Friday, March 17, 2006

I smell a rat...pack, that is

Call me a relic, call me what you will
Say I'm old-fashioned, say I'm over the hill
Today' music ain't got the same soul
I like that old time Standards

Have you ever found yourself feeling like you should have been born just a tad earlier?

I love the Standards...the music of the 30's, 40's, 50's, and even the non-rock-n-roll music of the 60's.

Don't get me wrong. I have always LOVED rock and roll. So much so, that when I was eight years old, my girlfriends and I would play "Beatles". I, of course, always married Paul when we played this particular game. He was the cute Beatle, after all. (He even had a second chance to have me, and apparently forgot to take it)

I loved (and still do):
The Beach Boys
The Doors
Chicago
Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Young
Rolling Stones
...just to name a few. The list could go on and on, but that's not really the point.

The point is this...I love the Standards. I love the music of George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Henry Mancini, Irving Berlin.

To me, there is no better voice than Frank Sinatra...NONE...don't even bother to try and convince me otherwise. (unless you want to end up with a horse's head in your bed).

Dean Martin sets me swooning, and Nat King Cole... fah-get about it.
Sammy Davis Jr., well, an amazing all around entertainer.

I could listen to this music all day and night.

Oh, and showtoons...Pu-leeeze, is there anything better? NO, I don't think so. There is nothing quite like finding your inner broadway star, and running with it.

I recently found a radio station that plays showtoons every evening...poor Mr. Cruisin.

About a year and 1/2 ago I discovered a singer, Steve Tyrell...he sings all of the standards but with a great kind of raspy voice. He is a producer and music arranger as well.

With Rod Stewart doing several albums of standards, and the success of Michael Buble, it is obvious to me, that I am not alone in my thinking.

Maybe it's just because the melodies and the words are timeless. Can't every generation relate to and appreciate beautiful music and romantic lyrics?

Perhaps it's my age, but I think that's just too easy. I would be willing to bet that some of you... even younger than me...sneak a little Frank every once in awhile.

Come on now...

ADMIT IT!

20 comments:

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Ok, ok, I will be the first one to admit it. I LOVE the old standards, showtunes and almost any Jazz. My friend once called me an old soul, and she's right. I am. I just melt listening to all them. I love Nat and Frank, but nothing can compare to Ella!

If you haven't got this cd, check it out - Lush Life: The Billy Strayhorn Songbook

Irina Tsukerman said...

OH MY GOODNESS!

SAME THING HERE!!! Sorry I'm shouting, so nice to find a kindred soul! I nearly drove my father out of the house playing showtoons religiously the last few days!! : D

torontopearl said...

*NOW* I know why we get along so well. And Sweettooth, I was thrilled to read your profile the first time I "tuned" in to your blog. I thought, Yay, I'm not alone in my love of music...and in my choice of music.
From the time I was quite young, I loved the Big Bands and later just vocalists doing their thing. When I sing around the house -- always -- it is the old standards I'm singing. Does that make me old before my time? No, it just means that I have elegant, timeless taste. (sort of goes hand in hand with my wearing black!)
I'm pleased to hear that I'm in some great company. Okay, ladies, when are we going to hit a jazz club together. Anyone want to meet in NYC at Feinstein's?

cruisin-mom said...

S.W.: I knew it would either be you or Pearl here first! I will have to check out that cd.

Mia: You're just too in love to remember who is singing!

Irina: see, I knew someone waaaaaay younger than me would love this music too.

WendyWings: Emmy's will be a blast.
I LOVE that picture of you in the Paul tshirt. Your mom was a wonderful artist. How cool (even if you didn't know it at the time) to be running around in a Paul McCartney tshirt.

Pearl: I'll meet you at Feinstein's. And then we'll stop and say hi to Letterman.

Wendy said...

I have at least 8 Franks on my ipod. Plus Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, and several whole shows - Damn Yankees, Hair, Hairspray, Chicago...

And I have Black Eyed Peas, Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, L'il Kim, etc. etc. etc.

Choice is good!

wanderer said...

Oh I'm a huge Frank fan. He will always be the Chairman of the Board. I very much regret that I had an opportunity to see him in one of his last live performances but could't go ( for a reason I can't remember now!).

I'm definitely from another era. Its not just the music, its also the style, the clothes, the days when smoking was actually cool and good for you(spoken like a true cardiologist, no?!). Most of all though, its the fedoras! Greatest man's hat of all time.

Anonymous said...

I knew I loved you for a reason ;-)
Frank is KING in this house. Barry Manilow just did an American Standards album - it rocks. My dad used to take me and my brother to the Carlyle to hear Bobby Short when we were kids and visited NYC. I'll see you guys at Feinsteins!

:-)

cruisin-mom said...

Wendy: pass me your IPOD...NOW!

Wanderer: Somehow, I'm not surprised you love Frank, the era, the clothes and all (you have great taste in movies, too!). I saw Frank in concert in the '80's at the Universal (now Gibson)Ampitheatre. It was, truthfully, too late...his voice was already shot.

E.K.: I knew you'd be a "standards" girl too! (and yes, I love Barry Manilow too, even though that's one of those things you're never supposed to admit)lol

Feinstein's here we come.

Anonymous said...

I had a friend that could croon like Sinatra. He often answered to Frank (he wished he was) and sang all of his old tunes at the karaoke bar.

As much as I hate karaoke, I could listen to that man sing all night.

ghartstein said...

It took me a while to appreciate it, but now that I'm a bit older, how can you not love that stuff!

cruisin-mom said...

Hi Rabbit: Welcome! What a lucky guy to sound like Frank...I hate to tell you what I sound like at a karaoke bar. Let's just say, there are alot of tomatoes around.

Mr.G: It's true, I guess the older we get, the less "pounding" music we can take!

Jack Steiner said...

Old people music. ;)

PsychoToddler said...

I love standards too. In fact, if you stay tuned to Psychotoddler over the next few days, I'll have a little surprise for you.

cruisin-mom said...

Jack: Old people music? YOU BET! Let's hear it for AARP.

P.T. Unless you can produce Frank himself...

cruisin-mom said...

HOH: Thanks for the Robbie Williams recommendation. Haven't heard of it...I will definitely check it out!

PsychoToddler said...

Frank? No. Louis?

Ezzie said...

The more of it I hear, the more I like it. I think that's true for most people I know...

cruisin-mom said...

P.T.: Nat?

Ezzie: It does grow on you, doesn't it?

Jack Steiner said...

It does grow on you, doesn't it?

Just like a fungus.

cruisin-mom said...

Jack: "It does grow on you, doesn't it?"
Like Cleveland