Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to a song entitled Gocce di Pioggia su di Me – it’s quite catchy, you know. The rough English translation is Raindrops on Me. This song is by some Eyetalian composer named Burt Bacharach and an Eyetalian lyricist named Hal David. I’m listening to an album of Bacharach in Eyetalian – it’s most amusing. It does have several selections from the Eyetalian cast recording of Promette Promesse and those are fun and why I suppose I bought this rather wacky CD. Now playing is Non Mi Innamoro, which roughly translates to I Do Not Fall in Love Anymore. It’s appropriate to be listening to this Eyetalian CD since I had lunch at Barone’s (the lunch-sized Spaghetti Carbonara and a little salad with Eyetalian dressing). And so one simply must listen to Eyetalian Bacharach songs such as L’ora dell’addio, which roughly translates to The Hour of Farewell aka Knowing When to Leave. I also have an all German Bacharach album, so I’ll play that when I’ve eaten some schnitzel.
I got eight hours of sleep, and once up I had several telephonic conversations about our upcoming Sherman event, wherein I had to make some executive decisions. That begat a series of strong e-mails about same and hopefully that will clear things up, but if not I am happy to keep doing my job and be strong, because in the end I am responsible for what goes up on the stage. After that, I had to do some banking, then I picked up one package, then Grant and I went to Barone’s.
Once back from there, it was a few more telephonic conversations. Then I listened to some Ella sings Gershwin – that CD is incredible, more Swingle Singers, another Danielle Licari CD (the voice behind Catherine Deneuve in Umbrellas) – loved her “best of” CD, but this thing from the 90s is horrible – she’s fine, but it’s all synths and cheesy and that’s going back from whence it came.
Then I went out to the garage and found more CDs – some stuff is not in the correct boxes and it’s driving me a little batty, and one thing I’ve sold on Amazon is nowhere to be found – I’ll keep looking and hopefully there’s one more box that it might be in, but everything I listed at the same time is here exactly where it should be – maddening and I’ll probably have to refund.
I got a snack from Ralph’s, and then spent the rest of the evening listening to some wonderful music. First a great Jack Jones/Michel Legrand CD, then all of my Claudine Longet CDs – I always loved her albums, mostly because I love the arranger, Nick De Caro and that A&M sound and production from the late 1960s. I ended up keeping the songs I really like and nuking the others, but most of her albums are just really good, despite the fact that she doesn’t have much of a voice – but the microphone loved her and she has an innocence about her and a purity of tone that just works. Very enjoyable. Also listened to a really good album with sax player Phil Woods and Michel Legrand conducting a big ol’ orchestra, called Images – excellent. And I listened to Peggy Lee’s Is That All There Is album – it’s hit and miss, but the title song is just one of the greatest recordings – her acting of the song with its dialogue and sung sections, the superb arrangement and orchestration of Randy Newman – it’s completely unique and Capitol hated it and didn’t want to release it – of course they did and the damn thing charted on Billboard. Funny how that happens sometimes, huh? And then all of the Liza Minnelli A&M albums, where she was really starting to become “LIZA”. That said, there are some really terrible arrangements as well as some great ones – a real up and down experience, with the good being great and the not good being really not good.
Today, I will continue casting the event as well as the August Kritzerland show, I’ll eat something very light, hopefully pick up some packages, have telephonic calls, and perhaps watch something.
The rest of the week is more of the same, meetings and meals, going and doing and doing and going and hopefully getting the damn Advise and Consent CDs on their way.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, continue casting, eat, hopefully pick up packages, have telephonic calls, and watch something. Today’s topic of discussion: Who are your favorite pop singers who didn’t have much of a voice but who you loved anyway? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had some Eyetalian Bacharach and David for my late-night snack.