"Answer Me, My Love"
Bruce
Cole hit of 1954) I came across the info that Carl Sigman had first
written the lyrics as a religious song which Frankie Laine recorded a
year earlier, and which was a #1 hit in the UK. I've never heard the
Frankie Laine song, so perhaps Scarlotti (who probably has recordings
of everything Laine ever recorded!) or Roger Ford (expert on UK hits)
or someone else can tell me, how much difference in the two lyrics are
there? The Web site I saw implied that it was a minor change, but it
seems hard to account for the diference between a religious song and a
romantic one by just minor changes.
Theo Morgan
It actually dates back further, when Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch
wrote it as a German song, "Mutterlein" - about love for a mother.
In late 1953, the BBC banned the English language version, with the
religious intonation. This lead to David Whitfield, who also had a #1
with the song (for one week him and Frankie even shared the top spot)
re-recording the track with a new lyric. In David's second recording,
the only actual change was "oh my love" to "lord above". I am guessing
this is the only difference, because the lyrics fit both ways.
I think Frankie Laine re-recorded it with the new lyric too - but not
until about six months later. Perhaps to compete with Nat's version?
H
"Theo Morgan" <theo....@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126122945.5...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Also covered by Ray Peterson in early 1960
and by Barbara Dickson in 1976 which reached #9 in UK charts.
There's a lot of Frankie Laine mp3's posted in the alt.binaries groups over
the last few days, you would probably find it there.
H
"Theo Morgan" <theo....@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126122945.5...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
Also covered by Ray Peterson in early 1960
and by Barbara Dickson in 1976 which reached #9 in UK charts.
There's a lot of Frankie Laine mp3's posted in the alt.binaries groups over
the last few days, you would probably find it there.
Just had a listen to two versions posted there.
a) Answer me, Oh Lord (1953)
b) Answer me, my love (1954) with "sweetheart" replacing the words "Oh Lord"
Theo Morgan
Where are the binaries groups? I have tried without success to find
them...
H
>
> Where are the binaries groups? I have tried without success to find
> them...
>
alt.binaries.sounds.1950s.mp3
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1950s
If you didn't know, you'll need a program to download and process
the files, like Power-Grab etc.
Bruce
>It actually dates back further, when Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch
>wrote it as a German song, "Mutterlein" - about love for a mother.
I'd already discovered that. But I was talking about the two sets of
lyrics that Carl Sigman (who, like Parsons and Turner, seemed to do a
lot of English lyrics for foreign-language songs) wrote for the song.
ScarlottiBruceTheo'N'SteveCanGoToHell
Scarlotti
I've got everything Frankie recorded from his first single (1944)
through his stay at Columbia (1964) and about 2/3s of his music from
1964 on.
Frankie actually recorded ANSWER ME both ways (the non-"religious"
version for South Africa). There's very little difference (as noted in
the posts above). Apart from switching the person/entity being
addressed from "Lord" to "my love" and "sweetheart," there are some
very minor grammatical changes. The arrangement is the same on both
records, including a few organ strains in the opening notes.
Here's the "religious" version:
Answer me, Lord above
Just what sin have been guilty of?
Tell me how I came to lose my love
Please answer me, O Lord
She was mine yesterday
I believed that love was here to stay
Won't you tell me where I've gone astray?
Please answer me, O Lord
If she's happier without me
Don't tell her I care
But if she still thinks about me
Please let her hear my prayer
Let her know I've been true
Send her back so we can start anew
In my sorrow may I turn to you?
Please answer me, O Lord.
And, here's the "love song" version (same lyrics as Nat Cole's):
Answer me, O my love
Just what sin have I been guilty of?
Tell me how I came to lose your love
Please answer me, sweetheart
You were mine yesterday
I believed that love was here to stay
Won't you tell me where I've gone astray?
Please answer me, sweetheart
If you're happier without me
I'll try not to care
But if you still think about me
Please listen to my prayer
You must know I've been true
Won't you say that we can start anew?
In my sorrow now I turn to you
Please answer me, sweetheart.
***
One interesting point about the song is that it was later discovered to
have subliminally influenced Paul McCartney when composing YESTERDAY.
Bruce
After reading that there were "only minor" changes, I was wondering. It
was earlier posted that "O my love" was "Lord above" in the earlier
version, and "sweetheart" was "O Lord." But I was sure that something
more had to be changed, because the portion that went: "If you're
happier without me/I'll try not to care/But if you still think about
me/Please listen to my prayer" didn't seem right addressed to God. Your
putting the entire lyric confirmed my suspicion. (I'm quite familiar
with Nat Cole's version, but never heard either Frankie Laine
recording.)
I'm not surprised that your collection of Laine's recordings is so
extensive. Given your great love for his sound, it makes sense. Perhaps
one day I'll have complete collections of MY favorites, but I've only
begun to collect CDs in the past couple of years, and I'm not exactly
flush with money, so it'll be a long time.
