The song of the day for Tuesday, June 26, 2018 is “Sweet Georgie Fame.”
About This Song
“Sweet Georgie Fame” was written in 1966 by Blossom Dearie, with lyrics by Sandra Black Harris.
Dearie told The New York Times in 1981 “I was in London in 1966, when a bass player told me I should go hear the skiffle, rock, blues and jazz singer Georgie Fame, He said I’d like him, and I did – very much. Then I was visiting a friend, where Georgie Fame’s records were on, and her kids were dancing to them. I got a melody from that, and my friend’s sister, Sandra Black (Harris) wrote words to it.”
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Sweet Georgia Fame” in 1968 for his album Yesterday I Heard the Rain. Torrie Zito did the arrangement.
“Sweet Georgie Fame,” as well as Yesterday I Heard the Rain, is available from iTunes.
About Today
Georgie Fame, the subject of this fun song, was born on June 26, 1943 in the English industrial town of Leigh in Lancashire. He started playing with local band while in his teens. In 1964, one of his albums charted and he’s been performing ever since. Fame performs regularly with noted British artists, such as Bill Wyman and Van Morrison as well as his own band, The Blue Flames. In many ways, he defies categories, but is often said to be a categorized as a rhythm and blues / jazz singer and pianist. You can read more about Georgie Fame at his website.
Happy Birthday, Georgie Fame!
Here’s another very, very, great straight ahead jazz version by the legendary, late, Catalan pianist Tete Montoliu – in fact it’s a classic recording in its own right with two more jazz legends on bass and drums: Niels-Henning Orsted-Pederson, the Danish virtuoso, on bass and the considerable Albert “Tootie” Heath during his European expat sojourn on drums. Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeyXUWwGjFk