Artist: Doris Day
LP: You're My Thrill [10" EP]
My favorite singer, Doris Mary Anne von Kappelhoff (aka. Doris Day) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 3, 1924. Her music, movies and TV show have given me many, many hours of joy... so if you happen to be reading this, Clara Kappelhoff, thanks! In honor of Doris Day's 85th birthday, I'm posting two songs from her very first solo LP, which I picked up a few weeks ago for only a dollar. You can read about Doris Day's incredible career in music and film here, see her complete discography here, find her complete filmography and film info here and you can visit and contribute to the Doris Day Animal Foundation here. If somehow you've never seen a Doris Day movie before and you'd like to check one out, why not start with this one, or maybe this one or this one or this one? These nice biographical notes are from the back of the "You're My Thrill" 10" long play record, which was released on August 1, 1949:
When Doris Day was named as Success of the Year by a
musical magazine, there was no question whatever about
the correctness of the choice. For in 1948, she zoomed
from the equivocal position of a highly promising singer to
that of one of the country's top recording artists and an
established movie star on the strength of a handful of
records and a single motion picture. This was partly
because Doris brought to music and films a quality that
had too long been missing, a sort of breezy freshness
and an intimate directness of appeal. More important,
it was suddenly discovered that she was a superlative
songstress and an ingratiating performer.
Not that Doris hadn't been heard before: for several years
she was featured vocalist with Les Brown and his orchestra,
and built up a considerable reputation among musicians for
her deft and intelligent way with a popular song. A number
of the recordings she made with this orchestra—notably
Sentimental Journey—are fondly prized by collectors. Doris
landed with Les after a short engagement with Bob Crosby
and his orchestra and a series of programs over Station
WLW, Cincinnati. Her early enthusiasm for a career as a
dancer was somewhat dampened by a broken leg, and
she began studying singing with the vocal coach at WLW,
which led to her initial broadcasts and her tours with the
orchestras. Toward the end of 1947, Doris left the Brown
organization to go out on her own, opening at the Little
Club on New York's East Side. A recording contract of her
own followed, then a movie contract, a spot on the Hit
Parade with Frank Sinatra, and eventually a star spot on
the Bob Hope radio program, again singing with Les Brown.
All this in something less than eighteen months.
To rhythm numbers she brings a brisk, sparkling enthusiasm
that lights up even an ordinary song, while to ballads Doris
brings a sort of husky grace and an impression of genuine
sincerity that has captivated an imposing number of listeners.
For her first collection of songs, she has chosen a group of
established favorites that are regularly but infrequently heard,
songs with a rather more sophisticated touch, both lyrically
and musically, than is generally found. In them is some of
her finest singing, brilliantly phrased and beautifully keyed
to the mood of the song. With the assistance of a vocal
group, Doris conjures up a series of exceptional romantic
interludes, and concerned, as most of these songs are,
with love requited and otherwise, they offer her an
opportunity to display her remarkable talent for distilling
the intimate magic that characterizes her singing. Here
is popular artistry of a high order, applied by Doris Day
to popular songs of the first rank.
[ Happy Birthday, Doris Day! ]
musical magazine, there was no question whatever about
the correctness of the choice. For in 1948, she zoomed
from the equivocal position of a highly promising singer to
that of one of the country's top recording artists and an
established movie star on the strength of a handful of
records and a single motion picture. This was partly
because Doris brought to music and films a quality that
had too long been missing, a sort of breezy freshness
and an intimate directness of appeal. More important,
it was suddenly discovered that she was a superlative
songstress and an ingratiating performer.
Not that Doris hadn't been heard before: for several years
she was featured vocalist with Les Brown and his orchestra,
and built up a considerable reputation among musicians for
her deft and intelligent way with a popular song. A number
of the recordings she made with this orchestra—notably
Sentimental Journey—are fondly prized by collectors. Doris
landed with Les after a short engagement with Bob Crosby
and his orchestra and a series of programs over Station
WLW, Cincinnati. Her early enthusiasm for a career as a
dancer was somewhat dampened by a broken leg, and
she began studying singing with the vocal coach at WLW,
which led to her initial broadcasts and her tours with the
orchestras. Toward the end of 1947, Doris left the Brown
organization to go out on her own, opening at the Little
Club on New York's East Side. A recording contract of her
own followed, then a movie contract, a spot on the Hit
Parade with Frank Sinatra, and eventually a star spot on
the Bob Hope radio program, again singing with Les Brown.
All this in something less than eighteen months.
To rhythm numbers she brings a brisk, sparkling enthusiasm
that lights up even an ordinary song, while to ballads Doris
brings a sort of husky grace and an impression of genuine
sincerity that has captivated an imposing number of listeners.
For her first collection of songs, she has chosen a group of
established favorites that are regularly but infrequently heard,
songs with a rather more sophisticated touch, both lyrically
and musically, than is generally found. In them is some of
her finest singing, brilliantly phrased and beautifully keyed
to the mood of the song. With the assistance of a vocal
group, Doris conjures up a series of exceptional romantic
interludes, and concerned, as most of these songs are,
with love requited and otherwise, they offer her an
opportunity to display her remarkable talent for distilling
the intimate magic that characterizes her singing. Here
is popular artistry of a high order, applied by Doris Day
to popular songs of the first rank.
[ Happy Birthday, Doris Day! ]
psst...the link is bad for "You're My Thrill"--it goes elsewhere. I would like to hear it! -Matt-
ReplyDeleteoops, fixed. Thanks! -
ReplyDelete