Once again, Thank you for your posting.
Bruce
Thanks to your post, I've included a lot more info in my Wikipedia
article on "Answer Me, My Love" and also set up an article on "Answer
Me" -- though I've also found a listing of the lyrics elsewhere. (I was
going to look on ILP to swee if they both were there anyway, but your
posting gave me the info I really wanted before I had a chance to look
on ILP.)
Steve Solomon
Frankie Laine recording.) >>>>
There's a excellent version of song by Roy Hamilton. Can be found on his
album, "Sentimental, Lonely, and Blue"
Steve Solomon
Scarlotti
I'm still working on complete collections of my favorites as well.
Money (the lack of it) is definitely the biggest factor right now, but
the unavailability of much of the music on cds is another.
Eventually I'd like to have complete collections of Frankie Laine,
Johnnie Ray, Georgia Gibbs, Connie Haines, Al Jolson, Guy Mitchell,
Patti Page, Kay Starr, Doris Day, Teresa Brewer, Crystal Gayle, Jim
Reeves, Jo Stafford and Eddie Fisher. But that's a long way off -- if
ever.
Currently, I've only got a complete set of songs by Amanda Baker -- her
first and (to date) only album.
Theo Morgan
You are right Scarlotti... I'd love complete collections by loads of
those people too, but on CD. And so much isn't on CD sadly.
ScarlottiBruceTheo'N'SteveCanGoToHell
again, I actually dislike it less now than I used to. That's not to say
I will listen to it again, it's just that going so long without
listening to it and doing other stuff is making the memory of it go
away.
RWC
<Scar...@searchhawkmail.com> wrote:
>Thanks Bruce.
>
>I'm still working on complete collections of my favorites as well.
>Money (the lack of it) is definitely the biggest factor right now, but
>the unavailability of much of the music on cds is another.
>
>Eventually I'd like to have complete collections of Frankie Laine,
>Johnnie Ray, Georgia Gibbs, Connie Haines, Al Jolson, Guy Mitchell,
>Patti Page, Kay Starr, Doris Day, Teresa Brewer, Crystal Gayle, Jim
>Reeves, Jo Stafford and Eddie Fisher. But that's a long way off -- if
>ever.
>
Eddie Fisher! Today, one of *the* most boring classic pop singers.
Geoff
"Rags to Riches" is okay, but that's about it, for the Fabian of
classic pop.
Bruce
>Eventually I'd like to have complete collections of Frankie Laine,
>Johnnie Ray, Georgia Gibbs, Connie Haines, Al Jolson, Guy Mitchell,
>Patti Page, Kay Starr, Doris Day, Teresa Brewer, Crystal Gayle, Jim
>Reeves, Jo Stafford and Eddie Fisher.
The first three of those don't surprise me, as you've long said you
were a big fan of all three. I would love to have complete collections
of Doris Day and Patti Page, and I certainly am collecting what I can
of Guy Mitchell, Jo Stafford, and Eddie Fisher. But I'd want Perry Como
and Rosemary Clooney, who you don't mention. And probably also Joni
James and Gisele MacKenzie, who you didn't mention.
Connie Haines? I don't even know what her voice sounds like, though
I've seen her name. I like a lot of what I've heard of Crystal Gayle
doing pop songs, but she did more country than pop, and I'd not
particularly like all of her country songs. (And the same is true of
Anne Murray, who you didn'rt mention).
Theo introduced me to some English singers I never knew before, and I
think I'd love to have a complete collection of Alma Cogan, too.
But none of this is going to happen soon. Right now, I'm just trying
hard to get hold of a few individual songs, like Patti Page's "Can't
Tell a Waltz from a Tango." Dis this _ever_ get put on a CD?
Bruce
>Eddie Fisher! Today, one of *the* most boring classic pop singers.
[...]
>"Rags to Riches" is okay, but that's about it, for the Fabian of
>classic pop.
In case you don't know it, this song was recorded by Tony Bennett, not
Eddie Fisher.
ScarlottiBruceTheo'N'SteveCanGoToHell
Scarlotti
classic pop.
MS: Did Eddie record RAGS? I haven't got a complete discography for
him, but it seems well suited to his style.
But how do you come to the comparison of Eddie Fisher and Fabian???
Fabian is known to have been selected and promoted solely for his good
looks, whereas Fisher has one of greatest voices out there. He may
have been undisciplined (he became a superstar at a young age --
lacking the seasoning that many other 50s vocalists had gotten from
their years with the big bands), but his voice is always impressive. I
see him as being far more akin to Mario Lanza -- glorious, soaring
voices, but not always as emotionally expressive as they might be.
RWC
I did know, but the record I was referring to was actually by David
Whitfield (yes, I was mistaken). I certainly enjoy Tony Bennett's
version too.
