As we all know, unless you have been hiding under a rock, Queen Elizabeth died and I don’t think we were expecting it even though she was 96 and never seemed to get over the Covid virus. Personally, I think it knocked the stuffing out of her and with her husband, of 70 years ( wow!) gone the year before, I guess it was just a matter of time. I have been strangely moved by her demise and didn’t expect it, to be honest, so, I thought, why not look at the top songs from her biggest moments (no births here) so, here we go...
1. BYE BYE BLACKBIRD SUNG BY GENE AUSTIN-1926
I heard of this song but never knew it was such a mega hit back in 1926. It was written by Ray Henderson with lyrics by Mort Dixon. I’ve heard this in movies and, maybe, a MASH episode, but I didn’t know it was a huge hit in the UK back when she was born.
2. THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES BY EDDIE DUCHIN-1947
This comes from a film of the same name and I did not know that( now I want to see the film) but this song was a big hit when The Queen married her 2nd cousin 3x removed...or is that 3rd cousin twice removed?? Oh well, she married her match and she loved him. I really like this song and I tried to find the song sung by Anne Shelton but couldn't through Blogger but go to YouTube.. pretty cool. This singer with the music composed by Jerry Brainin and lyrics by Buddy Bernier.
3. HERE IN MY HEART SUNG BY AL MARTINO-1952
When her father died, she instantly became Queen and was actually in Africa when this happened so she and Prince Phillip had to get home right away. This song was a big hit in the UK written and composed by Pat Genero, Lou Levinson and Bill Borrelli. Al Martino,a U. S. Singer, made #1 only in the UK once.
4. THE SONG FROM MOULIN ROUGE BY MANTOVANI-1953
On June 2nd( my birthday just not 1953) was the coronation and this famous song was all the rage in the UK by this Orchestra leader while Percy Faith was the leader over in our woods. It was written by George Auric and called “Where Is Your Heart” or “ It’s April Again.”
5. BADDEST OF THEM ALL WRITTEN AND SUNG BY ELIZA ROSE 2022
I know, more than my usual 3 songs but I had to pick the top parts of Queen E and her death is a tribute to her as well even with this song. I actually don’t hate it. What a difference between 1926 and today.
Which songs would you pick as a tribute even if you didn’t care for the Queen?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteYessum, the queen's death impacted us all in varying degrees. I can tell that you were surprised and saddened. I hope you have watched The Crown, because the wonderful series allows us to trace Elizabeth's life, albeit through a mix of fact and fiction, and feel as if we knew and understood her.
I appreciated what you did here, posting the songs that were popular as Elizabeth marked the milestones of her long life. In my early years, I heard various artists sing "Bye Bye Blackbird," but never before heard the 1926 original. The jazz standard "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" is also a new one to my ears this morning, and is not to be confused with the pop song that was a hit for Bobby Vee in early 1963. Italian-American pop crooner Al Martino's was a familiar voice on radio and TV when I was young. One of his most successful periods on the U.S. chart came in 1963 and 1964 when he scored hits with "I Love You Because," "Painted, Tainted Rose" and "I Love You More and More Every Day." The song you posted, "Here In My Heart," topped the chart the year Elizabeth came "Out Of Africa" to become queen, but I don't remember it. I was age two at the time and my folks didn't buy that particular record. Brit girl Eliza Rose's summer 2022 house hit "B.O.T.A." is a jarring juxtaposition, reminding us of the very different world we live in today.
The only song I can think of as a tribute to Elizabeth II is "Three Times A Lady" written by Lionel Richie, a chart-topping hit for his group The Commodores in 1978:
Thanks for the times that you've given me
The memories are all in my mind
And now that we've come to the end of our rainbow
There's something I must say out loud
You're once, twice, three times a lady
And I love you
Yes, you're once, twice, three times a lady
And I love you
I love you
Please give my good buddy Harley the smoochin' of a lifetime and have a wonderful day, dear friend BB. I'll be waiting for you tamale in the balcony-- "At The Movies!"
I was very moved by the coverage of her passing. I still remember watching her coronation on TV in 1953. This is a very nice tribute to her.
ReplyDeleteShe was ninety-six, however, she was one of those people you never thought would pass. (Like Betty White.) She was certainly a rock to the world.
ReplyDeleteI was expecting her to hit 100.
ReplyDeleteI like how you went about with your tribute!
ReplyDeleteA great lady who gave her whole life to the serve of her country. No matter how much you expect it, she was 96 after all, her passing still hit with a hard blow. She has been Queen my entire life and even though I'm not a British subject she was a constant, stable and admirable presence in my life. She had her shortcomings I'm sure as we all do but overall hers was a life well-lived.
As far as the songs go I'm not familiar with the last but love all the others. Bye Bye Blackbird was something we sang when I was a child as a sort of nursery rhyme but if you listen to the lyrics (which as kids we never did!) if is a rather forlorn tune.
I love the film of Night Has a Thousand Eyes! It's one of the better films Edward G. Robinson made during the period when he was greylisted. He's a supposedly sham psychic who suddenly starts having premonitions regarding heiress Gail Russell (at her most ethereal) that come true. It's a nice tight little chiller with a great EGR performance.
Al Martino's big, emphatic performance style has gone out of favor but I love it and Here Is My Heart is one of my favorites of his recordings.
The Song from Moulin Rouge is just so dreamy and rich you can just get lost in it.
She seemed like a permanent fixture in our world, and I suppose, in a lot of ways, she will remain that way for many people.
ReplyDeleteIt's the end of an era.
ReplyDeleteI thought she might make it to 100, as her mother passed at 101. The coverage since she died has been pretty obsessive, and I find myself mesmerized and saddened by it all. She was such a remarkable woman! Your song choices are all familiar, except for the last one. Can't say I would listen to it again - sorry!
ReplyDeleteI thought "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" might be the one Bobby Vee sang in the '60's, but it wasn't. Eddie Duchin's recording was a good one, as was Mantovani's "Theme From Moulin Rouge." Percy Faith did a good version of that, too.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit - interesting suggestions from you and your commenters ... your thought about 'The Night has a Thousand Eyes is an appropriate one. We are living in interesting times over here ... thank you for this post - Hilary
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