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

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Marian, yes the "Glory Of Love" is another one that we like from Jimmy Durante.
We heard David Jacob's programme and we like Robert Goulet, but we know exactly what you mean about Jimmy Durante's version. Jimmy also has a reputation of being one of the nicest people in showbusiness. He was a very generous man, cared passionately about children and throuout his life raised huge sums of money for their welfare.
One description of Jimmy Durante was..........
You could warm your hands on Jimmy. We've never heard that one before !! but it sounds nice doesn't it.

[ROBERT M.]

Hello everyone. My answer is YES, Mariana44.

[mariana44]

Hi Robert--thanks for that--I'll start working on it.

Marian

[mariana44]

Firstly, I want to say thanks to Robert for letting me do this to his question.
I am just a hopeless list-aholic, I’m afraid.

There are some unusual choices here, and the range of singers is just amazing.

I will start with Robert’s first choice.

Anthony Newley----------Why?
Al Martino------------------You’ll never know
Des O’ Connor--------------I pretend
Karen Carpenter------------The Rainbow Connection
Max Bygraves--------------Any Dream will do
Mandy Patinkin-----------High Flying Adored
Liza Minnelli---------------New York, New York
Patti Page------------------ Old Cape Cod
Shirley Bassey-------------There’s no place like London
Bobby Darin------------------Sunday in New York
Bobby Darin-----------------18 Yellow Roses
Gracie Fields----------------Take me to your heart again
Neil Sedaka----------------For Peace and Love
Shirley Bassey-------------Perfect Strangers
Beautiful South------------Pretenders to the Throne
Prefab Sprout--------------King of Rock and roll
Something in the Air-----Thunderclap Newman
Captain---------------------Broke
The Feeling----------------Fill My Little World
Pat Boone------------------April Love
Pat Boone----------------Friendly Persuasion
Mitzi Gaynor-------------I’m in love with a wonderful guy
Elvis Presley-------------The Girl of my Best friend
Scott Walker-------------Love her
Walker Brothers---------The sun ain’t gonna shine any more
Peter Grant-------------Joanna
David Whitfield --------Cara Mia
Johnny Mathis-----------Oh that Feeling
Matt Monro-------------Walk Away
Meat Loaf---------2 out of 3 ain’t bad [ I am not sure if this is the title??]
Meatloaf----------Read ‘Em and Weep
Barry Manilow---------Somewhere in the night
Barry Manilow---------One Voice
Andy Williams--------Almost there
Andy Williams---------Home Loving Man
Andy Williams---------Abraham, Martin and John.
Jimmy Durante--------Make Someone Happy
Jimmy Durante ---------As Time Goes By..

Don’t forget---Keep them coming---it is fascinating to see all these different favourites. We want to see lots more!!

Marian

[paul jh]

Thanks for compiling the list, Marian.

My favourite song of all time was Wishin' and Hopin' by Dusty Springfield. It's also one of the first 45s I ever bought. Everything about it thrills me everytime I hear it. Probably her vocal is the best part about it. But I also love the flugelhorn part.

But a few years ago a new song came out that just completely moved me. It was the top song on my monthly chart for five months, which breaks a record. The vocals, production, and instrumentation was better than anything I've ever heard. It is: Feel by Robbie Williams.

I don't know if Feel will continue to rank above Wishin' and Hopin' which had the title of my favourite song for almost 40 years!

Runner up goes to On Bended Knee by Boyz II Men, which makes me cry everytime I hear it.

[mariana44]

Hi Paul---well looks like your choices are going to be the first ones in the new list--when we get enough for a new list, that is.

They are very interesting suggestions from you---as usual. Of course I know"Wishing and Hoping", but I do not know "Feel" by Robbie---sometimes I like him, sometimes not. As for Boyz 11 Men, I have heard of them--that is about all, I'm afraid.

I am going to have to put those on my list fof checking out.

Marian

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Hi Marian, goodness that list took some going back. Well we couldn't forget "Here In My Heart" by Al Martino. Like so many artists with compilations we have this song on endless albums and CDs and as we've seen him sing this song Twenty Eight times we really have to include it.

[ROBERT M.]

Hello Mariana44 and all. Thank you for doing the above list Mariana44, you definitely are a list-aholic, arn't you.

I noticed a Neil Sedaka song on the list (I know you like him). My favourite song by Neil Sedaka, and one of my all time favourite songs is "Laughter In The Rain", such a lovely song and so moving. By the way "2 out of 3 ain't bad" is the correct song.

[mariana44]

Hi Robert--yes I chose Neil Sedaka---he is brilliant---an excellent songwriter. "Laughter in the rain" is one of my faves also, but I like it as a duet with his daughter Dara--he has done 2 versions if this--one on his "Timeless" album, that starts with the sound of a storm, and the other on his latest compilation, which does not have the storm.

When he is concert, at one point he talks about how he is asked "How do you write a song"---so he just plays about 4 notes on the piano--and it is instantly recognised as "Laughter in the rain"---then he adds a few more notes, a few twiddley bits, and hey presto--the whole song ,just as we know and love it!!!

