Her vocal style was of it's time and that is why most people wouldn't have a clue who she is today. She was truly great. Her recordings of "Bill" and "Why Was I Born" are a pure joy to listen to.
Of it's time, the greatest time that ever was for music. The celebritards of today who cannot interpret lyrics should stay at home and count their millions.
Maybe the most emotional version of all on this classic. Helen Morgan had that extra depth. Annette Hanshaw and Ruth Etting also great on this classic of jazz
BEYOND beautiful!!...what a great voice and personality!!...I love the orchestra arrangements used to accompany her ..they were perfect...the 30's were a highpoint in popular music! This song is absolutely gorgeous...I think written by Hoagy Carmichael.
Polly Bergen won an Emmy award in 1958 for the playhouse 90 television drama about her life of alcohol and despair and died so young in 1941 at age 41.
Thank you for posting this! Helen was such a classic beauty and very talented indeed. What a wonderful time this must have been. Just look at the lovely way she dressed and the hairstyles and makeup. Everything flattered her and made her look even more beautiful. Helen Morgan should be unforgettable.
You can hear and SEE Helen Morgan singing "Bill" in the 1936 film of Jerome Kern's "Showboat". It's here on YT. She was the original Julie LaVerne in the Broadway show (1927).
Lyrics: I'm lost in the dark, Where is the spark For my love? I'm lost in the night, Holding the light Of my love. The heavens opened and closed, As well I might have supposed, And I am left in disabandon, So far removed from all that I had planned on. My days have grown so lonely, For I have lost my one and only; My pride has been humbled, But I am his, body and soul. I was a mere sensation, My house of cards had no foundation, Although it has tumbled, I still am his, body and soul. What lies before me? The future is stormy, A winter that's gray and old; Unless there's magic The end will be tragic, And echo the tale that's been told so often. My life revolves around you, What earthly good am I without you? My castles have crumbled, But I am his, body and soul. But I am his, body and soul.
Whiteman, Etting, Hanshaw, Holman... a nod to its life as a jazz standard (Allen, Coleman, Holiday, Goodman... as well as somebody who recorded it yesterday)... There's nothing I can add so I'll shut up, close my eyes (after watching the slideshow), and listen to a great version of a great song...
This is my favorite song. So many brilliant recordings have been made of it--this one, which many consider the definitive recording; Polly Bergen for her Helen Morgan album; Anita O'Day (surrealistically brilliant); Billie Holiday (several times, all them genius); Joni James (one of the more heart-breaking; she was so moved by the song she could barely get it out and she used the British lyric as she was recording at Abbey Studios in London). It is a song that will always live on.
Wayne Brasler It's one of my favorites as well. My only disappointment in the newer versions is that they omit the verse. The best of the originals are by Helen Morgan, Ruth Etting, Annette Hanshaw and Libby Holman (all from 1930) and they all can be found on UA-cam.
Thank you for this great upload and @Wayne Brasler and @bsgs98 for this information. What is in fact the recording date? Apparently Louis Armstrong also made his first recording in 1930 though it was released in 1932...
The verse was left out of most recordings because the song was long as it was and including the verse made it too long for profitable radio and juke box play. By the way, there was a countermelody written for the song and that countermelody eventually became "I Cover the Waterfront." Also, there are several sets of lyrics for "Body and Soul" and they vary from recording to recording. The song was written in England and then I think it was Johnny Green left the music in a cab so when he got back home to the U.S. he recalled as much as he could of the lyrics and that was beginning of multiple lyrics.
The Ann Blyth marathon on TCM brought me here. I was curious as to what her voice sounded like. I know Gogi Grant was used in The Helen Morgan story but she's quite different. Her voice is a bit high for me but I still like it. It grows on you.
INTERESTING BORN IN DANVILL ILL. MANY STARS, DICK AND JERY VAN DYCK, AND OTHERS. IT WAS A PRETTY MID WEST TOWN, AND MANY INTERESTING THINGS INVOLVED IN DANVILLE. I KNOW AS MY WONDERFUL GRANDPARENTS LIVED AND FARMED THERE. THANKS FOR THEINFO. AND WHAT A PASSIONATE , STORMY MOVIE.
so nice to hear the verse
she was so lovely too look at and listen to. rtp dear helen
Mesmerising. Helen left this world too young - just 41 years of age.
SHE IS THE GREATEST TORCH SINGER OF THEM ALL !
Her vocal style was of it's time and that is why most people wouldn't have a clue who she is today. She was truly great. Her recordings of "Bill" and "Why Was I Born" are a pure joy to listen to.
Of it's time, the greatest time that ever was for music. The celebritards of today who cannot interpret lyrics should stay at home and count their millions.
Beautifully presented thank you bsgs
Amazing!! Helen Morgan!!
Maybe the most emotional version of all on this classic. Helen Morgan had that extra depth. Annette Hanshaw and Ruth Etting also great on this classic of jazz
so many do this masterpiece song so well - but she owns it !!!!
