Doris Day Versions Considered Composers' Favourites

[Kian]

I've been watching the TV quiz show University Challenge here in the UK (I believe the show is called College Bowl in the US) and Doris Day's birth was mentioned briefly in a question a few weeks ago about events in 1924, then last night there were a series of questions about Cole Porter songs, all of which combined to remind me that Porter considered Doris's version of his 'April In Paris' to be his favourite of the song. Does anyone know if there are any other composers, songwriters, bandleaders etc. who thought that Doris Day sang the best version of one of their songs? Presumably Terry Melcher thought so about 'Move Over Darling', it would be great to hear about other songwriters' views.

Kian

[howard]

Kian: Right church, wrong pew. The song was "I Love Paris."

Composer Cole Porter, after hearing Doris’ version of “I Love Paris,” remarked to his long-time rehearsal pianist Lew Kessler, “It gave me the feeling she loved Paris as much as I did. I wish she would do more of my work.”

Don't remember the exact title of the book in which this appeared ... I think it was called "Cabaret Nights."

[Renny]

Richard Rodgers of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame wrote to Doris complimenting her rendition of their song, "I Have Dreamed." He stated that it was the most beautiful version of the song he'd ever heard.

I agree with Mr. Rodgers. It is beautiful. In fact, the "I Have Dreamed" album is my favorite Doris Day album.

[jboy4day]

Doris Day's new sound was ushered in with Barry Mann and his wife, Cynthia Weil's "Let The Little Girl Limbo". Terry Melcher, Doris' son realized that he had to do something with his mom and the other Columbia powerhouse singers of the 40's and 50's or it was over for them.
So he hired Jack Nitzsche (Phil Spectors arranger, they created the wall of sound of that era) to do the arrangements for this new awesome single. This was complicated arranging, apparently. Working with Doris was easy and there were several recording dates for Limbo alone! Jack did it in a slow tempo without the double vocal first. Then Doris went in and did the voice over another day. The result was a huge success with everyone and they were sure they had a HUGE hit on their hands. BUT..... the song was too slow. So, Jack was off working on another project, Columbia used almost the exact same arrangement as Jack wrote, but much faster with, I believe, Robert Mersey as the leader. It was a huge improvement and Doris did a voice over for it resulting in a double track for the vocal. THEN...I guess, Darth Vader appears. Marty Melcher and others decided the song was too wild for D's image, and they never released it! The hit that never was..... Both versions are available for you to hear. If you get it on the Hit Singles CD you will only get the slower version tho.
That was in April of 1963. No more recording for D until August 30, 1963. It was time to record the title theme for Move Over Darling. Terry, 22 full of testosterone, must have been horny when he wrote that one gang! Jack was hired for the session and again, as in Limbo, a new really talented guitarist was hired for the session, Glen Campbell. This session produced the new Day sound sexier and more suggestive than ever. Terry wrote the song to resemble, like it or not, a climax. It starts out and works it's way up to that. Listen to it again........ Terry said he didn't think he wrote a gr8 song. I think it's my favorite of all songs. Jack was very unhappy with the way they recorded it to tape. He said they did a poor job of putting it down on tape. The other song from that session is Twinkle Lullaby. Both with D's new sound of the sixties. More later......

[ray]

Lboy4day, That was an amazing story about Doris and that song. You really know aht you are talking about! Marty really royally blew the last days of Doris's movie and singing career.

[helen1985]

yes that was very interesting.. you mentioned that both versions where available to hear but only the slow one was released.. do you know where we can hear it?

[jboy4day]

Well, Lauren, I think the fast version of Limbo would have been gr8 for the dance sequence....but then, I'm partial to it. I think the sickeningly sweet song for me for D would have to be.....are you ready?.......
Daffa Down Dilly! That's one fast song, apparently there was a faster version of it, if you can imagine that!!

To answer Helen, The fast version is available on two CD's that I'm aware of. There may be more..... One is the Move Over Darling box set. From memory, I believe it is the first song on CD 4. Then there is a two-fer which I still see in stores. Has a black and white pic of D from the 40's or early 50's on the cover and it's the fast version of Limbo near the end of the second CD. I think that CD originated in Australia.

Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil give Doris alot of credit in recording their songs. They are especially fond of OO-WEE BABY and give her kudo's for her work recording this. It is included at the end of The 1960s Singles CD by Collectables and also on a fun CD called Where The Girls Are (ACE label).

