June 30, 2021

20,000 Vinyl LPs 296: Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music (Live On Broadway)

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vinyl LP front cover detail 
album cover photo by Christian Steiner
detail photo of album cover by Styrous® 


Today is the birthday of Lena Horne who was born on June 30, 1917, in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She was an American dancer, actress, Grammy-winning singer, and civil rights activist. Her career spanned over 70 years, appearing in film, television, and theater. Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of 16 and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood.        


vinyl LP front cover
album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 


Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music was a 1981 Broadway musical revue written for and starred her. The musical was produced by Michael Frazier and Fred Walker, and the cast album was produced by Quincy Jones. The show opened on May 12, 1981, and after 333 performances, closed on June 30, 1982, Horne's 65th birthday.            
 
 
 
This is a great documentation of the show once you've gotten past the overture. It is a musical after all, so, just live with it and get on. The best parts of this album are the monologues by Horne in which she talks about the challenges she faced in her career.      
 

vinyl LP back cover
album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 

Throughout the show Horne sang and danced to Tin Pan Alley songs, jazz standards, music from films in which she had appeared, and songs written for her. The show sought to portray Horne's life from her beginning in show business to the present. During the show she spoke of the racism that she had encountered, describing how Hollywood producers told her she opened her mouth too big when she sang and devised a makeup for her, Light Egyptian, which was applied to white actresses such as Ava Gardner and Hedy Lamarr, who took roles that Horne could have possibly played (links below).    


vinyl LP back cover detail
detail photo of album cover by Styrous® 
 

Horne performed her signature song, Stormy Weather, twice in the show, the first time more subdued than the second. She was accompanied by dancers and backup singers. Costumes were designed by Giorgio di Sant' Angelo.       


album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 


There is a great cut, Where or When, in which she is being directed while she sings the song, funny but she comes out on top (link below).         
 
 
Lena Horne ~ The Lady And Her Music
vinyl LP gatefold interior
album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 
 
 




 
 
She is wonderful with Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man and she talks about her rejection for the role of Julie Laverne in the 1951 film version of Show Boat. She did sing the song in a mini-production of Show Boat in a fictionalized biography of composer Jerome Kern.    
 
 
 Lena Horne as Julie Laverne 
 
 
At the height of her career, Lena Horne accidentally stumbled into a power struggle between Hollywood communists and McCarthyites; complete info in an Atlantic article (link below).            
 
Horne received a special Tony Award for distinguished achievement in the theater for her one-woman Broadway hit Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music which opened to rave reviews in 1981 and played to capacity audiences there for 14 months before going on tour.          





 
Lena Horne died of congestive heart failure on May 9, 2010. Her funeral took place at St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Park Avenue in New York. Thousands gathered and attendees included Leontyne Price, Dionne Warwick, Liza Minnelli, Jessye Norman, Chita Rivera, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Leslie Uggams, Lauren Bacall, Robert Osborne, Audra McDonald, and Vanessa Williams.      











    

 
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Overture - 3:24
    Act I
A2 - From This Moment On, written by Cole Porter - 2:01
A3 - I Got A Name, written by Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel - 4:00
A4 - I'm Glad There Is You, written by Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Madeira* - 3:07
A5 - I Want To Be Happy, written by Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans - 2:45
    Cotton Club Revue    
A6 - Copper Colored Gal, written by Benny Davis, J. Fred Coots - 1:25
A7 - Raisin' The Rent, written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 0:55
A8 - As Long As I Live, written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 2:16
A9 - Lady With A Fan, written by Al Brackman, Cab Calloway, Jeanne Burns - 1:10
A10 - Lena's Dialogue ("Cotton Club To Hollywood") - 1:06
A11 - Where Or When - (Hollywood Sequence), written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 2:18

Side 2:

B1 - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, written by Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II* - 2:35
B2 - Lena's Dialogue ("Hollywood") - 1:36
B3     Just One Of Those Things, written by Cole Porter - 0:38
B4 - Stormy Weather (Part I), written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 2:37
B5 - Love, written by Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane - 1:40
B6 - Lena's Dialogue ("Broadway") - 1:38
B7 - Push De Button, written by E.Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen - 2:56
B8 - The Lady Is A Tramp, written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 2:54
B9 - Yesterday, When I Was Young (Hier Encore), written by Charles Aznavour, Herbert Kretzmer - 5:15

Side 3:

C1 - Deed I Do, arranged by Grady Tate, Lena HorneWritten-By – Fred Rose, Walter Hirsch - 3:53
C2 - Life Goes On, written by Craig Doerge, Paul Williams (2) - 3:09

    Intermission
    Act II
C3 - Watch What Happens, written by Michele Legrande*, Norman Gimbel - 3:10
C4 - The Surrey With The Fringe On Top, written by Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II* - 3:37
C5 - Fly, written by Martin Charnin - 5:29
C6 - Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered, written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 5:11

Side 4:

D1 - A Lady Must Live, written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 2:31
D2 - Lena's Dialogue ("Love This Business") - 2:04
D3 - That's What Miracles Are All About, written by Charlie Smalls, Sam Harkness - 3:51
D4 - Lena's Dialogue ("Early Career") - 8:24
D5 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter, written by Fred Ahlert*, Joe Young (3) - 3:00
D6 - Stormy Weather (Part II), written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 4:39
D7 - If You Believe, written by Charlie Smalls - 2:21
D8 - Curtain Music (Stormy Weather, Bows), written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 1:25

Companies, etc.

