Fascinating post, thanks for the explanation. Do you also feel there is zero difference in manufacturing quality between the T and W lines, and that it was merely a means for Capitol to make more money from its best-selling acts in addition to other selected albums of perceived cultural priority or historical significance? Because I do.
Indeed, Peggy Lee was not the only songbird who received a cover photo understudy exclusively down under ... Limp in Pain itself serving as a precursor to the better-known album If You Go. Seems like Ole ala Lee with Harnell at the helm was a one-off? Still Sorta-May. More likely a stereo EP with two songs per side... W vs. T was a ridiculous company policy for marketing segregation, if you ask me.
XIV. THINGS ARE SWINGIN' (Second Post) Original Formats The songs on the album Things Are Swingin' were recorded at the Capitol Tower during the second half of May 1958. Over four sessions, Peggy Lee waxed not only the twelve tracks for the album but also two numbers for one single, thereby producing a total of 14 masters. We know that the first date (May 19) took place on Studio B, and can only speculate that the others might have taken at the same location as well. The original 12" LP is pictured above. Capitol was advertising it by early November of 1958, along with albums by fellow artists such as Nat King Cole (The Very Thought of You), Judy Garland (Judy in Love), Jonah Jones (Swingin' at the Cinema), Louis Prima (Strictly Prima), and George Shearing (Latin Lace). A companion EP was issued as well; here is its original US edition: The British edition of this EP is also worth noting, if only because it creates false expectations: There was neither a "Part 2" nor a "Part 3." Only EAP 1-1049 was ever issued. In this regard (and several others), Things Are Swingin' follows the same pattern as Lee's preceding Capitol album, Jump for Joy. Both albums generated just one extended play edition. (Other albums of hers did generate three separate EPs, as we have already seen in one instance, and will be seeing again.) The Stereo Report Things Are Swingin' and Jump for Joy also share a similar mono/stereo release pattern. Both albums were originally issued on monophonic, then re-released in stereophonic sound about one year later. In the photo right above, you can see the jacket of the stereo release, made commercially available in May of 1959. Unlike Jump for Joy, however, Things Are Swingin' does not include the exact same takes in both mono and stereo. To be more specific, two of the twelve tracks are different: "You're Mine You" and "Life Is for Livin'." Lest I raise high expectations, I hasten to add that the differences between these respective mono and stereo performances are minimal. If you are a dedicated or "rabid" fan, you might enjoy detecting them. If, on the other hand, you are a more casual fan, rest assured that these counterparts are similar enough. You will be all set with just one pair. In the cases of the other ten tracks, the same vocal (i.e., the same take) is featured on both mono and stereo. Let's move on to a more overarching question: which of the two versions of the album is better, the mono or the stereo? The answer might essentially boil down to personal preference. Since the question has actually been discussed in previous threads, I'll circumscribe the rest of this section to quoting some of those older posts, which should prove collectively illuminating. Audio Showcase Essentially a proclamation of possessiveness, "You're Mine, You" is typically sung in slow, torchy mode. Such an approach tends to lull us listeners into ignoring how potentially alarming the underlying message actually is! For her version in the album under discussion, Peggy Lee breaks with the traditional torchy approach. While still maintaining the song's romantic tone, the artist offers instead a subtly effervescent interpretation of this lyric. The overall message is one of joyful satisfaction and teasing playfulness.
XIV. THINGS ARE SWINGIN' (Third Post) Other Album Formats (The CD Report) In addition to LP and EP, reel tape and compact disc are the other domestic formats on which this original 1958 album has been issued. The reel came out in 1965, and it is actually a twofer. We shall come back to it later (during our future discussion of the other album that it contains). The domestic CD is pictured above. Capitol Jazz released it in 2004. As indicated on its front cover, this release featured the stereo version of the album. (Just for the sake of accuracy: the picture shows an European pressing. All the same, the earliest pressings were made and released in the United States.) It is only in Europe, though, that the mono version of the album has also appeared on CD. Its debut appearance took place in 1996, as part of this British twofer: Incidentally, a few months ago we had a more informal discussion of the CD editions of this album. In my post from that discussion, I suggested that half of this EMI twofer is in stereo. That was a memory lapse on my part. It's all mono ....... Mea culpa, mea culpa. You can find yet another factual mistake of mine (not that you should be looking!) in my preceding post about Things Are Swingin'. (That mistake also involves a mono/stereo matter, and I'll be rectifying it shortly.) Listeners who are interested in owning a monophonic CD version of the album could certainly consider ordering the above-shown EMI twofer, but they would be better served by the following CD set, released in 2010. In spite of being a Public Domain issue, its sound quality is far better than that of the