Thinking about Summer at the Start of Spring
Some song-musings by Vijaya Sundaram
April 28th, 2013
Just thought it was time for Aaron Neville. I love his light handling of Summertime.
Mahalia Jackson has always moved me deeply with her voice and her feeling. The first time I heard her was after my French teacher in college recommended that I listen to her. She had heard me singing on stage for the college, seemed pleased, and gave me a cassette tape with these two songs (Summertime and Motherless Child) on it. I understood why when I heard both. Years later, when I was singing in the subway at Downtown Crossing in Boston, an African-American woman came up to me, dropped a couple of dollars, smiled at me and said, “Sister, you should be singin’ the blues.”
I was quite honored.
One of my all-time favorite singers is, of course, Billie Holiday. Here’s how she sings Summertime.
Another singer of the angelic host is Ella Fitzgerald. Here’s her version of Summertime.
I could scarcely believe my ears when I heard Janice Joplin sing Summertime. Hope you enjoy this rendition! (Definitely a departure from the beautiful, lulling tones of Ella, but compelling nonetheless!)
And finally, here’s the sublime Sam Cooke singing Summertime.
Did you guess I like the song? :-)
I’ll be back with other favorites.
Goodnight, sweet dreams and hope this summer will not be too scorching.
Love,
Dreamer of Dreams
Filed under: Awake in Real Time: Coffee-induced Meditations and Journal Entries, Essays on Music and Musicians Tagged: Aaron Neville, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin, Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke, Summertime