It Must Be Love (week 1)
During the month of February 2022 we turn our attention to L-O-V-E.
Tuesday February 1
That’s amore
That's Amore is a 1953 song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Jack Brooks. It became a major hit and signature song for Dean Martin the year it was released. It received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song of that year, but it lost to Secret Love (Doris Day). The song has featured in many movies including Moonstruck, a favourite of ours.
Recording
Wednesday February 2
The Riddle Song
The Riddle Song, also known as I Gave My Love a Cherry, is an English folk song, a lullaby carried over by settlers to the American Appalachians. It is sung here by Carly Simon, an American singer, songwriter, and children's author who rose to fame in the 1970s.
Recording
Thursday February 3
Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix
Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix is a popular mezzo-soprano aria from Camille Saint-Saëns's opera Samson and Delilah, known in English as "Softly awakes my heart", or more literally "My heart opens itself to your voice". It is sung by Delilah in act 2 as she attempts to seduce Samson into revealing the secret of his strength. English lyrics here
Recording (sung in French with Italian subtitles)
Friday February 4
Hello Young Lovers
Hello, Young Lovers is a song from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. It is sung by Anna, played by Gertrude Lawrence in the original Broadway production; by Valerie Hobson in the original London West End production; and by Deborah Kerr in the film version (although voiced-over by Marni Nixon). Tissues at the ready.
Recording
Saturday February 5
Bella Notte
Bella Notte (Beautiful Night) is a song from the 1955 animated movie Lady and the Tramp. The music is by Sonny Burke and the lyrics are by Peggy Lee. Peggy was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades.
Recording
Sunday February 6
On My Own
On My Own is a song from the 1980 musical Les Misérables. In the song, Éponine expresses her unrequited love for the character Marius, and how she dreams of being at his side but knows his love is for Cosette and not for her. Opening in London in October 1985, Les Mis received mixed reviews. I had not heard any of the music until one day a colleague gave me his cassette tape and suggested that I listen in the car on the way home from work. Not the best setting for an introduction to such a wordy musical. Nothing really affected me until On My Own. I kept rewinding the tape and playing it, perhaps 4 or 5 times, only stopping when I reached home. This song still makes quite an impact on me.
Recording
That’s amore
That's Amore is a 1953 song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Jack Brooks. It became a major hit and signature song for Dean Martin the year it was released. It received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song of that year, but it lost to Secret Love (Doris Day). The song has featured in many movies including Moonstruck, a favourite of ours.
Recording
Wednesday February 2
The Riddle Song
The Riddle Song, also known as I Gave My Love a Cherry, is an English folk song, a lullaby carried over by settlers to the American Appalachians. It is sung here by Carly Simon, an American singer, songwriter, and children's author who rose to fame in the 1970s.
Recording
Thursday February 3
Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix
Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix is a popular mezzo-soprano aria from Camille Saint-Saëns's opera Samson and Delilah, known in English as "Softly awakes my heart", or more literally "My heart opens itself to your voice". It is sung by Delilah in act 2 as she attempts to seduce Samson into revealing the secret of his strength. English lyrics here
Recording (sung in French with Italian subtitles)
Friday February 4
Hello Young Lovers
Hello, Young Lovers is a song from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. It is sung by Anna, played by Gertrude Lawrence in the original Broadway production; by Valerie Hobson in the original London West End production; and by Deborah Kerr in the film version (although voiced-over by Marni Nixon). Tissues at the ready.
Recording
Saturday February 5
Bella Notte
Bella Notte (Beautiful Night) is a song from the 1955 animated movie Lady and the Tramp. The music is by Sonny Burke and the lyrics are by Peggy Lee. Peggy was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades.
Recording
Sunday February 6
On My Own
On My Own is a song from the 1980 musical Les Misérables. In the song, Éponine expresses her unrequited love for the character Marius, and how she dreams of being at his side but knows his love is for Cosette and not for her. Opening in London in October 1985, Les Mis received mixed reviews. I had not heard any of the music until one day a colleague gave me his cassette tape and suggested that I listen in the car on the way home from work. Not the best setting for an introduction to such a wordy musical. Nothing really affected me until On My Own. I kept rewinding the tape and playing it, perhaps 4 or 5 times, only stopping when I reached home. This song still makes quite an impact on me.
Recording