Welcome to Old School Friday. The theme this week is a song people would be surprised you know.
Are there really surprises anymore? We know all music, on some plane, if we chose to. Technology gives us the prerogative to know the old, and the obscure, and make them new again. That, and the new recording stars are running out of things to sing, so they go back and steal from the past. And let me tell you, Lily Allen did an abominable job with The Lady is a Tramp.
I mean really, Bowie sang Volero, Danke Schoen was in Ferris Bueller, Por Una Cabeza was in True Lies and Scent of Women. If I’d never been exposed to them otherwise I’d still know them. I digress here for a link to a brilliant version of Por Una Cabeza, there’s a great more orchestrated Perlman version, but I prefer this presentation.
Tonight I’m posting a song recorded by Petula Clark in 1967. I’m fond of her because before I left to New York for college my friends gave me their own recorded version of her Don’t Sleep in the Subway.
This is My Song, or Love, This is My Song, was written by Charlie Chaplin for the film A Countess from Hong Kong. It was his final film, and a critical and commercial failure. Chaplin intended the song for Al Jolson, to evoke the era of the movie, but he misplaced the fact that Jolson had died in 1950, and reportedly (unverified), had to be shown photos of Jolson’s tomb before giving the song up to Pet Clark. She recorded it in several languages.
Let’s give it up for This is My Song, words and music by Charles Chaplin. The first part is in French, indulge me. There are full English versions. I prefer this performance.
OSF sponsored by Conversations With Marva and Mrs Grapevine
peace
Did Pepe LePew once record this song? You’re right, by the way, I’m never surprised anymore when you know an obscure song. That’s kind of you, though. I liked the Por Una Cabeza. Went straight to my head.
.-= Doug´s last blog ..Adonis =-.
Cute Doug.
I’m sorry I’m at a loss on Pepe Le Pew.
The only song I ever knew she sang was “Downtown.”
I think people would be most surprised that I know some of the South Park Christmas CD. What, you’re not surprised?
Oh, well then, um, they’d be surprised that I have some classical on my iPod.
Vivaldi! Represent!
Vivaldi! Represent!
That I like.
Chaplin actually intended the song to be sung by King Louis the XIV (“The Sun King”) but was unaware that the monarch ruled two hundred years before. It was then sung by Julius Ceasar while on board the Enterprise going from Earth to Rigel 7 in 1902.
Where DO you get your info?
First, Jolie died in 1950, not 1957. Second, Chaplin was unaware of it? Let me tell you something, NOBODY was unaware of it when Jolson died. Additionally, he and his wife was VERY close friends with Jolie’s widow, Erle, who were neighbors in Switerland for many years.
Please stop blogging until you graduate the third grade.
Thanks.
Thanks for popping in. I imagine you can read the word “unverified” clearly posted beside the information”, information available on line in several locations, but as a I stated in the post “unverified”. I give the the 1957 was a mis-type, but my understanding of Charlie Chaplin is he was blissfully unaware of quite a few things.
Please stop by again though.
oh, and it’s Switzerland and Caesar. ;)
Pet Clark? We’re on a nickname basis with her?
Nothing about you surprises me as you’re filled with them
I didn’t like this song then as it’s not rock but do now
All I know about Chaplin is that he was forced out of the country–the blacklist–and married Ona O’Neill who was 16. The marriage lasted. So did his silent films my father forced me to watch at MOMA every rainy Saturday. Chaplin is a very loaded subject to me
.-= pia´s last blog ..Climbing metaphorical mountains =-.
I like it quite a bit as a matter of fact.
Chaplin’s story is interesting.
It’s strange when someone shows up out of the blue, never having read you and post troll like comments for no obvious reason.You used to get a lot of trolls. Do you miss them? ;)
I like this song, but didn’t have clue who sang it or that Chaplin wrote it. I’m one who only knew her from “Downtown” too.
Speaking of Tango’s my wife is insisting we take latin dance, and speaking of my wife, she delivered our daughter sometime after midnight.
.-= jacob´s last blog ..And Then There Were Two =-.
OMG Jacob, congratulations.
The Chaplin song sounds like it is from a musical. I didn’t know Chaplin wrote music.
Didn’t they use that tango in the Godfather? Or do all tango’s sound the same? Maybe it was a margarine commercial I’m thinking of.
Never heard of Petula Clark, but looking over you tube I have heard her songs before, just didn’t know who she was.
What’s that they say? Don’t feed the trolls?
.-= jake´s last blog ..Life Rained Out =-.
It does sound musical-ish doesn’t it.
Eh, I had a few crumbs, no problem.
Happy OSF! I often wonder what I was thinking when I took French as my foriegn language in high school. Days like today when I can hear the language in such a sweet melody are wonderful!
I invite your blog readers to enjoy music by Gino Vanelli. He is the artist that you would be surprised that I listen to…
peace, Villager
It is lovely. I’ll stop over to see what you have cooking in the music bin.
It’s a pretty song.
I tried my best to search for an annoying 20s/30s jazz waltz musical piece I hear in movies a lot whenever the producers want to wake up the old people, and give the audience the impression of nostalgic flare.
I did a very lengthy search. I give up for now. I hate not being able to name something, when I can hear it vividly in my mind. I need a thought converter.
Anyways, nice selection.
.-= Bennet´s last blog ..Sell Some Crazy For The Hazy =-.
Well, if you hum a few bars I might be able to help you Bennet.
Slam dunk version of Por Una Cabeza, I loved it.
I didn’t know Chaplin wrote music. I like this song, it does sound theatrical, but I could also see it as a wedding song.
You’re right, we have access to music from all times and from all over the world. We are so lucky.
.-= kait´s last blog ..Loro Piana =-.
It was slam dunk wasn’t it.
He wrote “Smile” too.
I just did one. The tango reminded of the song I chose.
Chaplin was gifted for sure.
.-= g´s last blog ..Old School Friday =-.
Ah at first I thought you meant you just did a tango. I was thinking….no, actually I was not surprised at all.
The vids missing for me…I’ll go look it up. I’m interested even more now that the troll has decided that he/she is more knowledgeable than everyone else in the whole world and never makes a mistake…
Happy OSF!
.-= Marvalus´s last blog ..Old School Friday: You Better Ask Somebody! =-.
Do you use IE? I has someone email me last week saying they couldn’t see certain things vids and images on their ie but i tended up being their IE settings.
Well the troll was right about the year of Jolson’s death, but that was a mis-type. The other thing was unverified as I had stated, and meant to be humorous, but you’d have to read this blog more often to know it is not the most serious place in the land of blogs to understand that.
Wow. This is such a pretty song. I really like it. Happy Old School Friday