# Help needed for many versions of the same song... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177 "2004-11-29T17:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/1 "2004-11-29T17:49:59Z")
My brother-in-law has asked for an unusual gift for Christmas. He wants me to buy him several albums of Gershwin songs. Albums that specifically have \*\*Somone To Watch Over Me \*\* and **They Can’t Take That Away From Me**. The only one I feel safe with is Ella singing the Geshwin Songbook. But I’m not picky. I’d love to drop one in there that is totally unexpected. So what are the best versions of these songs that you know? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/2 "2004-11-29T18:02:18Z")
Unabashed plug: Check out NYC’s Footlight Records: [www.footlight.com](http://www.footlight.com) They know EVERYTHING about show music, and should be able to give you some good recommendations. ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/3 "2004-11-29T18:30:40Z")
I have a copy of “The Glory of Gershwin” and really enjoy it. If you want to see what’s on it, here’s a link: [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001EC5/qid=1101753012/sr=8-1/ref=pd\_csp\_1/104-7166608-5163165?v=glance&s=music&n=507846](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001EC5/qid=1101753012/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-7166608-5163165?v=glance&s=music&n=507846) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/4 "2004-11-29T19:01:04Z")
There might maybe be some foreign language versions of the two songs. Germany and Japan are the big markets for show music, but others might be available. I image that would be totally unexpected. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/5 "2004-11-29T19:05:14Z")
If my BIL asked for two specific songs, I’d go to the library/ask my friends and get every version I could. Then I’d burn all of the versions I could find onto a single CD. I’m not sure if this would make me a terrible sister in law or a great one. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/6 "2004-11-29T19:31:53Z")
I used to have a duet of ‘Cant take that away’ by Tony Bennett and Elvis Costello that was aces - not any more tho; - never loan music. MiM ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-needed-for-many-versions-of-the-same-song/277177/7 "2004-11-29T20:00:56Z")
“ **Someone to Watch Over Me** ” is one of my all-time favorite songs, and one of my favorite versions of it is by Keely Smith – even though she doesn’t sing the intro. _{grin}_. It’s available on [_Sweet and Lovely: Capitol’s Great Ladies of Song, Vol. 1_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000DRD9/qid=1101758273/sr=2-2/ref=pd_ka_b_2_2/102-2044328-8006555), which I highly recommend to anyone who likes this sort of thing (though it’s not all Gershwin). 🙂