Mark Pentleton » 1940s

362/365 Songs: Let there be love – Nat King Cole

admin — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:20:54 +0000

We’re into the final few songs in my 365 collection and today I’ve decided to play this classic song from 1940. The piano part to the song is notoriously difficult to play, so I ended up doing a few takes of this and decided to do a full backing track with strings, kit and bass. And then I decided to sing it too, although I’ve included the instrumental version here too, which is perhaps more in keeping with the rest of the tracks in my collection! My favourite version of the song is Nat King Cole’s and that’s what I’ve based my version on. We danced to this song at our wedding and it brings back many happy memories!

343/365 Songs: Let it snow! – Dean Martin

admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:40:19 +0000

Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne in 1945, Let it snow! (or to give it its proper title, Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!) was first recorded by Vaughn Monroe and has subsequently been covered by many artists. The version I’m most familiar with is Dean Martin’s, but among the trivia tidbits about today’s song is the fact that it was the 25,000,000th song downloaded on iTunes! Although it’s associated with Christmas, there’s not a mention of the festive season in the song at all.

337/365 Songs: White Christmas – Bing Crosby

admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:13:13 +0000

Given that most of the UK (with the exception of the southwest corner of Scotland where we live!) is still covered in snow, I thought I’d play White Christmas. There are probably many people at the moment who are far from dreaming of a White Christmas, but the scenes on the news each day look as if they could be on the front of Christmas cards!

Bing Crosby’s version of this 1940 Irving Berlin song has sold over 50 million copies. Berlin is said to have composed it sitting by the pool of the Biltmore Hilton in Phoenix, Arizona. He told his secretary, “grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I’ve ever written – heck, I just wrote the best song anyone’s ever written!” It featured in the musical Holiday Inn, and won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song.

265/365 Songs: Autumn leaves

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 06:24:17 +0000

As I’m at the Scottish Learning Festival today and tomorrow I was planning ahead a bit yesterday and recorded Autumn Leaves in advance of today. Looking out the window this morning I think September in the Rain may have made more sense… Autumn Leaves, or rather the French original Les Feuilles Mortes dates from 1945. The song was actually written by Joseph Kosma with lyrics by French poet Jacques Prévert. Johnny Mercer wrote an English version in 1947.

222/365 Songs: Sentimental Journey – Doris Day

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:25:26 +0000

On its release in 1945, Sentimental Journey became a homecoming song for many veterans of WWII. First recorded by Doris Day, it was covered by many artists, including Ella Fitzgerald and Ringo Starr. I hope you enjoy today’s song.

220/365 Songs: When you wish upon a star – Pinocchio

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:25:52 +0000

Sorry this is late – not just late in the day, but a day late! For the first time this year I completely forgot about publishing my song! Over the past week I’ve been working in France and the daily songs were preloaded and publishing automatically, so my song for Sunday completely slipped my mind. I recorded it but simply forgot to publish it! I’ve timed the publication of this entry as yesterday evening so as to maintain the daily rss feed and podcast.

Anyway, here is When you wish upon a star from the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio, originally recorded by Cliff Richard as the voice of Jiminy Cricket. My version is based on the Nelson Riddle arrangement included in Linda Ronstadt’s 2000 Christmas album.

216/365 Songs: For sentimental reasons – Nat King Cole

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:59:18 +0000

A lovely romantic song today, first recorded in 1946 by Nat King Cole. Since then it has been covered by many different artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin and in 1986 by Linda Ronstadt.

183/365 Songs: I could write a book – Rogers and Hart

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:29:55 +0000

And we’re over the hill! Today is the start of the second half of the year and my 365 songs project, so I’m on the way down! I chose today’s song from the 1940 musical Pal Joey by Rogers and Hart where it was performed by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst. I first heard this song performed by Harry Connick Jr in the soundtrack of the film When Harry Met Sally, but it was performed in earlier recordings by Miles Davis, Mel Tormé and Ella Fitzgerald among others.