I can also tolerate "Just One More Time" from '55.
Geoff
RWC
<Scar...@searchhawkmail.com> wrote:
>Geoff: "Rags to Riches" is okay, but that's about it, for the Fabian of
>classic pop.
>
>MS: Did Eddie record RAGS? I haven't got a complete discography for
>him, but it seems well suited to his style.
>
No, it doesn't look like Eddie recorded RAGS; I agree it would have
suited him, which partly explains my error.
>But how do you come to the comparison of Eddie Fisher and Fabian???
>Fabian is known to have been selected and promoted solely for his good
>looks, whereas Fisher has one of greatest voices out there. He may
>have been undisciplined (he became a superstar at a young age --
>lacking the seasoning that many other 50s vocalists had gotten from
>their years with the big bands), but his voice is always impressive. I
>see him as being far more akin to Mario Lanza -- glorious, soaring
>voices, but not always as emotionally expressive as they might be.
>
Many of Eddie's renditions were dull and uninspiring IMO. This might
be because he was often, as you say, not very emotionally expressive.
He had a soaring voice, but I still perceive Eddie as a second rate
singer** who sold records partly on the strength of his sex appeal -
hence the loose comparison with Fabian.
Good start and ending but even "Oh! My Pa-Pa" drags for much of the
record. Actually I prefer Fabian's hit records from '59 - hence, by
one definition, Fabian is the better singer :-) The atypical rock and
roll novelty "Dungaree Doll" is one of Eddie's better records (for me)
(but even this song has signs of Eddie's trademark flatness).
A typical Eddie Fisher record (from late '54), complete with
semi-soaring voice is "Count Your Blessings (Instead Of Sheep)" -
YAWN! (the other side of RCA 5871, "Fanny" is not so bad).
**Compared to Nat King Cole, Perry Como, and others, Eddie can't sing
(in an appealing manner that is). Perry had many boring (and lazy?)
songs, but he also had a dozen or so enjoyable recordings which have
stood the test of time.
Geoff
(Sincere thanks Michael [MS] for your informative and entertaining
'classic pop' posts)
RWC
>Right now, I'm just trying
>hard to get hold of a few individual songs, like Patti Page's "Can't
>Tell a Waltz from a Tango."
Hey! Bruce the Serious, I have hold of this sexy, gorgeous Patti Page
'54 record.
Geoff (discriminating classic pop fan)
Bruce
>>Right now, I'm just trying hard to get hold of a few individual songs, like Patti
>> Page's "Can't Tell a Waltz from a Tango."
>Hey! Bruce the Serious, I have hold of this sexy, gorgeous Patti Page '54 record.
That you have it doesn't help me, of course.. but I'm glad you like it;
apparently we have some tastes in common. I got to thinking about this
particular song after hearing the cover by British star Alma Cogan (who
actually had a bigger hit in the UK with it than Patti Page did here!)
and realizing it's been AGES since I heard Patti's version.
RWC
>That you have it doesn't help me, of course.. but I'm glad you like it;
Bruce, I've sent you a fine mp3 of this record to your gmail address.
Geoff
Bruce
>Bruce, I've sent you a fine mp3 of this record to your gmail address.
I'm sure you were trying to be helpful, but it was just a waste of your
time. For reasons I've posted elsewhere on this newsgroup, an .mp3 file
emailed to me is totally useless. So all you ended up doing was giving
me a bit of frustration -- there it is, and I can't do a thing with it!
I wish you'd ASKED before going ahead and sending me the file.
RWC
I do not read all threads, Bruce, and anyway it took very little
trouble. I sorry to hear about your frustration.
Geoff
Roger Ford
Nice tetchy,boorish and ungracious response to someone who was trying
to help you.
ROGER FORD
-----------------------
"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (mari...@bblueyonder.co.uk).
Please delete same before responding.Thank you!
Bruce
>Nice tetchy,boorish and ungracious response to someone who was trying
>to help you.
Hey, I _acknowledged_ that he was trying to help. But the whole point
was that he really should have asked before sending. I would have told
him not to bother, that it wasn't a useful thing.
Has it *never* happened that someone gave you something that you just
couldn't use, just because they never found out what you were capable
of doing?
Have you *never* felt frustrated at having something "so near, yet so
far"? There was a file that contained something I've been dying to get
hold of for months, but in a format that was impossible to use? If
you've never had that kind of frustration in your life, then perhaps
you can criticize me.
RevBrieflyReturns
have this on a 32 song compilation of pre-Whisky tracks
Rev
Roogolator, WI
--
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BobbyM
"RevBrieflyReturns" <agen...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:3198d39f149882c5748...@mygate.mailgate.org...
> Didn't Johnny Rivers cover (or remake) this ??? I do believe that I
> have this on a 32 song compilation of pre-Whisky tracks
It was the flip side of a 1960 single.