twofer. (It has numerous other pluses, too.) Along with those two (i.e., the Capitol Jazz CD from the United States & the EMI twofer CD from the United Kingdom), there are also official CD issues from France and Japan. The 2007 French edition is a special item from Blue Note, with a front cover is different from the original one. It's in stereo. So is the Japanese CD edition, which came on in 2013 and uses the "mini-LP" format: Naturally, lesser Public Domain labels have also taken advantage of this album's seniority status (currently 60 years old, though forever young). Most of those labels show a preference for reissuing Things Are Swingin' within twofer CDs. Here is, for instance, a 2016 Greek disc, which also includes Jump for Joy: (Since I do not own a copy of this particular CD, I cannot determine if it is in mono or stereo.) The Stereo Report (Part II) Other than the type of sound reproduction, you might ask, are there any noteworthy differences between the mono and stereo CDs? Well: 1) We have already pointed out that different takes of "You're Mine, You" were issued on the mono and stereo editions of the LP. That point extends to the CDs, too. 2) The Capitol Jazz CD offers a previously unissued take of "Life Is for Livin'." The choice of that alternate was intentional on the part of the CD's producer, by the way. (He believes that the original producer, Dave Cavanaugh, had trouble picking which of the two takes to release, since both are satisfying.) (Department of self-corrections: in my previous post about Things Are Swingin', I inaccurately gave to understand that the alternate is in all stereo editions of the album, including the original stereo LP. Not so. This stereo alternate made its debut appearance on the 2004 Capitol Jazz CD.) Should You be interested in hearing & comparing the two takes of Life Is for Livin', YouTube currently grants You (yes, YOU) both Life choices. Live it up!: Life Is For Livin' In The Land Of Monophony Life Is For Livin' In The World Of Stereophonics Posting this old message of yours just to point out that I am keeping my "promise" of discussing the albums in chronological order, as planned. (The older Things Are Swingin' posts were made in reply to a fellow poster searching for recommendations. Let's just think of them as a prelude to the current discussion!) Audio Showcase Many of the traits that distinguish Peggy Lee's artistry are showcased in Things Are Swingin': subtlety, conciseness, depth, freshness, sophistication, etc., etc., etc. Here is another significant trait, though one that is more apt to be noticed by musicians rather than casual listeners: mastery of rhythm. Louis Armstrong: "Man, if you can't swing quarter notes, you ain't going to swing. Peggy can swing quarter notes and all the rest -- behind the beat, on the beat, in front of the beat."
Interesting. My edition of the Capitol Jazz CD does not advertise Copy Control (if it has it). Perhaps only European pressings were copy controlled? "Believes" being the key word here. Yet, the master take is the superior performance, close as they are. Cavanaugh chose correctly. If it ain't broke...add the alternate as a bonus track instead. Don't mess with the original album or the original producer's decisions. I suppose one could make the same argument for the use of the "You're Mine, You" alternate on the stereo LP. Although we can't be certain, its use was more likely an accident whereas the 2004 reissue producer knowingly replaced the master take of "Life Is For Livin'" with an alternate take. I, for one, don't mind if the conversation meanders. After all, this is a comprehensive thread for Peggy Lee's recorded works, and discussion is encouraged as plainly indicated in your original post. So, to quote Billie, "don't explain," and to quote Peggy, "live it up!" Plus we have your well-crafted and highly informative posts to serve as a chronological foundation to keep things fresh and moving forward.
Time limit to add to my comment has expired. What I'm getting at is this: both an honest mistake and a conscious substitution can be met with disapproval, although the difference between the two is that the latter may also be considered a sign of disrespect.
XIV. THINGS ARE SWINGIN' (Fourth Post) The Album Abroad Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are the other countries, besides the United States, on which the LP Things Are Swingin' was also issued. (There could very well be more, about which I am yet to become aware.) The exact same artwork was used in most of those cases, but there are always minor differences in design and logos. See, for instance, the Dutch front cover above. As is usually the case, Japan is the country which most frequently reissued the album under discussion. There were at least three LP editions, including one that identifies itself as stereo, and which probably dates from the 1960s. On CD, however, the album appears to have been issued only once in Japan so far, and at a fairly late date (2013). I am referring to the cardboard, mini-LP edition pictured on my previous post. There's fun in checking South American and Spanish versions of American LPs. Titles are frequently translated. The Argentinian pressing is a case in point. Its front cover is shown above, the track listing below. As they say in Spain, la vida es para vivirla (and if they don't say it, they should)! In addition to Japan, the United Kingdom is another country that has issued Things Are Swingin' on more than one occasion. The earliest British release is the counterpart to the original US mono issue -- i.e., a British pressing from 