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A great melody first, then lyrics,(only) THEN 'vocals'


Mark Blackburn

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Quote Originally Posted by MDR View Post
It's interesting that Mercer preferred to write lyrics to existing music.

In the Bertold Brecht - Kurt Weill collaborations, the lyrics were written first.

I wonder how the Gershwins did it?
Figures that a thread such as this would bring out all you old guys.

I was a mere seven years of age when Music Man came out but those early years passed with the constant soundtrack of musicals such as My Fair Lady, South Pacific and, of course, Oklahoma.....where the melody comes sweepin' down the plain....and the lyrics come right it.

Melody rules in that genre, but it still amazes me how those writers crafted such perfect lyrics around it.

For me........I need a melody first.
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On the drive in to work today satellite radio played ON A LITTLE STREET IN SINGAPORE -- by the only group I've ever heard sing the song, "Manhattan Transfer." It's not much of a song with a forgettable lyric. But its strong, unusual melody by "Pete DeRose" got me thinking about that almost forgotten composer's 'greatest hit' song . . . one that 'doesn't get around much anymore.'

My late father, George Blackburn of Ottawa Canada, a good pianist/composer, once told me a story about DEEP PURPLE. Not the late 60s rock group -- the popular song that was a huge hit in 1939. Dad recalled

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I'll say she is, Lee Charles Kelley -- at the very top of our lists of great (and prolific) lyricists whose honors include a "Best Song" Oscar. Speaking of which (great songs that DIDN'T win a gold statuette) . . .

There is a show each week on Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio called

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Hmm... well, I've never heard Ella's version, but have you heard Schmilsson In the Night?

Meanwhile, nobody (except Rod Stewart!) seems to sing the opening verse, which I quite like. A lot...

This day and age we're living in gives cause for apprehension,
with speed and new invention, and things like third 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.

But 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...

(I had the sheet music, years ago, and used to annoy my parents by trying to play it on the spinet...)

LCK

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Let us turn our notebooks to Page 16 . . .

I just went in the car on a donut run for the grandkids -- overnighting this weekend with their favorite person (that would be their indulgent Grandpa). We had two inches of snow overnight and 50 mph winds that blew the cover off the barbeque. I figured they needed a

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Goose bumps. Jazz sax solos don't come better than THAT. Yes, that's the melody -- superbly played by tenor virtuoso "Frank Wess" (1992). Thanks so much for posting, OSWLEK -- and for noting that "in the comments" (for that video) someone wrote: written by Ronny Whyte/Ettore Stratta." In the reviews I'd cited (above) "Ettore Stratta" was mentioned by name -- apparently 'present at the creation' in London, when Tony recorded his (almost) unique version of this 'overlooked gem' of a song.

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Sometimes (to borrow from this thread's title) "vocals" really ARE the most important part of a song's delivery. Especially when the tune isn't one you could "take home" from a Broadway show, and pick out later on the piano. But then, the lyric has to be pretty amazing. Case in point:

To mark

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