Some Dapper and Dreamy Music

Today, I don't really have a particular point in my post.  I just wanted to share a few songs that I've enjoyed over the last couple of days.

First, a new favorite that's hard to tire of...  If this doesn't make you want to share a moonlit dance with your own dapper or dreamy one, nothing will!

And next...  This afternoon I had the chance to get our little Max to sleep.  This is always a treat and only really happens when Dreamy is away.  Today, she went to see The Artist (again) with our daughter, and it was up to me to dance Max around the room until he fell asleep.  You must understand that Max doesn't like to sleep alone, so his nap becomes your nap, or at least a chance to lay quietly for an hour and a half, reading a book or watching a movie.  This is one of the things I like about Max, and have enjoyed about all the rest of our children...  Not that I've trained them this way so that I could get plenty of reading time in...

To pass the time, I put on A Star is Born...  the only "real" version, that being Judy Garland's triumph.  I know some people don't care much for Judy.  Her voice is grating to some, and her movements and facial expressions can sometimes seem overwrought.  But, you've got to give her credit.  Who else can, or ever has been, able to sing like that?  A Star is Born showcases some her greatest songs of all time, including The Man That Got Away and Swanee.  In fact, I think a song like Swanee shows just why this woman was such a star.  Certainly not the best looking star to come out of Hollywood, and with a figure that challenged every costume designer that tried to invent a waistline for the diminutive actress, Judy Garland was nothing if not an absolutely fabulous entertainer.  Swanee is a showtune - it has absolutely no connection to anything that a viewer would have experienced.  It's lyrics aren't sentimental or moving, and they don't contain any particular message.  Rather, the whole piece, and it's a long one, is designed to highlight the singing, dancing and humor of Judy.  Despite all that it lacks, it's one of the most show-stopping numbers to come out of the Hollywood musical, and it leaves you marveling at how much talent one person can have.  As far as The Man That Got Away...  well, if you don't think Judy Garland can sing after hearing this, you never will.

So, here are a few of my favorite pieces from A Star is Born.  Maybe we'll highlight this as a film of the week in the near future...

Finally, here's a little piece that I first heard on a vintage Walt Disney presentation about Disneyland after dark.  It's a great piece and I can't seem to get it out of my head...