1958 or 1959. As for later reissues, we have already made mention of a World Record Club LP and an EMI twofer mono CD, both of them monophonic. The aforementioned 1958 or 1959 UK LP also came out in mono only. (Before the 1980s, I don't know if the stereo LP version was ever issued anywhere in Europe.) I cannot close this section without showcasing the 1985 French stereo reissue, from the French-British Pathé Marconi-EMI series. To my ears, it sounds very good, as expected (though with at least one minor glitch, reported earlier by cblackey). The front cover of this Pathé Marconi LP is essentially identical to the original US release. Below is its cassette counterpart, whose art is relatively different from the standard design for this album. For what is worth, let me add that the pictured copy suffers from fading colors. The grayish backdrop is of a more intense hue, and thus more appealing, than the way it looks here. Album Promotion Peggy Lee's previous two albums (The Man I Love and Jump for Joy) seem to have enjoyed a modicum of individual promotion. The same does not appear to be true in the case of Things Are Swingin'. I have yet to come across any individual advertisement, or any Capitol "showcasing" of the album -- a point which also applies to the Lee LP that we will be discussing after this one, and which was recorded in 1958 as well. Was there a rationale at play in the amount of promotion, or lack thereof? We should probably take into consideration that the two earlier Capitol albums were recorded during the year on which the artist returned to the label. From 1957 to early 1958, Capitol's promotional department might have been vested in announcing Lee's status as a fresh Capitol artist (or maybe we should say "a refreshed Capitol artist"). At that point in time, any special promotion would have been normal, sensible PR. Capitol had to make sure that her (re-)incorporation to the label was well known to customers, and to the industry at large. Doing individual promotion on behalf of her first year's recordings (1957) would have contributed toward such a goal. By the time that this third album came out (late 1958), there would have been little need for Capitol to reinforce the point. Given the fact that the previous two Capitol albums had made the charts, the department probably considered its goal met. (A side factor to consider, as part of this discussion: Decca would continue to release Lee albums for years after her return to Capitol. Nevertheless, the competition must have not caused Capitol much concern. Those belated Decca LPs did not show up in the charts.) None of the above means that Capitol failed to promote Things Are Swingin' or any of Peggy's subsequent albums. It only means that the label's promotional department advertised them in the same regular manner as it did for most other new albums: collectively, in ads listing all the latest releases from multiple artists. Mention has already been made of how Capitol advertised Things Are Swingin' in conjunction with the other albums that the label released on the same late 1958 season -- albums such as Nat King Cole's Love Is the Thing and George Shearing's Latin Lace. How about promotion on Peggy Lee's part? We could think of her guest appearance on Swing into Spring as serving to promote not only Things Are Swingin' but also her other concurrent Capitol LPs. This TV special aired about a month before the release of the stereo edition of Things Are Swingin'. During the show, Lee sang one interpretation from the album that preceded Things Are Swingin' and two from the album that succeeded it. (Being parts of medleys, all those interpretations were relatively brief, or truncated.) She also sang "Things Are Swingin'." Lee made that song her chief interpretative choice for a two-tune medley with another stellar female guest on this TV special, Ella Fitzgerald. Below is a clip of the medley, which starts off with Ella's solid swinging version of " 'S Wonderful," and then continues with Peggy's probable debut of the titular number from her album. (Incidentally, this is an entirely different clip from the one that I posted several pages back, and which is also from the same TV special.) Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman are among those playing behind Ella and Peggy: Album Reception In December of 1958, Peggy Lee's Things Are Swingin' became her third consecutive Capitol album to make Billboard's top 20. It peaked at #16. (The previous album, Jump for Joy, reached #15, and appears to have been the most commercially successful item out of this threesome.) Furthermore, one Billboard issue ranks Things Are Swingin' as #6 among the albums that disc jockeys played the most on that particular week. Finally, a song originally issued on the LP Things Are Swingin' went on to become not only a minor top 100 hit for Peggy Lee but also a major staple of her repertoire. Details on an upcoming post. Next: final post about Things Are Swingin'. (Thanks, by the way, for past and future comments on the album. I have enjoyed reading 'em so far, and will be gladly adding a few reactions after I'm done with the last of these formal posts.)
I bought my copy in 2005 in Taiwan (I was teaching English there at the time), and I believe it's the US copy. It came with an extra sleeve that had the song titles and liner notes in Chinese, which I hope I saved somewhere. And yes, old-time crooners like Lee are huge in Taiwan. The clear enunciation that comes with this style is appealing to people who are just learning to speak English, as the words are relatively easy to understand.
