Faith is now quite uncertain. I'm no longer acting-as-if.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Fred Astaire - "Puttin' On The Ritz"
Fred Astaire is well celebrated for his dancing, but I believe he is greatly underrated as a song stylist. Here he is demonstrating both to wonderful effect.
I thought I'd leave you alone for a while b/c you said you needed some time off.
I come back to find that you only took a day off. Whoa! Well, I'm delighted, of course, but annoyed with myself for missing the memo that you were back.
No pressure, Mimi. Just let it flow. And, if you need some time off again, just take it. Please, though, just let me know when you're back. I got a whole mess of catching up to do.
Oh, Elizabeth! The shame of it! One day! I meant it when I said it.
I'm doing much better - not pressuring myself so. Making a bit of a public fool of oneself is a wonderful antidote to the notion that one is indispensable.
I believe he is greatly underrated as a song stylist
I have a bio of Fred, that said something to the effect of
"While singers like Bing Crosby had to make do w/ second-rate composers, the greatest composers of American popular music competed w/ each other, to have FRED introduce their music. Why? Because (in addition to his peerless dancer's timing), Fred had an understated style which would not overwhelm the song."
In other words, a composer like Cole Porter would expect "Everyone will LOVE my song Night and Day if Fred sings it" rather than be asked "Have you heard Bing Crosby's latest?" Makes sense to me! ;-/
At any rate, Mimi, I come from 3 generations of Fred lovers (my grandmother, six months younger than him---though she outlived him by 11 years; my mother, gone to the Movie Palace in the Sky just over a year ago; and me). I actually have a double album of Fred singing (Ack! haven't heard it in about 15-20 years, because I haven't had a working record player in that time!)
Fabulous. Getting my headline in order for an echo.
ReplyDeleteLoved it, thank you
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice, Mimi - so nostaglic.
ReplyDeleteHe's great, ain't he? I've enjoyed him since I was a wee lass.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is totally off topic, but maybe not.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd leave you alone for a while b/c you said you needed some time off.
I come back to find that you only took a day off. Whoa! Well, I'm delighted, of course, but annoyed with myself for missing the memo that you were back.
No pressure, Mimi. Just let it flow. And, if you need some time off again, just take it. Please, though, just let me know when you're back. I got a whole mess of catching up to do.
Oh, Elizabeth! The shame of it! One day! I meant it when I said it.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing much better - not pressuring myself so. Making a bit of a public fool of oneself is a wonderful antidote to the notion that one is indispensable.
LINK and even better in tribute.
ReplyDeleteTheMe, excellent! Thanks for the link.
ReplyDeleteI believe he is greatly underrated as a song stylist
ReplyDeleteI have a bio of Fred, that said something to the effect of
"While singers like Bing Crosby had to make do w/ second-rate composers, the greatest composers of American popular music competed w/ each other, to have FRED introduce their music. Why? Because (in addition to his peerless dancer's timing), Fred had an understated style which would not overwhelm the song."
In other words, a composer like Cole Porter would expect "Everyone will LOVE my song Night and Day if Fred sings it" rather than be asked "Have you heard Bing Crosby's latest?" Makes sense to me! ;-/
At any rate, Mimi, I come from 3 generations of Fred lovers (my grandmother, six months younger than him---though she outlived him by 11 years; my mother, gone to the Movie Palace in the Sky just over a year ago; and me). I actually have a double album of Fred singing (Ack! haven't heard it in about 15-20 years, because I haven't had a working record player in that time!)
There was only One Fred. :-D
JCF, I agree entirely. Of course, composers loved him.
ReplyDeleteFAAAAAAAAbulous! And one of my favorite songs, too.
ReplyDeleteThis beats MTV a hundred times over. Sigh.
Love,
Jane the Old F*rt
By popular demand, I'll post another Fred later tonight.
ReplyDeleteAgain. Again. More. More!
ReplyDelete