Friday, July 5, 2019

They Don't Make 'Em Like This Any More

Whenever I hear Paul McCartney touted as "the greatest songwriter of the twentieth century", Hoagy Carmichael is the name I counter with first. Then there's a list as long as Wilshire Boulevard before we get to McCartney. Carmichael may not be the greatest songwriter of all time, but he's in the top two.

 This selection is a swell introduction, if you don't know his work. Cherry-picked from the hundreds of songs that he wrote in a long career, dating from his early hot jazz period in Indiana, through the New York songwriter years, to his move out west to Hollywood. He died in 1981 (like, yesterday), aged 82, leaving a matchless catalog of songs, recordings, and movie appearances. His understated vocal style hides a surprising virtuosity - try singing along to Stardust, or Baltimore Oriole.

 They don't make 'em like this any more. They don't write 'em like this any more. In an age when hits with the longevity and substance of bubblewrap are assembled by algorithms and performed by bots, Carmichael's songs are, well, stardust, and will shine forever.
at

13 comments:

  1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIJuly 5, 2019 at 10:24 AM



    Hoagland

    ReplyDelete
  2. mumbles dupreeJuly 5, 2019 at 5:58 PM

    FTIII, Thanks again. So,for the statement Paul McCartney as the best songwriter, I must agree with you,that statement is incorrect. Cole Porter was a great song writer, Stan Ridgeway is a great song writer. Frank Zappa was a great music composer. Paul was part of a great songwriting team. Hoagy, I believe was the pianist in "To Have And Have Not" - Cricket & he was sublime.YMMV Thanks for the outstanding blog. ONWARD thru the Fog!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIJuly 5, 2019 at 6:36 PM

    You're welcome, Mumbles. Remember to tell all your pals in the Big House about this swell blog! I'd like to kick that visitor counter thing up to five because I've promised Cody a Surprise Bonus when we hit it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. mumbles dupreeJuly 5, 2019 at 6:52 PM

    Well...hit it & git it, I believe the saying goes. FT3sticks is already a big hit on this cell block. Word travels quickly though the network, so I have to think that those that can read and might enjoy an occasional python boot will be flocking to this fantastic FMF blog, in search of immediate gratification, if you know what I mean. Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. pmacJuly 5, 2019 at 8:25 PM

    I recall the first time I ever saw Hoagy (in the classic Bogart movie). After having listen too his music for decades, mainly through interpretations by other musicians, in my mind's eye, I pictured a man of urban sophistication. A caricature straight out of the New Yorker. Instead, much to my surprise, an Indiana hayseed. Still, greatest songwriter ever. Many thanks, Farquhar - gotta run, the guards are making there way to my cell block.....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIJuly 5, 2019 at 8:56 PM

    That hayseed scrimped and saved and studied to pass the bar exam, and became a lawyer, only to give it all up to write songs. Wotta guy. And he had some swell dames flinging woo at him in Tinseltown, too. I think your New Yorker impression is close to the truth. I was listening to this in the car again today, trying to sing along to Stardust - possibly the greatest popular song ever written - and failing with great pleasure. Those chord changes! The range!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. pmacJuly 5, 2019 at 9:46 PM

      The first time I ever really closely listened to Stardust was when Willie Nelson released that album of the same name. I was a freshman in college, and I was struck by the poetry of it, and immediately started to chase down all of the versions of the song that I could find. Led me to Satchmo, Ella, and all of the greats. Up to then, musical diet was nothing but blues, and some new wave. Changed the way I viewed, and heard, music forever.

      Delete
  7. AnonymousJuly 5, 2019 at 9:32 PM

    Great selection, but, you should have included his Guinness Record holder as well (for longest title)

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJuly 5, 2019 at 11:27 PM

    Yawning Angel sez...

    Couldn't agree more re: the McCartney spin. Thanks for this, Farq! Also, your writing makes me smile and chortle, sir.

    ReplyDelete
  9. jakeJuly 10, 2019 at 8:33 AM

    couldn't agree more. his melody's were jazz with a pop sensibility. as to Stardust
    Lyricist(s) Mitchell Parish. "Stardust" is a popular song composed in 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics added by Mitchell Parish in 1929. Carmichael recorded the song, originally titled "Star Dust", at the Gennett studio in Richmond, Indiana.

    ReplyDelete
  10. PardalJuly 15, 2019 at 4:38 PM

    The other greatest songwriter was also from Indiana.

    ReplyDelete
  11. MrDaveSeptember 7, 2019 at 8:52 AM

    Thanks Farq, this looks like a good meaty samwich

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)