Along with the mega-deathload of ordinary missing links, many celebrities died in 2008, and has become a custom, the illfolks blog recites that corny line, "dead...didn't even know they were ill..."
Without any further adieu, it's time to start saying goodbye.
This segment is on fallen females.
2008 saw the passing of two women who graced album covers as well as girlie mags. Model DIANE WEBBER, 76, seen in the top two album covers, was born Diane Marguerite Empey. She used the name "Marguerite Empey" when she was Playmate of the Month (twice: in May 1955 and February 1956). BETTIE PAGE, 85, was a fetish film queen in the 8mm era, an early Playboy centerfold, and with her unique hairstyle, frisky smile and perfect figure, became a pin-up icon.
The number of women who were treats for the ears, and who passed on in 2008, are listed below, along with the representative song or songs chosen for the six-foot-download. A few deserve special mention, as you might not be familiar with them. Katie Reider was only 30 when a cerebral hemorrhage ended two years of massive suffering...some of it chronicled elsewhere on this blog. Likewise, Suzan Tamim, a Lebanese singer and actress, was only 30 when she met her demise...brutally murdered in typical Arab fashion by some psycho thug hired by her ex-husband.
The last tune is not sung by a woman, but by James Darren. It's to represent Gloria Shayne Baker. A songwriter, her biggest solo success (credited as Gloria Shayne) was "Goodbye Cruel World." A co-write with her first husband Noel Regney gave the world a Christmas classic, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" She co-wrote with many others, and was part of the trio responsible for "The Men In My Little Girl's Life," a sentimental hit for Mike Douglas. Gloria generally wrote the lyrics for songs she co-wrote, but in the case of "Do You Hear What I Hear," her husband (a member of the French underground while drafted into the German army) wrote the lyrics and she wrote the music.
The voices you're going to hear...immortal.
Odetta (77, Dec. 2) Dont Think Twice It's All Right, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
Monna Bell (70, April 22) Aun Te Sigu Amando and Yo Que No Vivo Sin Ti ("You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" sung in Spanish by this Chilean superstar)
Miriam Makeba (76, Nov 10) Pata Pata
Mae Mercer (76, Oct. 29) Sweet Little Angel
Christie Allen (53, Aug 12) He's My Number One
Eartha Kitt, (81, Dec 25) I Want to Be Bad
Edie Adams (81, Oct 15) Namely You (duet with Peter Palmer)
Katie Reider (30, July 14) My Love For You
Jo Stafford (90, July 16) No Other Love and Haunted Heart
Suzan Tamim (30, July 28) Wainoh Habibbbi and Saken Albi
Yma Sumac (86, Nov 1) El Condor Pasa
Gloria Shayne (84, March 6) Goodbye Cruel World performed by James Darren
I HEAR DEAD WOMEN! 16 songs
and...
I never got around to doing a post on Suzan Tamim, and her bizarre death, but by way of tribute here's her obscure 2001 album SAKEN ALIBI:
SUZAN TAMIM full album
Damn, I missed the death of Jo Stafford...
ReplyDeleteI have a favour to ask of you. Some time ago you posted a bunch of version of Mr Bojangles, including the essential version by Bobby Cole. I've tried to download your mix, but Rapidshare works very poorly in South Africa (it cut out four times on between 4 and 14 MB downloaded). In any case, I have most of the versions in the mix already.
I am very keen to include the Bobby Cole version in a post of The Originals series (which looks at lesser known originals and their covers). The Cole cover seems necessary for inclusion as it set the template for Sammy Davis Jr's famous interpretation, which I'll include. Is there any chance you could let me have a file of the Bobby Cole version for that purpose. Of course, I'd prominently credit you.
If you can help, I can be e-mailed at halfhearteddude@ gmail . com
Hiya Dude, nice to see the Bojangles write-up on your blog.
ReplyDelete(I only check here about every 10 days, posting a new item...so excuse my delay).
No doubt that Bobby Cole's version, which did equal Jerry Jeff's in air play (both peeked inside the Top 40) influenced the mainstream guys such as George Burns and Sammy Davis Jr. Bobby's may seem an obscure version now, but wasn't then.
Having been Judy Garland's arranger and orchestra leader, Bobby's version would also have been passed around among other arrangers and music industry types. Sadly his follow-up single was pretty quirky and that was the end of his Columbia-Date contract.
Yeah, happily the file downloaded at last. I hadn't known Nina Simone's version, which is wonderful, perhaps my new favourite.
ReplyDeleteYeah, happily the file downloaded at last. I hadn't known Nina Simone's version, which is wonderful, perhaps my new favourite.
ReplyDelete