XIV. THINGS ARE SWINGIN' (Fifth & Final Post) The Album's Concept This album's confident and affirmative message is already evident from its title (and from that titular song, of course). We open with a number titled It's a Wonderful World and close with another called Life's For Livin'. Along the way, reinforcement for the singer's very optimistic perspective comes courtesy of lyrics such as "Life's great / Life's grand / Future all planned" (from Ridin' High) ....... That's one thoroughly positive, forward-looking worldview, if ever there was one! This is a concept album. You might even call it an album with a philosophy of life. As Lee The Logician concludes: Have a ball! What's the diff' if you goof? Give your all Before this silly willy nilly old world goes puff! If you live like I teach you, That coachman cannot reach you ... Live, live, live! Genesis Of The Album Wouldn't we love to know the genesis of all the albums that we enjoy? Fat chance. Instead, we seldom ever find out anything about their creation and gestation. Such is, sadly but certainly, the case with Things Are Swingin' . One main question to always ponder is whether the impetus for our favorite albums have come from the recording artists or, instead, from their record producers. When it comes to Things Are Swingin', I have no evidence one way or another. But, hey, we are always free to explore whichever hints and clues on which we can count. I am leaning toward the notion that Peggy Lee was the one who came up with the idea behind this album. One matter that leads me into that direction is the fact that the original LP contains more Peggy-penned material than usual. Typically, we get one Lee lyric per LP, if any at all. Here we have two ("Things Are Swingin," "It's a Good, Good Night"), and one of those is the titular number. Furthermore, we might want to contemplate the possibility that Peggy was anonymously involved in the conception of a third number, which happens to be the album's closer. "Life Is for Livin' " was written by Cahn & Van Heusen, and I'm not aware of any version of it that precedes the one in the album. Hence my suspicion that Lee commissioned "Life Is for Livin' " from them. From her own comments, we know that Sammy Cahn was present in her home during the days in which she was planning how to sing "Fever," which would have also been the days on which the album was in its planning stage. "Life Is for Livin' " was the likely reason for the visit. At this get-together, or maybe earlier, she could have even contributed some of the song's ideas, and she would have certainly dictated the tempo which she wanted for it. (To me, the lyrics actually sound more reminiscent of Lee's than Cahn's writing.) But wait; there is more: the song has a verse that is clearly autobiographical, and which could have served as inspiration for the song's entire lyric. (Peggy does not do the verse on the album. Instead, we heard her sing it on a TV special, for which Cahn & Van Heusen were two out of several guests. See picture above, where Van Heusen is on the piano and Cahn is first from the right ... I hope that you don't have an arduous time trying to determine which of the other three is Lee!) I actually think of the LP under discussion as Peggy Lee's own, personalized re-presentation of the same theme that her previous album had presented from Nelson Riddle's perspective. Here, instead of boisterous, euphoric Joy, we are getting cool, relaxed Swingin'. Two very distinct and equally valid manifestations of happiness. Audio Showcase The album's breakout number was "Alright, Okay, You Win." Unlike the rest of the LP's repertoire, it was neither a jazz-pop standard nor a freshly created Lee composition, but a three-year-old tune, originally from the world of jump blues and rock 'n' roll. In early 1955, songpluggers were making rounds with this piece, after one of its songwriters (Sid Wyche) reportedly sold it to a music publishing company for $100 in order to buy Christmas gifts. The source of the report is his own daughter, who points out that Sid was a single dad that "often conducted his business up and down Broadway while pushing me in a baby stroller." He was also a Julliard-trained composer whose other credits include "Big Hunk o' Love," the #1 Elvis hit. (As for alleged co-writer Maymie Watts, she was a singer during that same era, cultivating the various music genres that were most popular at the time. I qualify her credit as "alleged" because she is not always listed, and I have wondered if her inclusion is a mistake. Be that as it may, you can hear her sing here: Maymie Watts' Quicksand.) In March of 1955, Mercury became the first label to release a version of "Alright, Okay, You Win." That debut version was sung as a jump blues by Ella Johnson (whose initial bout with popularity came while she was the vocalist for the band of her brother, Buddy Johnson). In June, Mercury gave the song another try, with a male, rock-'n'-roll-oriented version by Bill Farrell. Coral Records also got into the act, having The Modernaires cut a lightly doo-wop version. Meanwhile, Count Basie heard Ella Johnson singing the number live, and cajoled his vocalist, Joe Williams, into giving it a try. (Initially, Joe didn't like it, and didn't want to.) They went on to record the song for the jazz-oriented label Clef, to which Basie was signed back then. Clef released it as a single, probably with the expectation that it would become Basie and Joe's next R&B hit, following their "Everyday I Have the Blues" smash. Unfortunately, their interpretation did not take off in the charts, nor among the music critics of the day. Failing to make much of a dent, "Alright, Okay, You Win" was promptly put to pasture by the fickle record companies, with no more known versions coming out in 1955 nor, for that matter, within the next two or three years. Fortunately, the song was not forgotten. Basie's concert audiences took to the upbeat tune, and Joe turned it into a staple of his repertoire. Peggy Lee doubtlessly heard the song from Count Basie, who was a major favorite of hers. In January of 1959, just a couple of months after the original release of Things Are Swingin', Capitol issued Peggy's version on 45. With that single, she scored a minor but double-sided hit in the Hot 100. "Alright, Okay, You Win" peaked at #68, raising her total number of Billboard hits above 50. But that was not the full extent of her interpretation's success. It also scored her a Grammy nomination for best female singer of 1959. Her success gave in turn lasting and widespread attention to the song. Over a dozen other versions were recorded within the five-year period inaugurated by her 1958 recording. Thus Peggy (and Joe) assured the longevity of "Alright, Okay, You Win," after its initial faltering in the mid-1950s. The number actually became a staple of her repertoire, particularly through the decade of the 1960s. She even recorded the song for a second time on Capitol, with a different arrangement, in 1965. Upon listening to Peggy Lee's 1958 version, an enthusiastic Joe Williams opined that she did a better job that he and Basie did. Alright. Be that as it may, both singers continued to sing the number over the decades, especially on tributes to other artists and occasionally in duets with other singers. If you must know, sometimes they even sang it together, Okay? In the world of swing, they will both forever Win.
