“The man I love” is a jazz standart set up on the music of George Gershwin and lyrics written by his brother Ira. Funny, the song was firstly created as “The Girl I love” for Gershwin’s government satire “Lady, Be Good” – from where it was deleted as well as from both musicals “Strike Up the Band” and “Rosalie” afterwards. Anyway, this deep love song I truly adore was sang by some of the greatest female vocals of XX century. Here are my favorite four versions of it:
1. Billie Holliday
I love Billie. Period. Her take on the song is so natural – blues, sadness and hope pouring from her voice like rain – all the curves and accents on the right place… this is the version that made me fall in love with “The man I love” and listen to it over and over again.
2. Judy Garland
My second favorite is Judy Garland’s rare version of “The Man I love” – she only sang this song few times live, a studio recording is unknown. The version below is from 1943-1944 – it’s a little more dramatic than Billie’s one, but still beautiful. Judy’s contralto is powerful and haunting.
3. Sarah Vaughan
The tremble in Sarah Vaughan’s voice is insanely masterful, accompanied by the piano… shining like a sapphire. Listen to this gorgeous live version from 1947.
4. Peggy Lee
Even though I some of singing tempo seem a little strange to me, I love the tenderness in her voice and the soft, husky finish…
Which one is your favorite?
Loading ...