If this were the only arrangement of “Ol’ Man River” you ever heard, you’d never know it was about the exhausting inhumanity of slavery.
Yeesh. I was prepared to argue that a '20s or '30s-era jazz cover might be forgiven, but 1977?? They should have known better.
You want to hear a song utterly changed? Listen to Andy Griffith singing House of the Rising Sun. The lyrics are completely changed. You’d never guess it’s about a bordello
Bing understood the plight of black Americans under slavery better than almost anyone. He had even been one.
One of my favorite moments on Newhart was of Stephanie (the spoiled rich white heiress played by Julia Duffy) singing Ol’ Man River. I wonder if it might have been inspired by this song.
Frank Sinatra sang it in (IIRC) Till the Clouds Roll By. He’s in a white tux and the melody’s being played on (again, IIRC) multiple white grand pianos. This was a 1946 movie.
How about a little kid in his crib singing Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen?
The song is from the musical Showboat. The action takes place from 1887 to 1927.
It is about race and class but not slavery. It’s also about how “nature” doesn’t care about your petty little problems. (and it doesn’t matter if your black or white or rich or poor or whatever)
If you want to se it really destroyed, wait until the PC police get a hold of it.
Bobby Darin, “Artificial Flowers.”
Child labor, swing version.
I’m not sure that’s any worse than Sinatra’s cover of “Mrs. Robinson”.
I’m well aware of that. But most interpretations of it don’t turn it into something bouncy and upbeat, like Crosby’s.
My vote is for just about any pop star putting his/her particular spin on the Star Spangled Banner.
Our National Anthem might be a lot of things, but it’s not a “great song.” As a song, it’s awful.
Speaking of anthems, one way is to tack an artificially long ending to it. “Hey Jude” would be a great song but for the ending.
Oh, but he knows it and thinks it’s a hoot. He’s really selling the cheese.
It was a decent British drinking song in its day!
That was…different. Suck the soul right out of the song and turn it into carnival music. I’d love to hear his take on “Amazing Grace” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”
Reminded me of Richard Cheese.
It’s hard to do worse than Joan Baez’ version of The Band’s The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Take Levon Helm’s vocals and drain all the soul and sincerity out and you’ve got Baez.
I wouldn’t call it carnival music. It took a broadway song which was inspired by spirituals and turned it into a old style light jazz song. And his backing band is pretty damn good.