The sad realities of the music business in the 1950s being what they were, could it be that "All Right, Okay, You Win" was really her work alone, and letting a better-known songwriter take credit was her only way of getting it published? That happened all the time with early R&B and rock and roll numbers ("Why Do Fools Fall In Love" is the most notorious example of this, but not even close to the only one.)
That's my guess, too. I'm thinking that EMI/Blue Note fully stayed away from doing copy control in the United States? Lucky US, if so (& lucky us, who live here) ... The only copy-controlled CDs in my own collection are some Nina Simone CDs which EMI released exclusively in Europe. For the benefit of those interested in making comparisons, I have placed images of both versions, above and below. Currently (2018), the copy-controlled CD on display is being sold by Bear Family Records, the German label. Its back cover directs us to www.bluenote.europe.com. That back also carries a legend which points to the UK as the primary country of origin. However, copies such as this one, being sold by Bear Family, were clearly made for distribution in German land. Their spines contain text in both English and German. As for the other CD seen above, I'm afraid that the pictures are a bit blurry, making the text hard to read. Clearly, though, there's no indication of copy control. The bottom half directs us to www.bluenote.com. I bought my copy of this CD in the United States. It is just like that last one (and so is yours, presumably). Blue Note released this third version in France: It came out in 2007, the year after EMI ceased their copy-controlling (mal)practices. Thus the French escaped the curse, mercy and merci.
Great detective work, Lou. I no longer have the jewel case for my copy, so I can't read the credits on the back cover, although mine is probably a US pressing as well. There is a Universal Music Canada edition from 2010, if Amazon's data is accurate. But I thought Universal didn't assume ownership of EMI's masters until 2012? The photo used to depict the US version in your post looks like it's a club edition of sorts (MFD for BMG Direct). Perhaps an earlier or later pressing than mine.
High praise coming from Mr. Williams, since he was no slouch. I love this photo of Peggy and Joe working together. When was it taken? Looks like a television special of sorts. Two of the greatest, man.
Talking about "You're Mine, You" (around 1:20): Also a favorite moment of mine. To quote from another Peggy Lee rendition, it's "Moments Like This that make us thrill through and through." Several of the qualities which distinguish Peggy's artistry are encapsulated in that tiny moment. Subtlety. Humor. A highly developed sense of meaning, tonality and dynamics. Since we are talking about favorite lines from the album, let me add one that always amuses me. From "Life's for Livin' ": Treat yourself to a fling Even though she is not credited with the writing of this song, that particular line feels "very Peggy" to me ... Talking about Things Are Swingin' on CD: Interesting. We hardly ever hear about reactions to our favorite vintage artists in Asian countries (aside from Japan, that is). Something which comes to mind, in this regard, is the fact that there is a Thai cassette edition of Things Are Swingin' - Jump for Joy (the EMI Twofer). I am not aware of a cassette release anywhere else. Talking about the use of an alternate take on the Capitol Jazz CD edition: In agreement. Being a historical piece, the album deserved to have each and all of its original masters faithfully transferred to the digital domain. I'd venture that the person in charge of this project succumbed to the lure of his own taste and enthusiasm. Perhaps lacking extensive previous experience in the making of reissues, the person let his listener's preferences prevail over the album's integrity. From a fan perspective, there is one bright outcome. We are afforded the opportunity of listening to an alternate take that would have never been freed from the vaults otherwise. Yep, it's a BMG club edition. After looking for online pics of the non-club edition and not finding any, I had to settle for what was available. I was hoping you wouldn't notice! I just went to check the Amazon Canada page -- the one with the 2010 release date for the CD. It's hard for me to make head or tails of it. Had Amazon provided a photo of the CD's back cover, we would probably be able to form a better idea of what's going on here. Sadly, no such photo is available. For now, I will just go with the assumption that this a mere straight copy of the 2004 US CD, sent by Universal to Amazon Canada in 2010, and bearing no alterations at all (i.e, no Universal logo, no change of release year). Talking about singer & songwriter Mayme Watts: Nothing is impossible, I have found. (That was a line from yet another song.) Well, I just looked up Mayme Watts's official songwriting credits, and discovered that she has over 150. "Alright, Okay, You Win" is certainly listed among them ... The same basic points can be made about her co-writer, Sid Wyche, too ... Given all those Watts and Wyche credits, we can surmise that neither one was operating in the shadows. To concentrate on Watts, let me add that we also find her credited, by name, on both record and sheet music: So, we don't seem to be confronting here a case of marginalization or "patriarchal abuse," after all. Instead, it would appear that the head-scratching situation to which I was referring is circumscribed to just "Alright, Okay, You Win." The situation: sometimes only Sid Wyche is credited for the song "Alright, Okay, You Win." For instance, here is the recording on which the song made its commercial debut (1955): Similarly, Wyche is the only writer credited on the original single by Count Basie (1955), and also on the Capitol hit single by Peggy Lee (1959). Now, after further looking into this matter, I am seeing that there are also early records on which Mayme Watts does receive credit. One of them is the first EP release of Peggy Lee's version (1959). Another is a single issued on the same label and year as the debut version (1955): So, this is looking like a case of inconsistency, more than anything else. It apparently took a while before the matter of this song's correct credits became fully clarified at record labels and related companies. Talking about a "W" prefix found on the catalogue number of some vintage Capitol LPs: 'Deed I do, too. Well, this is a business, after all. In the end, that's all what the W prefix is -- a business code, probably meant to be noticed by distributors and sellers only. W is for wallet.