    Phonographic Copyright (p) – Qwest Records
    Produced For – Quincy Jones Productions
    Recorded At – The Nederlander Theatre
    Manufactured By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
    Distributed By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Credits:

    Arranged By – Bob Freedman (tracks: A5, B4, D6), C.T. Perkins (tracks: B5, B8), Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (tracks: A6, C5 D1, D3, D5), Gary Anderson (tracks: C3, D7), Gil Askey (tracks: B5, B8), Harold Wheeler (tracks: A3, A8, B9, C2, C6, D7), Lennie Hayton (tracks: A4, C4), Mark Wolfram (tracks: B5, B8), Ralph Carmichael (tracks: A1, D8), Ron Roullier (tracks: A2, B1, B3, B7)
    Bass – Anthony Jackson, Bob Cranshaw
    Concept By – Lena Horne, Sherman Sneed
    Conductor – Bob Freedman (tracks: B4, D6)
    Conductor [Musical Conductor] – Linda Twine
    Conductor [Musical Direction] – Harold Wheeler
    Drums – Grady Tate
    Executive-Producer [For Recording] – George Lee (5), Sherman Sneed
    French Horn – Peter Gordon (8)
    Guitar – Steve Bargonetti
    Keyboards – Leon Pendarvis, Linda Twine, Michael Renzi*, Pat Rebillot
    Mixed By – Bruce Swedien
    Percussion – Warren Smith
    Performer [The Company] – Clare Bathe*, Tyra Ferrell, Vondie Curtis-Hall*
    Photography By [Cover] – Christian Steiner (6)
    Producer – Quincy Jones
    Recorded By – Bruce Swedien
    Reeds – Danny Bank, George Young (2), Harold Vick, John D. Parron, Lou Marini, Michael Brecker, Mort Silver, Roger Rosenberg, Romeo Penque
    Transcription By [Book] – Lena Horne
    Trombone – Craig Harris (3), David Taylor, Jack Jeffers, Wayne Andre
    Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Frank Gordon, Glenn Drewes, Jon Faddis, Ron Tooley

Notes:

This issue has a slight center labels layout variation.

Recorded live in New York City at the David T. Nederlander Theatre.

Issued in gatefold jacket. Some copies carry a custom sticker with reviews of the show.
 
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Barcode (Scanned): 075992359719
 
Lena Horne ‎– Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music (Live On Broadway)
Label: Qwest Records ‎– 2QW 3597
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold sleeve
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style: Musical, Contemporary Jazz   
 
 
         
Viewfinder links:        
         
Harold Arlen        
Charles Aznavour        
Lauren Bacall            
Cab Calloway         
Jimmy Dorsey          
Ava Gardner        
Oscar Hammerstein II         
Lorenz Hart           
Quincy Jones         
Cole Porter         
Leontyne Price         
Richard Rodgers         
Dionne Warwick        
         
        
Net links:        
         
The Atlantic ~ The Red-Baiting of Lena Horne        
The Kennedy Center ~ Lena Mary Calhoun Horne         
Masterworks Broadway ~ Lena Horne    
NY Times ~ The Lady And Her Music        
Swing Street Radio ~ Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music        
        
YouTube links:        
         
The Lady and Her Music (complete album)      
Stormy Weather (Pt. I)        
Stormy Weather (Pt. II)        
Stormy Weather         
Where or When        
       
       
       
       

 
        
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Wednesday, June 30, 2021       
       
















 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

June 29, 2021

Günther, Louis and Zach ~ Ding Dong Song: Disco Daze 7

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Günther
photographer unknown 
 
 
 
 
 


Disco never died and probably never will! That was obvious when the Ding Dong Song, written by Swedish composer Anderz Wrethov and performed by Mats Söderlund (aka Günther) with backup by "The Sunshine Girls", was posted on YouTube 15 years ago.      
      
Then two years later a very bonkers, completely off the wall and hysterical music video was posted on YouTube on June 29, 2008, by a couple of kids with the names Louis and Zach. They did a video of the Ding Dong Song lip-syncing the lyrics accompanied with jerky movements and facial expressions that are a scream; the result is more fun than a barrel of monkeys to watch (link below)!       
 