The writing was on the wall for Doris' recording career when they released "There They Are". NO and I repeat NOOOOOO artist of her calibur should ever have been recording such a nothing song as that!
At that time, D should have been recording the best pop of the day.....Tony Hatch, Burt Bacharach, Les Reed, Henry Mancini and since Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil owned the airwaves with their songs from the late 50's thru the 60's, plenty of them as well. I'll retitle "There They Are" to "There She Goes....at the speed of light!" And Poof! she was gone....... Many of D's singles were just fine then. She did a gr8 job on Gloria Shayne's "Another Go Around". But after Perry Como had a hit with it! Also "Catch the Bouquet" was aimed at the girls that wanted to get married. Way too narrow of appeal for a hit. The unique songs for her films served them well.....but the real serious airwaves hits were not hers to record....thanks Marty Melcher! No wonder she decided to stop recording altogether.

Have a ton of fun with Limbo. And don't forget "Rainbow's End". It's a fine tune with Jack Nitzsche behind it and it deserved better treatment from disc jockeys.

And Poof! I'm outa here.....later kids...J

[howard]

jboy said: "Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil give Doris alot of credit in recording their songs. They are especially fond of OO-WEE BABY and give her kudo's for her work recording this."

jboy: I've never seen any quotes by Mann and/or Weil about Doris. What did they have to say?

[jboy4day]

As an afterthought, it should be noted that since Limbo was never released, Terry used the same music tracks and had Anita Bryant record it! There is a record of that session, however I cannot find it being released either. Anyone know?

[jboy4day]

Looks like there is an entire series of these now. There was only the first one when I became aware of this. I don't know what version of Limbo is used tho.


ACE CDCHD 648

1. Conditon Red - The Goodees
2. Look In My Diary - Reparata And The Delrons
3. Don't Drop Out - Dolly Parton
4. Little Things Like That - Suzy Wallis
5. Live And Learn - Joey Heatherton
6. I'm Thru - Carolyn Carter
7. Anything Worth Having (Is Well Worth Waitin' For) - Joan Moody
8. Love Kitten - Noreen Corcoran
9. Oo-Wee Baby - Doris Day
10. Please Don't Kiss Me Again - The Charmettes
11. How Much Is That Doggie In The Window - Baby Jane & Rockabyes
12. Your Ya-Ya Is Gone - The Tren-Teens
13. Hula Hoppin' - Idalia Boyd
14. Push A Little Harder - The Avons
15. That Boy Of Mine - The Sherrys
16. Young Girl - Charmaine
17. Sometimes I Wonder - Barbara Brown
18. What Kind Of Girl (Do You Think I Am?) - Erma Franklin
19. Mixed-Up, Shook-Up Girl - Patty & The Emblems
20. Who's That Guy - The Kolettes
21. A Friend Of Mine - The Geminis
22. Oh What A Night For Love - The Victorians
23. Hey There Lonely Boy - Ruby & The Romantics
24. Lonely Girl - The Lovettes

Additional Information about Where The Girls Are Vol.5
Portions of this page Copyright 1948-2007 Muze Inc. and Muze Europe Ltd. All rights reserved.

Track listing
1. Dressed In Black - Pussycats
2. I Want Your Love - Pussycats
3. They're Dancing Now - Michaels, Patty
4. That New Boy In Town - Tanzy, Jan
5. Let The Little Girl Limbo - Day, Doris
6. My Boyfriend - Becky & The Lollipops
7. One Boy Tells Another - Surfer Girls
8. That Boy Is Messing Up My Mind - Orchids
9. Marching Home - Dey, Tracey
10. Did You Get Your Fun - Bootiques
11. Will You Care What's Hap'nin' To Me - Peters, Bernadette
12. Wonderful World Of Love - Poppies
13. You're My Loving Baby - Sweet Things
14. Sing Me A Love Song - Glories
15. Gonna Make Him My Baby - Young, April
16. Friends And Lover's Forever - Ames, Nancy
17. Harlem Tango - Orchids
18. Takin' That Long Way Home - Jones, Dorothy
19. It's Love That Really Counts (In The Long Run) - Mars, Marlina
20. Sweet Bitter Love - Franklin, Aretha
21. You Can't Hurt Me No More - Opals
22. Right To Cry - Franklin, Erma
23. Love Made To Order - Little Foxes
24. Baby You're Mine - Sheldon, Sandi
25. Wasn't It You - Lipton, Peggy
26. Spanish Harlem - Nyro, Laura & Labelle


Details
Number of CDs: 1
Recording type: Studio
Distributor: Pinnacle
Recording mode: Stereo


Album notes
Performers include: The Pussycats, Doris Day, Aretha Franklin, Opals, Patty Michaels, Jan Tanzy, Becky & The Lollipops, Tracey Dey, Poppies, Orchids, Sandi Sheldon, Surfer Girls.Contains 26 tracks.