Yes, it's from the 1979 Kennedy Center Honors, which was indeed televised. Joe and Peggy are captured as they jointly sing the words "well, alright, well okay, you win, we are in love with you" to Ella Fitzgerald, who was one of the honorees that year. The video featuring the entire segment in Ella's honor can be found in YouTube. I considered posting it here, as part of the message of mine to which you responded. In the end, I let go of the idea because it made more sense to post a clip featuring Peggy's 1958 album version of "Alright, Okay, You Win," rather than something from as late as 1979. (By that year, Peggy's timbre had changed considerably. The voice of a sexagenarian Peggy is not as, um, sexy as that of her thirty-something self.) All that having been said, I might as well post the clip now, here, in this informal post. Highlights: 3:21 - Peggy comes in, and gives a brief speech, honoring Ella. 9:55 - After clips showcasing Ella's career, followed by audience applause, Peggy continues her chat, and introduces Count Basie. 14:12 - Basie introduces Joe, who proceeds to sing "Alright, Okay, You Win." 15:43 - Peggy joins Joe, and both sing "Alright, Okay, You Win." 17:15 - Joe and Peggy sing a riff honoring Peggy, for which Jon Hendricks joins them, halfway through.
Peggy Lee's newest release is the debut reissue of the album shown below. Universal Records reissued it last Friday. It is being released at iTunes, Amazon, etc. as a digital download only (no CD). Here is the back cover of the original LP, and its track listing. In addition to the above-shown titles, Universal has added four bonus tracks, thereby offering the complete repository of Coleman compositions recorded by Lee for Capitol. Four of the numbers were co-written by the pair of Peggy Lee and Cy Coleman, which means that this Coleman songbook is also a bit of a Lee mini-songbook. It is also an anthology. The tracks come from 45 singles and original LPs. The best known of them is, of course, "Big Spender." The one that 'downloaders' will probably appreciate the most is "A Doodlin' Song," since that tune has become increasingly hard to find on either CD or LP. Besides, it is a number actively and consistently requested by a variety of folks (not just Lee fans). That's probably because it is a fun, cheerful ditty -- even a bit of a party number. It was resurrected a couple of years ago, when it was used on the soundtrack of Weeds, the TV show.
Spot on. That tiny moment captures all of the wonderful traits of Peggy's artistry that you mention. The way Peggy utters the word fling is almost mischievous, and certainly playful, as if there was a tinkle in her eye at that moment. I like it too. It's definitely a bright outcome for fans, but at what cost? Technically, it is an incomplete reissue of an original album, as it is. The producer's conscious substitution of the master take for an alternate can be perceived as opportuni$tic. He knows that established Peggy Lee fans and collectors are likely to already have one (or more) pressings of this great album, especially original pressings with great sound. As such, collectors were not likely to purchase this reissue since it was not an "upgrade" from the original LP, only an improvement upon earlier CD versions. Thus, the bonus tracks and the previously unreleased alternate take provide the necessary temptation to make a business case need for this reissue. As you say, the conscious decision to replace a superior performance chosen by the original album's producer with an alternate take has disrupted the integrity of the original album, and that, to me, is a sign of disrespect, since it was done knowingly and without good reason. My disapproval could have been avoided entirely by making three small changes to this edition: a) Include the original master take of "Life Is For Livin'" as the rightful 12th track; b) Include the alternate take of "Life Is For Livin'" as a third bonus track; c) Properly designate it to be a previously unreleased alternate take on the back cover (rather than burying it in the liner notes); and, better still... d) Include the original mono master take of "You're Mine, You" as the fourth bonus track (mixed to stereo, if possible). Problem solved. Then there would have been no disrespect to Peggy's artistry, nor to the original album, nor to the original producer, nor to Peggy's fans. And, since it would become a comprehensive package for the album, fans could part with any previous editions in their library, if they so desired. What can I say except that I am observant
Since there is no media for this release, my hope is that high-resolution files are made available in addition to lossy formats. It plays in the credits right after my favourite line from Celia -- "I should've had an abortion". The TV performance of Doodlin' Song with Bing is especially funny and charming.