140/365 Songs: You make me feel so young – Frank Sinatra

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 21:20:07 +0000

Today’s song is a bit late – sorry! I’ve had another really busy day in a school all day (working with a great bunch of five and six year-olds making video stories, soon to appear on the Radio Lingua Schools website) and then at a Parent Council meeting tonight, so I’ve not had much of a chance to record. I decided to play one of my favourite songs tonight, the Sinatra classic You make me feel so young. Written in 1946, the song has also been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney and Mel Tomé, among other performers. Hope you enjoy it.

66/365 Songs: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered – Rodgers and Hart

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:54:57 +0000

Here’s a nice easy song for a Sunday morning (not that one… I’ll need to remember to include Easy on a Sunday morning at some point!). Bewtiched, bothered and bewildered is from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Pal Joey. It was always a favourite when I used to play on Sunday afternoons down in the Marine Highland in Troon (now the Barceló Troon Marine Hotel). I think it’s another favourite of my mum’s, but I’m not sure. Maybe she’ll finally post a comment to let me know…

61/365 Songs: Bésame mucho

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:10:51 +0000

Wales yesterday and Mexico today… Bésame mucho was written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez. For those of you who like singing along to my performances, here are the lyrics with a translation below. It somehow sounds so much better in Spanish, especially with that imperfect subjunctive in the second line!

Bésame, bésame mucho,
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez.
Bésame, bésame mucho,
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte después.

Quiero tenerte muy cerca,
Mirarme en tus ojos, verte junto a mí.
Piensa que tal vez mañana
Yo ya estaré lejos, muy lejos de tí.

Bésame, bésame mucho,
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez.
Bésame, bésame mucho,
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte después.

Translation

Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
As if tonight was the last time.
Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
I fear to lose you, to lose you afterward.

I want to have you very close,
See myself in your eyes, see you next to me.
Think that maybe tomorrow
I’ll be far, far away from you.

Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
As if tonight was the last time.
Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
I fear to lose you, to lose you afterward.

365 Songs: As time goes by – Casablanca

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:22:26 +0000

It’s day 50 on 365songs and today’s performance is the classic 1942 song As time goes by from the film Casablanca. It was actually first written in 1931 and featured in the musical Everybody’s Welcome, but was made famous when it was performed by Sam in Casablanca. This song was actually named as #2 in the American Film Institute’s list of top movie songs – 100 years … 100 songs. I’m sure a few more of these songs will find their way into my playlist for the year! I hadn’t realised this until I read about the song, but it seems that the verse of this song was never included in the film, and most recordings since then have also left it out. I’ve always played it with the verse, so I hope you enjoy this rarity! If you’d like to sing along, the verse lyrics are below…

This day and age we’re living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension.

Yet we get a trifle weary
with Mr Einstein’s theory
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax, relieve the tension.

And no matter what the progress
or what may yet be proved,
The simple facts of life are such
they cannot be removed.

You must remember this,
a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply,
as time goes by…

365 Songs – Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:05:09 +0000

Today’s song is the Duke Ellington classic Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. The last time I played this song was around 1am in the bar at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow following the first day of the Scottish Learning Festival and I was joined by Derek Robertson from LTS who sang the song to the delight of those still in the bar. See the video here. I thought that since BETT starts today I should include this song in my 365 list, so this song is dedicated to everyone who is at BETT over the next few days. Come along to stand K16 and say hello if you’re there!

365 Songs – A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:19:58 +0000

I’m in London today for an Apple meeting at Hannover St so I wanted to play something appropriate. With yesterday’s snow I wasn’t even sure I’d get here, but one cancelled flight, one late flight, one late train which broke down and another train later I finally arrived last night.

According to Google Maps I’m a 17 minute-walk from my hotel at Marble Arch to Berkeley Square, so I couldn’t think of a more appropriate song than A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. I recorded it yesterday – my piano isn’t quite that portable! – so I’m glad I made it to London and was able to post it today.

I’ve always loved this song. It dates from 1940 and has been performed by many artists ranging from Vera Lynn to Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Rod Stewart. It was also apparently featured in an episode of Torchwood! I hope you enjoy today’s interpretation!