Singles from Sue Raney and Beverly Kenney

Today I have a few more unreissued singles from one of my favorite artists, Sue Raney, and to fill out the post I'm adding an unreissued single from the wonderful, tragic singer, Beverly Kenney.

Sue Raney

We start off with a terrific version of "Try to See It My Way," a Bacharach-David song from the Rick Nelson-Joanie Sommers TV musical, On the Flip Side. Raney has an amazing facility with this kind of pop material. "Try to See It My Way" was actually the B-side of this single. The A-side was the Dallas Frazier song "There Goes My Everything," a country hit for Jack Greene and a pop semi-hit for Engelbert Humperdinck. This is from late 1966.

Also from Sue is an obscure 1974 release on the Alithia label of Sue's own somg, "Never Say Goodbye." There is no B-side for this one - "Never Say Goodbye" is in mono on one side, stereo on the other.

Beverly Kenney

Virtually all of Beverly Kenney's records have been reissued, but not this 1958 single, to my knowledge. It contains two good songs, beautifully done by Kenney - "The Magic Touch" and "Your Love Is My Love." Bill Reed shared this briefly on his blog The People vs. Dr. Chilledair, but this transfer is from my own copy.

Speaking of Bill, I imagine he wouldn't mind if I plugged Sue Raney's most recently CD, which he produced. It is called Listen Here. Sue is in glorious form, and is backed by pianist Alan Broadbent. She is a treasure.

More William Warfield Recordings

I promised another early recording by the great bass-baritone William Warfield, and here it is. This brief collection of songs of folk origin or folk influence was recorded in May 1952 in Columbia's 30th Street Studio, and issued in the label's low-priced AAL series. I don't believe it has been reissued - a pity; it's superb.

The cover is likely a reflection of both Warfield's then-fame from his portrayal of Joe in the 1951 film version of Show Boat, as well as the repertoire.

William Warfield

The conductor for this record is the estimable Lehman Engel. It's possible, even likely, that he authored the arrangements.

A few comments on the contents:

"Deep River" is an anonymous spiritual of African American origin. It has been used in several films, including the 1929 film version of Show Boat, although it was not in the stage production. This and two other songs on this record had also been recorded by Paul Robeson, one of Warfield's acknowledged inspirations.

"Water Boy" apparently originated as a work song. This version is apparently based on the arrangement made by Avery Robinson for Roland Hayes (another Warfield inspiration), although that arrangement was for piano and this is an orchestral arrangement. (I also have an odd version of the song recorded by Clara Rockmore on theremin.)

"Without a Song," a show tune with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu, is from 1929. It would seem to have been influenced by "Old Man River." (And I suppose this entire LP was an attempt to capitalize on Warfield's famous rendition.)

"Mah Lindy Lou" is a superb song by Lily Strickland, who was influenced by African-American songs she heard in the American South. The song was published in 1920, and Robeson and the operatic soprano Amelita Galli-Curci had popular versions (both are on YouTube).

"Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" is of course by the remarkable Stephen Foster, written in 1854.

"Dusty Road" has been claimed by two different songwriting teams - René and René and Parish and Perkins - which suggests that the song may have a folk origin. Its theme of enduring hard times on the path to an eternal reward is often found in the genre. Interestingly, the opening fanfare of the arrangement is influenced by the music written by English composers for nobility.

Leontyne Price and William Warfield

I mentioned in my previous Warfield post that he was in a famous production of Porgy and Bess with Leontyne Price. I've enclosed as a bonus their recording of "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" from that production. It was recorded live in Berlin in September 1952 - a few weeks after Warfield and Price were married.

Good sound on these fine recordings, now (June 2023) newly remastered in ambient stereo.

Ezio Pinza and Mr. Imperium

Another installment in our ongoing series looking at Ezio Pinza's career as a movie star following his retirement from the operatic stage. Here we have the quasi-soundtrack from his 1951 starring vehicle Mr. Imperium. (It's a quasi-soundtrack because the songs were remade in the studio for RCA Victor.)

Once again playing to type, Pinza is a playboy prince who becomes romantically entangled with singer Lana Turner (dubbed by Trudy Erwin). Apparently Pinza tried to make life imitate art, but Turner would not succumb to his royal presence.

I have watched some of the film (just enough to get a sense of Pinza's performance), and can report that you will not see such broad acting outside of an Abbott & Costello comedy. If you want to sample the movie yourself, it's available on Internet Archive.

The good news is that some of the songs here are by Harold Arlen and Dorothy Fields, a self-recommending pair, although this is hardly their finest work. On "Andiamo" and the unpromising "My Love and My Mule," Pinza is joined by RCA contractee Fran Warren (billed as "Fran Warren, soprano" for the first and surely the last time). Fran was from the Bronx and probably had never been within a thousand miles of a mule. She was, however, a good singer who even so sounds distinctly thin next to Pinza. By the way, despite what Wikipedia tells you, Lana Turner's songs in the film were dubbed not by Warren but by Trudy Erwin.

Fran Warren

Also to be heard from Pinza  are three songs chosen, no doubt, for their potential as a "Some Enchanted Evening" blockbuster - "Yesterdays," "September Song" and Augustin Lara's superb "You Belong to My Heart" - all highly enjoyable. The singing is magnificent.

Pinza never did become a movie star, but he made the most of his time in the spotlight - in the liquor ad below, he is shown in one of his Mr. Imperium costumes (click to enlarge). This transfer is from a mint 45 box set and has very good sound. Note (May 2024): it has now been remastered in ambient stereo and the sound is better than ever.

LINK

William Warfield in Copland and Dougherty Song Settings

William Warfield was one of the finest bass-baritone talents of the post-war period in the US. Today he is perhaps most closely associated with the role of Joe in Show Boat and of Porgy in Porgy and Bess, and the "Old American Song" settings of Aaron Copland, first issued on this LP.

Following service in the armed forces, Warfield had achieved some success on the lyric stage, first in the touring company of Call Me Mister, singing such numbers as "Going Home Train" and "Face on the Dime". He then was Cal in the original cast of Marc Blitzstein's 1949 opera Regina.

Warfield's pivotal appearance was a well-received 1950 recital in New York's Town Hall. One critic wrote, "He is endowed with a noble voice, warmth of temperament, a feeling for the stage and great sincerity." This success seems to have led, at least indirectly, to being cast in Show Boat and to a recording contract with Columbia. This record, taped in Columbia's 30th Street studios in August 1951, was the first to be issued under that contract.

Warfield and Copland at the recording session

Warfield had introduced the "Old American Songs" earlier in the year. The Copland settings have become justly famous because of Warfield's marvelous interpretations, which are in turn sharp, tender and witty. The composer soon produced a second book of such songs, which he and Warfield recorded in August 1953. These remained unissued until 1999. (I have included the second set in the download.) Copland later orchestrated both books; he and Warfield recorded them for a 1963 Columbia LP, which also included Benny Goodman's second recording of Copland's Clarinet Concerto.

The fame of the "Old American Songs" has overshadowed the other songs on this record, which is a shame because they, too, are very worthwhile. These five Sea Chanties were arranged by Celius Dougherty, a pianist and composer who specialized in song settings.

Celius Dougherty

Dougherty had made a living for many years as an accompanist. (Strangely, he does not accompany Warfield on his songs; Otto Herz does.) When this record appeared, Dougherty was part of a successful two-piano team with Vincenz Ruzicka. As a composer, Dougherty often worked with nautical themes in tribute to his brother Ralph, a sailor who was killed in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. These particular chanties form a most enjoyable set, with clever accompaniments and Warfield again in splendid form.