Yeah. It is actually part of a long medley. (Clip above.) Peggy Lee also sang this song as a duet with Dean Martin, during one of her guest appearances on his TV show. When the musical documentary Fever aired on PBS, it included a fun segment that joined her performances with Bing and Dean into one whole. The film segued from the Bing clip to the Dean clip, with no break in between. Unfortunately, the Dean Martin bit had to be cut from the DVD version. (The rightholders to the TV show either forbade its inclusion or asked an astronomic fee for it.) Ah. (I have never watched Weeds. I do plan to check it out some day, though.)
FEVER (THE 1958 SINGLES) Session Details We cannot move on to the discussion of Peggy Lee's next album without paying homage to "Fever," the iconic hit that she recorded during her Things Are Swingin' sessions. It was the last of four numbers tackled during a May 19, 1958 date held inside Studio B of the Capitol Tower. The three earlier numbers featured an orchestra, from which a tiny combo stayed for the recording of "Fever." In addition to Peggy Lee on vocals, the hit recording of "Fever" featured Shelly Manne on snare drums and Joe Mondragon on bass. Manne actually turned off the snares, using his fingers as drumsticks. There was finger snapping, too. Different reports have credited different individuals for the snaps, with the most commonly mentioned names being producer Dave Cavanaugh, singer Peggy Lee, and guitarist Howard Roberts. The guitarist is a viable candidate because he was present during the proceedings, yet did not play at all. In the end, though, we might never truly know the identity of the date's finger snapper, and perhaps we should not be much concerned about it. I say "perhaps" because I am not sure that the snaps on the hit recording are the same ones "enacted" at the session. Isn't it likelier that the loud, crystal-clear finger snaps we hear on the master were freshly overdubbed after the session (i.e., during the engineering of the master)? If so, Cavanaugh could very well be our true "record snapper." There are numerous other Fever-related topics that could be discussed herein. Lest the post becomes endless, I'll pick just two: the identity of the arrange and the immediate success of the recording. Arrangement According to music critic Will Friedwald, it was Peggy Lee herself who "had sketched the arrangement [for "Fever"] and given it to Marshall. He kept adding things and Miss Lee taking them out to maintain her desire to keep it as earthy as possible. Producer Dave Cavanaugh agreed with her on this point, and as a result, the final arrangement is Peggy Lee's and hers alone." One of the main components that Marshall attempted to add to Lee's arrangement was guitar playing. Hence the presence of guitarist Howard Roberts during the performance -- and thus his reported relegation to snapping fingers, once Peggy Lee's original concept prevailed. Charts & Awards Action Capitol decided to capture "Fever" on both monophonic and stereophonic reproduction, setting up separate microphones and tape machines for each purpose. The original issue was the above-pictured 45-rpm single, which used the mono, and which was released about two months after the recording date. (A 78-rpm single was also issued at some point. Given the fact that "Fever" came out during the post-78-era, I am guessing that the 78 had limited pressing & distribution, at least in the United States.) Peggy Lee's "Fever" peaked at #8 in Billboard's main singles chart, #6 in Cash Box, and #5 in the United Kiingdom. Above, you are seeing a contemporary Cash Box review. The very First Annual Grammy Awards were bestowed on recordings made during the year 1958. At the ceremony, Peggy Lee served as presenter, speaker (pic above) and nominee. "Fever" scored three nominations: Best Record of the Year, Best Female Vocal Performance, and Best Arrangement. The second was a nomination expressly for Peggy Lee herself, of course. Competing for that trophy were Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Eydie Gorme, and Keely Smith. The nomination for best arrangement went to Jack Marshall despite the fact that Peggy Lee had been, for all practical purposes, the song's arranger. Upset about the matter, Lee was ultimately talked into keeping quiet, being told that it wasn't smart to raise waves. On the day of the award ceremony, Lee and "Fever" basked in the glory of multiple nominations, but collected no trophies. "Volare" (the Domenico Modugno version) was awarded the title of record of the year, Ella Fitzgerald received the highest accolade for female singing, and Henry Mancini took the prize for best arranger, thanks to his Music of Peter Gunn. The latter also won Album of the Year. In the photo right above, Peggy is caught in the act of giving to Mancini that album trophy -- along with a fever-inducing kiss. Burn, Man-cini, burn. As long as I am mentioning awards, let's also cover, in passing, the male best singer category. Frank Sinatra was of course nominated in that entry -- twice, in fact -- but Perry Como snatched the trophy. Peggy Lee's "Fever" did not remain forever trophy-less, however. It was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
"Perish the thought! Somebody get the lady a hysteria machine so that she calms down and remembers her place." Ugh! I wonder who told Peggy to keep quiet. My guess would be Capitol executives. The label gives the impression of having been a good ol' boys club. That would not happen if Peggy had stayed with Decca. Why, just three short years after Peggy recorded "Fever" for Capitol, a charming little country gal with a big voice was not only deciding (along with her Nashville producer) who would arrange her recordings for Decca, but she was also instrumental in selecting which of her Decca recordings would be issued as singles. The commercial success of "Fever" lies within its arrangement, and a woman's intuition made that song a hit, therefore the lady should have been properly recognized for her contributions, not just by the NARAS, but also the bosses at Capitol. I dig that photo of Peggy and Hank together. Super dig. Thanks for sharing!