Beautiful, sweet, sad Helen.
Wonderful. What an amazing voice and timeless performance. Loved the slide show. Masterfully arranged. Her smiling at the end was perfect. Thank you!!
BEYOND beautiful!!...what a great voice and personality!!...I love the orchestra arrangements used to accompany her ..they were perfect...the 30's were a highpoint in popular music! This song is absolutely gorgeous...I think written by Hoagy Carmichael.
Johnny Green - not Hoagy.
Polly Bergen won an Emmy award in 1958 for the playhouse 90 television drama about her life of alcohol and despair and died so young in 1941 at age 41.
Very interesting. i know this song of course, The jazz standard. But this version is new to me. Thanks Hein
Thank you for posting this! Helen was such a classic beauty and very talented indeed. What a wonderful time this must have been. Just look at the lovely way she dressed and the hairstyles and makeup. Everything flattered her and made her look even more beautiful. Helen Morgan should be unforgettable.
What a wonderful voice, but she had such a short sad life.
You can hear and SEE Helen Morgan singing "Bill" in the 1936 film of Jerome Kern's "Showboat". It's here on YT. She was the original Julie LaVerne in the Broadway show (1927).
I like this version, too!:)
Excellent version. Thanks very much.
Such a difference in her voice from the later recordings. So much richer and cleaner.
this ts beautiful. thanks.
Lyrics:
I'm lost in the dark,
Where is the spark
For my love?
I'm lost in the night,
Holding the light
Of my love.
The heavens opened and closed,
As well I might have supposed,
And I am left in disabandon,
So far removed from all that I had planned on.
My days have grown so lonely,
For I have lost my one and only;
My pride has been humbled,
But I am his, body and soul.
I was a mere sensation,
My house of cards had no foundation,
Although it has tumbled,
I still am his, body and soul.
What lies before me?
The future is stormy,
A winter that's gray and old;
Unless there's magic
The end will be tragic,
And echo the tale that's been told so often.
My life revolves around you,
What earthly good am I without you?
My castles have crumbled,
But I am his, body and soul.
But I am his, body and soul.
Whiteman, Etting, Hanshaw, Holman... a nod to its life as a jazz standard (Allen, Coleman, Holiday, Goodman... as well as somebody who recorded it yesterday)... There's nothing I can add so I'll shut up, close my eyes (after watching the slideshow), and listen to a great version of a great song...
Thank you Bill...great upload (good quality) and a very nice performance by Helen! Grtz, Aad
This is my favorite song. So many brilliant recordings have been made of it--this one, which many consider the definitive recording; Polly Bergen for her Helen Morgan album; Anita O'Day (surrealistically brilliant); Billie Holiday (several times, all them genius); Joni James (one of the more heart-breaking; she was so moved by the song she could barely get it out and she used the British lyric as she was recording at Abbey Studios in London). It is a song that will always live on.
Wayne Brasler It's one of my favorites as well. My only disappointment in the newer versions is that they omit the verse. The best of the originals are by Helen Morgan, Ruth Etting, Annette Hanshaw and Libby Holman (all from 1930) and they all can be found on UA-cam.
Thank you for this great upload and @Wayne Brasler and @bsgs98 for this information. What is in fact the recording date? Apparently Louis Armstrong also made his first recording in 1930 though it was released in 1932...
The verse was left out of most recordings because the song was long as it was and including the verse made it too long for profitable radio and juke box play. By the way, there was a countermelody written for the song and that countermelody eventually became "I Cover the Waterfront." Also, there are several sets of lyrics for "Body and Soul" and they vary from recording to recording. The song was written in England and then I think it was Johnny Green left the music in a cab so when he got back home to the U.S. he recalled as much as he could of the lyrics and that was beginning of multiple lyrics.
@bsgs98 I did already know the Whiteman version with verse. But Helen Morgan was new for me Thank you for uploading. Hein
Nice
The Ann Blyth marathon on TCM brought me here. I was curious as to what her voice sounded like. I know Gogi Grant was used in The Helen Morgan story but she's quite different. Her voice is a bit high for me but I still like it. It grows on you.
this is timetravel!
Tastes change over the decades
INTERESTING BORN IN DANVILL ILL. MANY STARS, DICK AND JERY VAN DYCK, AND OTHERS. IT WAS A PRETTY MID WEST TOWN, AND MANY INTERESTING THINGS INVOLVED IN DANVILLE. I KNOW AS MY WONDERFUL GRANDPARENTS LIVED AND FARMED THERE. THANKS FOR THEINFO. AND WHAT A PASSIONATE , STORMY MOVIE.
I was wrong - the composer Eddie Heyman, Sour, Eyton and Green....I was mixing it up with some other song.
SIMPLY EXQUISITE
Superior to Ruth Etting's NASAL Columbia recording!
Carly Simon also does a great version of this song - m.ua-cam.com/video/3ygoGRXStUQ/v-deo.html