 

Louis and Zach ~ Ding Dong Song 
screenshot by Styrous®
 

Other than a page on Facebook with no information at all, I can find absolutely nothing about the kids on the Internet.  I did find two videos that may or may not be them when they are older (links below). As I don't even know which is which; I assume since Louis is listed first he is the one doing the main singer vocal and he is a scream.        
   
 
Louis? (foreground) & Zach ~ Ding Dong Song 
screenshot by Styrous®
 
 
However, Zach does a knock-out job with his over-the-top lip-syncing of the backup vocals by the "The Sunshine Girls"!     
 
 
 
Zach? (foreground) & Louis ~ Ding Dong Song 
screenshots by Styrous®
          

 
 The Günther Ding Dong Song was first played on May 13, 2004 at the Franz Ferdinand in the Netherlands. The lyrics are charged with sexual innuendos Mae West might have appreciated . . .  
 
 
 [Chorus]
Oh, you touch my tralala
Mmm, my ding ding dong
La lalala lalala...
Oh, you touch my tralala
La lalala lalala...
Mmm, my ding ding dong
La lalala lalala...

[Verse 1]
Deep in the night
I'm looking for some fun

Deep in the night
I'm looking for some love

De-de-de-deep in the night
I'm looking for some fun
Deep in the night
I'm looking for some-

[Bridge]
You tease me
Oh, please me
I want you to be my love toy
Come near me, don't fear me
I just can't get enough of you, boy
    
Oh, you touch my tralala
La lalala lalala...
Mmm, my ding ding dong
Etc.


. . . . and his video is erotic to the max and maybe even a touch cheesy (I know, I should talk!) but the kids morphed it to another dimension and theirs is simple, almost innocent, with a GIANT dose of humor.        

Louis and Zach ~ Ding Dong Song 
screenshots by Styrous®
 
 



  
 
 
 
 

     
     
     
Ya gotta watch it!
     
     
     
     
      
     
Viewfinder link:       
         
Disco Daze      
Louis and Zach           
Mats Söderlund (Günther)         
Mae West         
Anderz Wrethov         
     
Net links:       
         
Facebook ~ Louis and Zach       
Urban Dictionary ~ Tralala         
YouTube Analytics ~ Louis and Zach        
     
Video links:       
         
Gunther and The Sunshine Girls ~ Ding Dong Song        
Louis and Zach ~ Ding Dong Song         
        
        
Louis and Zach (maybe)? ~       
Louis and Zach - The Reunion   
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
 

 
 


        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, June 29, 2021        
        















Anderz Wrethov articles/mentions

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Ding Dong Song: Disco Daze 7           
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
     
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Louis and Zach articles/mentions

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Louis and Zach - 2008    
screenshot by Styrous®            
     
     
     
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Mats Söderlund (Günther) articles/mentions

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Günther - 2007    
photographer unknown     
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

June 21, 2021

Record Producers Extraordinaire

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Behind every great musician/group is a Record Producer who had a vision and the expertise to make the sound of that musician or group unique.           
 
 
 
 
 
 

For punk no one topped Steve Albini. He produced the albums for his bands, Big Black, Rapeman, Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He produced albums for Nirvana, Pixies, the Breeders, PJ Harvey, and former Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, as well.
 
I'm not sure WHERE Brian Eno belongs! He's produced sound ranging from film soundtracks to ambient To experimental for John Cale, Jon Hassell and Laraaji, to new wave for Talking Heads, Ultravox and Devo, and everything in between.            
     
     
      
     
Viewfinder links:
      
Cannonball Adderley           
Chet Atkins       
David Axelrod        
all things Beatles       
Owen Bradley      
John Cale        
Glen Campbell      
George Clinton         
Al De Lory        
Devo        
Tom Dowd        
Duke Ellington      
Brian Eno        
Eurythmics           
Jackie Gleason          
Norman Granz      
Trevor Horn       
Quincy Jones           
Kitaro        
Kraftwerk    
Jeff Lynne       
Teo Macero          
Mantovani              
Arif Mardin      
George Martin           
Meat Loaf       
Mitch Miller         
Les Paul         
Conny Plank        
Todd Rundgren        
Klaus Schulze            
Billy Sherrill        
Stamatis Spanoudakis          
Phil Spector        
Jim Steinman        
Talking Heads          
Tangerine Dream       
The Temptations        
Bob Thiele         
Isao Tomita          
Bonnie Tyler         
Ultravox         
Vangelis        
Billy Vaughn         
Jimmy Webb         
Jerry Wexler         
Norman Whitfield      
Brian Wilson        
Otis Williams         
     
Net links:
     
     
     
Music Needs You ~ 7 Distinct Types of Record Producers     
Recording Connection ~ What Does a Music Producer Do?   
     
     
     
A tip of my hat to all of them!
     
     
     
Styrous® ~ Monday, June 21, 2021