FEVER (THE 1958 SINGLES) The Stereo Report / Reissue History Following Capitol's release of "Fever" on a 45-rpm single in the summer of 1958, the number proceeded to also enjoy inclusion on long play & extended play. Two EPs, actually. Shown above, the earliest (EAP 1-1052) came out in 1958 -- probably around October. It contains the same mono version of "Fever" heard on the original 45. Before we proceed to the second EP, mention must be made of the LP, which marked the commercial debut of the stereo version. I am referring to the following various-artists anthology: This 12" item bears catalogue number SW-1162. It became available in or around March of 1959. (The British also issued it, with a different catalogue number.) According to the liner notes on the back cover, "[t]he swinging Miss Lee's happy song about love comes across even more compellingly in stereo than in its popular 'single' version. The driving rhythm now comes from the left channel while the finger-snapping beats emerge from the right, giving a startling new dimension to the tune." The second EP to feature "Fever" was a stereo release, too. Seen below, SEP 1-1232 appeared in the market in April of 1959, along with Capitol stereo EPs by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Anthony. The label had not issued any extended-play vinyl in stereo before. Peggy Lee thus had the distinction of being the only female artist to form part of Capitol's inaugural batch of stereo EPs. To my knowledge, SEP 1-1232 and SW-1162 were the only early stereo releases of "Fever," with the next two having to wait until 1983 and 1985 to make their respective appearances. As for the earliest CD issue, I believe it to have been this 1994 budget compilation (also distributed on cassette), of limited market availability: Meanwhile, through all these decades, the immense majority of CDs, cassettes and LPs to feature "Fever" have offered the monophonic original -- and with good reason. As have been repeatedly pointed out in this forum over the years, mono is the most satisfactory and logical listening option. You want to hear this intimate and sensual masterpiece in its close-miked alternative. That said, the stereo version is perfectly fine and no less enticing. It's just that the mono, when well mastered, sounds best. We could thus say that any endorsement of the stereo version (such as the one in the back cover of the aforementioned More Stars in Stereo LP) is not so much false as over-enthusiastic advertisement. Talking about mikes, I recently caught sight of the following eBay entry. I am not sure what to make of it: PEGGY LEE USED THIS TO RECORD FEVER! American D-22 Microphone Starting bid: US $500.00 This American D-22 Microphone was used by Peggy Lee to record Fever. Beautiful case, mint condition. Comes with handwritten note stating this microphone was used by Miss Lee and is signed by her Producer at the recording. Surely, if legitimate, this couldn't possibly be a Capitol-owned microphone? Like a few other major singers (Frank, Tony), Peggy also owned and used her own special microphone. She did so in concert and, I believe, at some sessions. Nevertheless, I am doubtful that she already owned one as early as 1958. But perhaps the version of "Fever" with which this microphone was allegedly recorded is a later one (e.g. 1989) ... Knowing the name of the producer (the one who allegedly signed the note) would help. Audio Showcase Live, here is Peggy Lee's earliest extant interpretation of "Fever." It's from a TV show that aired in October 1958 -- five months after she recorded the song for Capitol. (n.b.: Clip does not really start until :11. Also, the YouTube uploader fiddled with some audio segments.) She had actually sung the number on another TV show in April -- a month before the studio recording. That pre-Capitol-session performance would be quite interesting to hear, wouldn't it? Regrettably, no evidence of preservation has come forth. But let's rejoice at the availability of this equally ultra early performance. It's totally cool and impressive. By the way, it was discovered only 15 year ago. Previously, there was no knowledge of its existence. So, there's still hope for that earlier (April) missing "link" to be digged up and resurrected for public consumption!
A question was raised: If the snaps are identical on both the stereo and mono versions -- and I think they are, but I have never actually A/B'd them -- then because of this bolded section: ....they are not overdubbed. Anybody bored enough to do a snapping comparison? Edit: Also, IIRC, all three tracks were used at the session, as discussed somewhere by @Steve Hoffman. Edit Edit: Here it is:
