Saturday, December 29, 2007

It's late


As I post this 2007 has less than two days left. Using a clock as an analogy and doing a quick bit of maths that makes it just about five minutes to midnight. Why not climb into one of those idealised Christmas card scenes that you probably have on your mantelpiece now. It’s dark outside and the snow is falling. It’s cosy inside, the light is down low and the candles are flickering. Throw another log on the fire, pour yourself your favourite late night drink, settle down in the fireside chair, and close your eyes.

Keely Smith - Time After Time 1965
Keely Smith - He Needs Me 1965
Keely Smith – Blame It On My Youth 1965

The vinyl has a few crackles, which in fact you can easily imagine are coming from that open fire you are curled up in front of.

(The BBC Ella Fitzgerald documentary on Christmas Eve made me wonder why I have virtually none of Ella’s records in my collection and prompted me to go and buy some more yesterday. While I was at it I also bought “The Intimate Keely Smith”. Ella singing ballads does it for me, and this album recorded in 1965 by Keely Smith is every bit as captivating. Keely wanted to recreate the intimate feel of her late night club dates, to the extent of recording these songs without breaks. The record company didn’t like the idea so Keely and the group had to go back into the studio and give the record company cuts between the songs. This album has never been released on CD. If the masters are still around perhaps it is high time it was, and in its originally intended form.)

4 comments:

Robert Cass said...

I loved Smith's version of "Time After Time." Thanks.

Darcy said...

My pleasure Robert. I really love this album.

Nethaneld said...

Could you re-up these songs somehow? i downloaded them awhile back but i can't seem to find them. And i specifically remember that these songs were really good. Thanks.

Darcy said...

music-musique... I have emailed you some links, hope you get them.