Too Marvellous for Words
Posted in Popular Song on Apr 3rd, 2009 No Comments »
Frank Sinatra’s ‘Songs for Swingin’ Lovers’, with suave orchestral accompaniment by Nelson Riddle, came out in 1956, and now, more than 50 years on, and out of copyright, is now available on CD at very low prices. The album is a classic. It has not dated one bit.
Sinatra’s singing is masterly, his smooth, velvet voice caressing the lyrics where they need it, and when the rhythm demands, punching the beat like a drummer.
Here is his version of ‘Too Marvellous for Words’, with Johnny Mercer’s lyrics. Vocally it is almost flawless. I have some reservations about Sinatra’s way with the lyrics (see here), but his presentation of the song is immensely seductive.
