Witchcraft

 

 

 

 

Those fingers in my hair
That sly come-hither stare
That strips my conscience bare
It's witchcraft

I love listening to this song, though it was not used in the Bewitched series, I think of the characters there when listening to this song. It is composed in 1957 by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, and originally recorded and popularized by Sinatra. It had numerous versions (that I haven't heard of) over the years making it a standard song.

The song basically means that a man was lovestruck and he points witchcraft as a reason. He believes that he was magicked by his lover (which is a really old idea and at the same time very Weasley-and-Granger-ish).

 

 

And I've got no defense for it
The heat is too intense for it
What good would common sense for it do?

'cause it's witchcraft, wicked witchcraft
And although I know it's strictly taboo
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says "Yes, indeed" in me
"Proceed with what you're leadin' me to"

In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning

 It's one of my Sinatra favorites (even though I love almost all his songs).  

In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning talks about a man professing his obsession about a woman. It's so romantic for me to hear someone saying that he misses a woman in the brief moments of the dawn--implying that he miss this woman greatly.

Sinatra's deep voice also gives the melodious, soft and dreamy song. It adds element of loneliness and sincerity in the song. The musical accompaniment was also perfect--making the song an excellent choice whenever you want to relax for a while after a stressful day.

The short, simple and repeating lyrics was good for me, because back then it's how songs were written. I love hearing the line:

You lie awake and think about the girl

And never ever think of counting sheep

because I kind of relate to it, and I know many of you do too. :)

This song, which title was also that of its album, was popularized in 1955, by Sinatra himself. The lyrics were written by Bob Hilliard and the music was arranged by David Mann. Since then, the song was covered by many artists, like Barbra Streisand and John Mayer.

However, even though John Mayer nicely did it, I think he kind of made the song too sleepy and made the key go higher a bit, sorry but I just don't like it. Who's good in there with him was Chris Botti and his magical trumpet.

What I am really disturbed yet sort of happy was hearing Barbra's rendition of the song, based on the version of Julie London, that she did for the movie Sleepless in Seattle (yey!). The lyrics were added with a one paragraph stanza in the beginning. It feels like it was off because the tune was really out of the song's keys (I think?) that's why I don't like it. Too bad, the lyrics was great and Barbra's voice was mystifyingly beautiful, too.

Well, no one beats Frankie :)

Learnin' the Blues

When you at home alone
The blues will taunt you constantly, yessuh
Ba dit dit deet
And when you're out in a crowd
The Blues will haunt your memories
Bah da doh doh zet

 These lines from the song "Learnin' the Blues" (Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong version) made me realize what the blue songs really mean after so many years of letting me believe that I know what blues songs are.

This song was written by Dolores Vicki Silvers in 1955. A demo of the song was recorded by some Valino man and was passed to Frank Sinatra for him to record. Then in 1957, Ella and Louis (that is for me, the greatest duet ever) made their rendition of the song.

From the original, it surely is different. Because there are two singers, the lyrics were edited for each, to match with their genders. And a technique was used (for the singer having no part at the moment not to be bored maybe), and that is the Bah da doh doh zet/ Ba dit dit deet parts.

What is beautiful in this rendition is that its a duet. A not your ordinary duet. Because here, they communicate. They actually has that magical connection. It sounds like they're just to folks chatting in a bar, speaking for themselves but not actually declaring that it's them they're talking about.

ELLA:

The nights when you don't sleep
The whole night you're cryin'
But you can't forget him
Soon you even stop tryin'

LOUIS:

Man, it's the beginnin'
Just one of those cluessssss
You've had your first lesson, Whoa, yes
In learnin' the Blues

They really tweaked the original, even though the lyrics are just the same. The fast beat of Sinatra was for me really off. But Ella and Louis' wonderful saxophone music background really makes the song a blue song.

Maybe someday, I'll be reviewing other awesome duets of the two... so thanks for reading! and please,,,  THE GOOD MUSIC IS IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY :)