Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?
vinyl LP album cover
cover Illustration by William George
photo of album cover by Styrous®
Eight years ago, on January 21, 2002, one of my favorite singers, Peggy Lee
died. On this anniversary of her death, for some reason, I have been wondering if she may have said
the words or felt the sentiments of the song she immortalized fifty
years ago . . .
Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?
vinyl LP album back cover
cover Illustration by William George
photo of album cover by Styrous®
This may be one of the most depressing songs ever written, however, somehow, there is a quiet, logical beauty to the lyrics (link below) and the cabaret style music รก la Kurt Weill with banjo gives it a lightness that perhaps tones it down. The song opens the album, which is very strange as it has always seemed to me it should have come somewhere in the course of it, even, perhaps at the end.
Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo of album back cover by Styrous®
Is That All There Is? was written by the songwriting team, Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller and is totally out of the character of what they have done. The song was supposedly inspired by the 1896 short story Disillusionment (link below) written by the German novelist, Thomas Mann. It was first offered to and refused by Barbra Streisand and Marlene Dietrich (considering the mood and styling of the song, an obvious choice). After researching Lee's life, which was not the ideal one would hope for, it makes total sense for her to have accepted it and make it her very own.
It has been covered by many singers with varying interpretations: Chaka Khan, Giant Sand, Sandra Bernhard, John Parish and PJ Harvey who phone it in with an organ dirge, Alan Price, an A cappella version by The Bobs, Firewater with a bouncy New Wave sound, Amanda Lear (German accent and all), The New Standards with a male vocal accompanied by vibraphone, piano and bass. There is an almost comedic New Wave/punk version by Christina and a VERY scary version by The Tiger Lillies. It has even been interpreted into Japanese by Pink Martini and Saori Yuki (links below).
It has been covered by many singers with varying interpretations: Chaka Khan, Giant Sand, Sandra Bernhard, John Parish and PJ Harvey who phone it in with an organ dirge, Alan Price, an A cappella version by The Bobs, Firewater with a bouncy New Wave sound, Amanda Lear (German accent and all), The New Standards with a male vocal accompanied by vibraphone, piano and bass. There is an almost comedic New Wave/punk version by Christina and a VERY scary version by The Tiger Lillies. It has even been interpreted into Japanese by Pink Martini and Saori Yuki (links below).
Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo of album back cover by Styrous®
The entire album is excellent with interpretations of "regular songs" in the style one had come to expect from Peggy Lee, gentle, sophisticated and always beautiful. Me & My Shadow
is the one exception; arranged by Mundell Lowe, it is a charming interpretation of the song written by Billy Rose and Dave Dreyer and made famous by Al Jolson in 1927. It is performed with
what sounds like only one-finger playing the keys of a piano to
harmonize with her vocal and a bass and brushed snare backup for both. I love her cover of the song.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 - Is That All There Is?, arranged By, Conductor – Randy Newman, written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller - 4:19
A2 - Love Story, arranged By, Conductor – Mundell Lowe, written by Randy Newman - 3:27
A3 - Me And My Shadow, arranged By, Conductor – Mundell Lowe, written by A. Jolson*, B. Rose*, D. Dreyer* - 3:04
A4 - My Old Flame, arranged By, Conductor – Bobby Bryant, written by Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow - 4:24
A5 - I’m A Woman, arranged By, Conductor – Benny Carter, written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller - 2:07
Side 2:
B1 - Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, arranged By, Conductor – Mike Melvoin, written by Neil Diamond - 3:00
B2 - Something, arranged By, Conductor – Mike Melvoin, written by George Harrison - 3:14
B3 - Whistle For Happiness, arranged By, Conductor – George Tipton, written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller - 2:25
B4 - Johnny (Linda), arranged By, Conductor – Mundell Lowe, written by Randy Newman - 2:47
B5 - Don't Smoke In Bed, arranged By, Conductor – Mike Melvoin, written by Willare Robinson* - 3:31
Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Capitol Records, Inc.
