When I was aged 6-9, somewhere between the years 1957 to 1960, my
father brought home a 45 rpm record. It was a song named, I think,
"Manhattan Melody" or "Manhattan Melodies". I've no idea who the
recording artist was - I could barely read! But I played that record
to death.
Can you help me identify this tune, and better yet, tell me where I
can purchase/download it?
Thanks,
Randy |
Request for Question Clarification by
pinkfreud-ga
on
24 Mar 2005 22:07 PST
Is there a chance that this could have been George Gershwin's Second
Rhapsody, also known as "Manhattan Rhapsody"?
You can download a brief clip here:
http://www.opuscds.com/track/33477
If this is the correct music, I'll be glad to help you find it on CD
or whatever medium you prefer. If this isn't the right music, it would
be very helpful if you could provide any additional details that you
may remember: was the music vocal, or instrumental? Was it slow or
fast? The more we know, the better we'll be able to help.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
markj-ga
on
25 Mar 2005 05:15 PST
randy1951 --
I became an avid fan of classic American popular and jazz music even
before you heard the song you remember. Although the evidence you
have provided is sparse (there are lots of songs with "Manhattan" in
the title), I have a strong suspicion that the song you remember is
"Manhattan Serenade," by Louis Alter and Harold Adamson. It was a hit
for Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra in the early 1940s, but it became a
standard and was "covered" in recordings by other artists in the
1950s.
It has been recorded in "big band", jazz, ballad vocal, piano solo and
"easy listening" versions over the years. Here is a link to one audio
clip that features a female vocalist, and the clip includes a good
chunk of the main theme of the song:
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?sourceid=00401402268071200999&ean=658262749825&bfdate=03-25-2005+08:04:56
Again, because your recollection is sketchy, I can only make an
educated guess as to the song and have to rely on you to let me know
if I am right and, if I am not not, to add any other details that you
remember.
If "Manhattan Serenade" is the song you remember, I am reasonably
confident that I can find an available recording of the version that
your father purchased, with the help of a little additional
description of the recording.
I look forward to hearing from you.
markj-ga
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Clarification of Question by
randy1951-ga
on
25 Mar 2005 11:31 PST
I checked both links, and it is neither song - not Manhattan Serenade
nor Manhattan Rhapsody.
I seem to remember it as a catchy, bouncy instrumental, along the big
band/swing genre.
Thanks for trying,
Randy
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Request for Question Clarification by
markj-ga
on
25 Mar 2005 12:08 PST
randy1951 --
Thanks for your clarification. Here is a link to a recording (with
audio samples) of an album devoted to songs with a New York theme from
the swing era. Besides the Tommy Dorsey version of Manhattan
Serenade, it contains samples of the famous Rodgers & Hart song
"Manhattan" and lots of other New York songs:
Barnes & Noble: New York, New York
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?sourceid=00401402268421325892&ean=743625544121&bfdate=03-25-2005+15:01:16
Anything there that provides a clue?
markj-ga
|
Request for Question Clarification by
markj-ga
on
25 Mar 2005 12:25 PST
randy1951 --
Here's a link to another album (with audio samples) that features
big-band arrangements of songs with a New York theme. Be sure to
check out Jimmy Dorsey's version of "Manhattan":
Barnes & Noble: Gotham Beat: Big Bands Swing New York!
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?sourceid=00401402268071377987&ean=014921025820&bfdate=03-25-2005+15:23:33
Anything sound familiar, or at least remind you of any more clues
about the song you remember?
markj-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
randy1951-ga
on
26 Mar 2005 11:27 PST
I think tommytom-ga nailed it, with his "Manhattan Spiritual" link.
Thanks to everyone for their time and effort. I really appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Randy
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Request for Question Clarification by
pinkfreud-ga
on
26 Mar 2005 13:16 PST
Randy,
If you have received all the information you need from the free
comments below, you may want to cancel this question. Otherwise
someone who does not notice that you've already found what you were
looking for might post an official answer and collect the $50.00 fee.
If you cancel, you'll be charged only the fifty-cent listing fee.
|
