Donny Osmond version.

As I am a big fan of all the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, and as this is the first time mention of him [that I have seen]--I will continue in that theme. I have 6 different versions of "Evita" including a "Tokyo" sountrack, a German sountrack, and a Disco version. I love all the music, so it is hard to pick just one, but I guess my favourite has to be

"High Flying Adored" song by "Mandy Patinkin"

This version is from the Broadway soundtrack, and I believe this is the first mention of Mandy Patinkin on these pages--a very unique voice.

For those who do not recognise the name, firstly, Mandy is a man He starred with Barbra Streisand in "Yentl", but he did not sing in it.
He also starred in "Chicago Hope" as one of the doctors, and I did catch him singng on that once or twice. My favourite cd's of Mandy Patinkin is called "Experiment" and is is one of the few cd's where I love every track.

I went to see "Evita" when Stephanie Lawrence was in it--- I went with the Johnny Mathis fan club [they once sang a duet together], and we were invited by Stephanie to go backstage into her dressing room after the show. It was amazing--we all had tea and cakes, with Stephanie still in her make- up for the "Death Scene"---she was lovely, and I was really sorry when she died a few years ago.

Marian

[Terence Lee]

I remember being crazy about songs associated with cities. Indeed on my first trip to New York, I was actually singing Liza Minnelli's New York New York quite often. On my way there when my tour bus passed by Cape Cod, I was singing Patti Page's Old Cape Cod. In Hong Kong, I have Frances Yip's Kowloon Hong Kong whenever I admire the harbour view. On my first trip to London in the late 70s, I did not have a song to sing but in the 80s, Shirley Bassey put out a single titled There's No Place Like London. I first heard it at her concert staged at Wembley Arena and it stuck in my mind for days. To borrow a song title from Dame Shirley, I guess I was BORN TO SING!

[ROBERT M.]

Hello Terence and Mariana44. I love the song "Old Cape Cod" but I like the version of the song by Michael Holliday. I bet they sing that particular song on the fish docks in Grimsby!!

Mariana44 it is very confusing at times when people have opposite sex names. "Mandy" Patinkin for one, and another one that comes to my mind at the moment, from politics is "Hilary"Benn, the son of Tony Benn. I wonder if parent's do it for a laugh, or it could be that they were hoping for a baby of the opposite sex and just stook to the original name they had in mind.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals are supreme. You like "Evita" Mariana44, don't you. Did you like Madonna when she starred in the film version of the musical. Do you know that Sunset Boulevard is being made into a film version at the moment. Last year I bought the DVD of "Phantom of The Opera", which is absolutely fantastic. An all-star cast Gerard Butler (as the Phantom), Emmy Rossum (as Christine), Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver and Simon Callow. Gerard Butler "The Phantom" was a tremendous choice in what I think is his first film role, he was so amazing. But for me the ABSOLUTE star of the film was Emmy Rossum. Didn't she look gorgeous and what a terrific voice she has. That was actually her own voice used in the film not a dubbed voice. I don't think she is even 20 years of age yet, what a great career she has in front of her. WOW.

Finally before I go, can I just say what a massive shame it was with the demise of Stephanie Lawrence, she was lovely too.

My tears will fall now that your gone

[mariana44]

Hi Terence and Robert--you bought back memories for me, writing about the songs to match the places. I remember the first time I went to New York, just over 10 years ago, I had Keyrings made for my friends and I , and had them engraved "I'm in a New York State of Mind". I guess I still am, brecause I just loved New York. We saw "Les Miserables" on Broadway---what a thrillling experience!!!


I think Mandy Patinkins full name was Mandel, I do not know why it was shortened. And I think Madonna was great in "Evita". I did not know that "Sunset Boulevard"was being made into a film. The first time I saw the show, I found it very hard to follow---it is done on 2 levels. The second time I saw it , it did begin to make more sense. I must admit, I do not have the dvd of "Phantom of the Opera"--mainly because I enjoyed the show so much, I did not want to be disappointed with the film. I saw it with Michael Crawford, just before he left for US, then I saw Dave Willetts, and another singer who was an understudy. Dave Willetts was best I thought. A really good voice.

Just to keep to the title of this posting, I am going back to the theme of New York. I think Bobby Darin is great, and this song is probably not as well known as many others---it reminds me a lot of Matt's version of "This is the Life"--the same kind of rhythm, and it is definately one of my top ten.

So here it is

Bobby Darin---"Sunday in New York"

Marian

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Hi all, theres some nice reminders and memories here of your favourite singers and musicals, and now we also liked Karen and Richard Carpenter and have many of their recordings, but no Robert we doubt if Harry Carpenter was
related to them, but there was also Canadian singer Paul Carpenter sang with the Ted Heath Band during the Fifties, don't think he was related either.
Robert "Any Dream Will Do" is a lovely song and was very much associated with Jason Donovon who played Joseph in the Andrew Lloyd Webber London production, and Terence we also like Patti Pages recording of Cape Cod, but our favourite is Jerry Vales version.
Mariana44 we thought Madonna played a great part in Evita, but have to admit have never heard of Mandy Patinkin
We all like to have happy memories of singers, but this one's different We always liked musicals and one particular singer that we both liked was John Hanson who was specially remembered in the Sixties for playing the part of "The Red Shadow" in the musical The Desert Song, and also appeared in other musicals in Londons West End such as "The Student Prince". We saw them all. A few years ago we were on holiday in Bournemouth and to our delight learned that he was appearing in a show there. It was the most disappointing evening and the most embarassing and wooden performance that we can remember from this once wonderful voice. It's very sad when this happens. John Hanson passed away just a few years ago.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Mariana44. We also like Bobby Darin, he is one of our all time favourites, specially his duet album with Johnny Mercer "Two Of A Kind"
W enjoyed the music in the film "Beyond The Sea" and in spite of his performance we thought that Kevin Spacey looked just that bit too old for the part. ( only our opinion of course.

[Terence Lee]

Hi Lena and Harry

What a coincidence that someone just passed me The Essential Bobby Darin CD. Yes he has a good voice and he can swing too. Pity he died so young. My favourite song from that CD is his hit 18 Yellow Roses.

[ROBERT M.]

Hello Terence and everyone. Coincidence, but my favourite Bobby Darin song is "18 Yellow Roses". It is a rather unusual type of love song.

My tears will fall now that your gone

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Hi All, this particularly for Robert. Desmond Carrington has a programme for the next seven Fridays in addition to his Tuesday evening programmes on BBC Radio 2 with a different artist featuring each week. This evening it was Max Bygraves and he has just sang your favourite " Any Dream Will Do"
The next six Fridays will be Gracie Fields, 2nd June. Ronnie Hilton, the 9th, The Andrew Sisters, 16th, Val Doonican, 23rd, and Dorothy Squires 30th.
By the way Desmond one of our favourite DJs, celebrated his 80th Birthday on Tuesday.