Record Company – Capitol Industries, Inc.
Pressed By – Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Scranton
Credits:
Illustration – William George (3)
Producer – David Cavanaugh (tracks: A5), Lieber & Stoller* (tracks: A1, A3), Phil Wright (tracks: A2, A4, B1-B5)
Notes:
Green target labels
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Side 1 etched): ST1-386-B2
Matrix / Runout (Side 2 etched): ST2-386-A1
Matrix / Runout (Side 1 & Side 2 stamped): IAM [in a triangle]
Peggy Lee – Is That All There Is?
Label: Capitol Records – ST-386
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: August, 1969
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Side 1:
A1 - Is That All There Is?, arranged By, Conductor – Randy Newman, written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller - 4:19
A2 - Love Story, arranged By, Conductor – Mundell Lowe, written by Randy Newman - 3:27
A3 - Me And My Shadow, arranged By, Conductor – Mundell Lowe, written by A. Jolson*, B. Rose*, D. Dreyer* - 3:04
A4 - My Old Flame, arranged By, Conductor – Bobby Bryant, written by Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow - 4:24
A5 - I’m A Woman, arranged By, Conductor – Benny Carter, written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller - 2:07
Side 2:
B1 - Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, arranged By, Conductor – Mike Melvoin, written by Neil Diamond - 3:00
B2 - Something, arranged By, Conductor – Mike Melvoin, written by George Harrison - 3:14
B3 - Whistle For Happiness, arranged By, Conductor – George Tipton, written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller - 2:25
B4 - Johnny (Linda), arranged By, Conductor – Mundell Lowe, written by Randy Newman - 2:47
B5 - Don't Smoke In Bed, arranged By, Conductor – Mike Melvoin, written by Willare Robinson* - 3:31
Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Capitol Records, Inc.
Record Company – Capitol Industries, Inc.
Pressed By – Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Scranton
Credits:
Illustration – William George (3)
Producer – David Cavanaugh (tracks: A5), Lieber & Stoller* (tracks: A1, A3), Phil Wright (tracks: A2, A4, B1-B5)
Notes:
Green target labels
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Side 1 etched): ST1-386-B2
Matrix / Runout (Side 2 etched): ST2-386-A1
Matrix / Runout (Side 1 & Side 2 stamped): IAM [in a triangle]
Peggy Lee – Is That All There Is?
Label: Capitol Records – ST-386
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: August, 1969
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Viewfinder links:
Peggy Lee
Pink Martini
Is That All There Is? lyrics
Net links:
A number of Young Lovers ~ Disillusionment by Thomas Mann
Broadway World ~ Is That All There Is? Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Medium ~ Trump’s Favorite Song
NY Journal of Books ~ The Strange Life of Peggy Lee
NY Times ~ Is That All There Is?, a Peggy Lee Biography
Peggy Lee website
Simon & Schuster ~ Is That All There Is? The Strange Life of Peggy Lee
Songfacts ~ Is That All There Is?
Undiscovered Music ~ The Peggy Lee Classic That’s More Than Enough
Vulture ~ The Story Behind Is That All There Is?
YouTube links:
Peggy Lee ~
Me & My Shadow
Is That All There Is?
Is That All There Is? (live) 1969
The Bobs ~ Is That All There Is?
Christina ~ Is That All There Is? 1980
Firewater ~ Is That All There Is?
Giant Sand ~ Is That All There is?
PJ Harvey & John Parish ~ Is That All There Is?
Chaka Khan ~ Is That All There is?
Amanda Lear ~ Is That All There is?
Bette Midler ~ Is That All There Is? (live with tears)
The New Standards ~ Is That All There Is?
Pink Martini & Saori Yuki ~ Is That All There Is?
The Tiger Lillies ~ Is That All There Is?
Peggy Lee - 1950
publicity photo
So, did she say it?
Will I say it?
I hope not
Will I say it?
I hope not
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, January 21, 2020
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