Marian

[Terrajel]

Marian,

I have some nominations fro your list, with a bit of background on my choice. Here's the first:

God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Twenty years ago this would not have been on my list, since I have only in recent years come to appreciate just how humongously brilliant this song really is. As a Beach Boy track it invokes the 60's California image we all have of sun, sea, and surf. This is what Brian Wilson who wrote it says:
This song was written really quickly ... probably in less than an hour. It's an honour to have written this one. It was also a pretty controversial record in that, as far as I know, it was the first rock songs to have "God" in the title. It's a love song, but not a love song to a person.

Andy Williams did a cover version with a much slower tempo as a love ballad, and as much as I like and admire good old Andy, his version just doesn't cut it, because what is missing, what makes the original so incredibly good is the multipart harmonies. Listen to the Beach Boys recording very carefully, and notice the emphasis on the word what during the line God only knows what I'd be without you. This is quite deliberate and happens throughout the track. It wouldn't be the same without that emphasis.

Brian Wilson performed this when he appeared on 3rd June 2002 at The Party At The Palace. Propped up at his keyboard behind a wobbling microphone like some kind of bizarre modern day Max Headroom, he seemed intent on singing, playing, and conducting some imaginary band in front of him without moving his head. It was all a bit surreal, but a stunning rendition nevertheless. The band around him performed to perfection, the harmonies were great, and the final icing on the cake was Andrea Corr, that smashing looking gal from the Emerald Isle, who complemented his vocals beautifully, and sent shivers down my spine when she purred So what good would living do me.... Yumm

Terra

[Terrajel]

...and here's another:

Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
This was released as the B side of a single by Elvis Presley in 1972, and apparently Willie Nelson had never heard the song until 1982, when he promptly recorded it and had a massive hit with it, though I do not recall that personally. It was also covered by The Pet Shop Boys in 1987.
This is a tremendous song that I started to appreciate in the late 1980s when I was making regular business trips to South Korea. I spent many a happy evening there wandering the small music places in Itaewon, a famous tourist area in Seoul, with heavy leanings towards entertaining the personnel at the nearby US Forces base. This track appeared to be a favourite amongst the servicemen, and I couldn't particularly remember having heard this version before. It just seemed a great song to hear late at night, when you're feeling mellow and at rights with the world, but residing apart from those who are the ones that really matter in your life. The lyrics remind us all pretty painfully that we do not give enough time to the people we love, so it's a song with a startlingly clear observation, and a great message to take to heart. It's kind of written after the event, so there's still time to take note. There's nought so true as the blindingly obvious sometimes, and this song says it all. The Willie Nelson version is the best, for it's slower tempo, and the fact that it really sounds from the heart.


Terra

[Terrajel]

...and another

Something - The Beatles
The Beatles undoubtedly contributed greatly to our musical heritage, so I've decided they deserve a place in my favourites list, mainly on account of their song-writing abilities. In my opinion this was George Harrison's greatest contribution, and the opening chord sequence - F Eb G7 C - is the simple engine that underpins the whole thing. It was inspired by both George's wife Pattie Boyd and the James Taylor song Something In The Way She Moves. I quite like to play the intro on keyboard, but that's as far as I get, 'cos I get tangled up when it changes key to something with far too many sharps.
This was released as a double A side single together with Come Together in October 1969.

For many years I preferred the Shirley Bassey cover. Her vocal range is astonishing and her voice has a raw power that totally shines through on this song. The fact that she is backed by a full orchestra with the strings and brass clearly playing a big part means that this version is far more "produced". As I've got older, I've come to prefer the original version for it's elegant simplicity.

Terra

[mariana44]

Hi Terra,Well thanks for your 3 choices, plus all the background notes to them. I agree 100% with the Beach Boys and "God only knows"--plus of course the other great one "Good Vibrations"--they just have this unique sound that instantly can take you back in time, a different era , you could say

"Always on my mind" is a real good song too, but I prefer Elvis's version.

The Beatles of course are again just unique--this song has been covered so many times. I rather think that Terence may disagree with you , and think Shirley Bassey does the best version. I am impressed that you know that opening chord. Do you know the one for "A hard Days night"---just the one note,[ or as you may say--chord] and it could not be anything other than "A hard days night"--it was always one of my husbands faves.

Marian

[Terence Lee]

I definitely think that Shirley Bassey has the definitive version of Something. It even outperformed the Beatles's version on the British charts. However she could not pull off the same feat with "Fool On The Hill" although I think her arrangement and performance is superior again. Tastes were changing in the mid 70s and Bassey was out of fashion in the UK for many years until The Rhythm Divine brought her back to the charts. As a fan, I have to proclaim "what happened to the musical tastes of the record-buying public?!!"

[Terrajel]

Hi Marian,

Yes, the opening chord for A Hard Day's Night is played on the electric guitar only, and is a D7sus4 if you want to know the details

As you say, this is an unmistakeable one note opening that everyone gets when we play beat the intro. An interesting chord that sounds almost discordant, like a cat caught in the piano

Terra