Joe Williams sings "Here's To Life"

[mrjerrysheldon]

SENSATIONAL! Mr Joe Williams!!

[nuttyprofessor64]

P-E-R-F-E-C-T !

[northernoir]

Mister Cool.....Mister Class...The gentle,talented soul,Mister Joe Williams.

[VenomousWhale]

Hemingway never seemed to mind the banalities of a normal life And I find, it gets harder every time So he aimed a shotgun into the blue Placed his face in between the two and sighed Here's to life!

[laurakolb]

sublime...........

such an icon-

[jazzloverb]

joe williams was a fantasic performer, and this song sums it up. great job by the tonight show band and the arranger of this song.

[TheMonkeysFeet]

HEMINGWAY NEVER SEEMED TO MIND THE BANALITIES OF A NORMAL LIFE,

AND I FIND.. IT GETS HARDER EVERY TIME :D

[Ronald60202]

@RdSoxFan618 -- What you refer to is another song with the same title by the Jersey ska group Streetlight Manifesto. Both are fascinating pieces with totally different subjects.

[MarkGauvreau]

I love this.

[Palomablanca2008]

Great song... beautifully performed!! Another breathtaking version: Shirley Horne's. 

[Fegen]

Terrific and he could sing it so great because of personal experiences in his

own life. He was a top notch singer with the Count Basie Band for years.

[techn9ne6]

that was beautiful..

[noclouds111]

Joe went beyond what the media refers to as 'superstar'. Superstars are a dime a dozen.

Joe was THE consumate artist and a wonderful gentleman.

[eraffel]

Wow what a great song!

[JazzPublicist]

Really miss you. There is a better rendition of this done live for the March of Dimes. Artie Butler directed the Orchestra. One of the best singers ever. Could sing anything

[ericplayzbass2]

awww. this isn't him singing Streetlight Manifesto? awwwwwwwwwwww

[UberSephyVids]

did anyone else think of Final Fantasy when they heard this? (minus the lyrics of course)

[lovejazz42]

I can not stop crying. I am mute now. The beauty of this man's voice takes my breath away. His phrasing must come from the purity of his soul and God.

[Thorneycroft1937]

Wonderful. Enjoyed watching.

[OzWkym]

Will you teach me the souce of this video and year.

[blackball2006]

Was this on the Tonight Show? Who knows.

[noclouds111]

@blackball2006 I was wondering the same. Joe was a favorite of Johnny, but at the end of this vid, someone announces "JOE WILLIAMS!"....it doesn't sound like Johnny. Mr. Williams turns to his left & thanks "MR. ARTIE BUTLER!". I've just emailed Mr. Butler to ask if he might remember this performance.

[noclouds111]

@noclouds111 Mr. Butler replied that he 'remembered this well'. He said that this performance by Mr. Williams occurred on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson hosting.

It is a spellbinding performance and arranged by Mr. Butler.

I'd like to recognize Mr. Artie Butler for all of his very special compositions and arrangements. Look him up on YouTube and I believe you'll be delighted by his work, which was performed by the stars of their day.

[blackball2006]

@noclouds111 any news?



[blackball2006]

@noclouds111 I'm still thinking that's Johnny saying "Joe Williams". This shit stops a clock though. Damn that's heavy.

[noclouds111]

@blackball2006 Yes, it was the Tonight Show. I emailed Mr. Artie Butler (as Joe Williams calls to him @ the end of the performance), who replied that he remembered this performance quite well.

Look Artie up. His arrangements supported so many of the stars we remember.

I'm sure that Artie would welcome further emails. He is a gentleman!

[hswatnik]

top of the mountain Joe-

[coolmmm99]

check AGA ZARYAN "Here's to life" version, jazzy :-)

[horuseye1972]

God bless him

[TIPTON340]

On the greatest singers of our time and unfortunatly, or fortunately, he's only

known as Clair Huxtable's father on Cosby.

[groovyoldman]

Man . . . I have listened to this guy for about 50 years, but never heard him do anything like this before. It's a tough tune and I can't find anything on it, but it is more poignant than Sinatra's "My Way." I can sing . . . but in no way could I do this tune

justice . . . now that I've heard Joe Williams I probably won't try.

[fresuf1]

A beautiful, touching reading by a master--thank you for posting it. I first saw Joe Williams with Basie at Birdland in 1956. He was great then and he got better over the years. He was part of that generation of superb male pop/jazz singers--Bennett, Torme, Sinatra, Haymes, Cole, Johnny Hartman, David Allen, et al--the likes of which we'll probably never see again. Here's to you, Joe.

[MsPamAnn]

God bless you Joe. Here's to life.

[geoedgrav]

I like this !!!!!!

[KingOfJam]

twfwtfwtfwtfwtfwtfwtfwtfwtf this isnt a streetlight or catch cover!?>!?!?!?

 omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg­omgomg

[Fegen]

He always knew how to take a song and give it his unique spin and the

results were always great.

[blacqwolff]

this is one song that touches my heart.because it it's real in the eyes of those who believe.

[dicta1971]

I am so won over by his intepretation. Kudos to Joe!

[littleacorn00]

beautiful <3

[Rowoches]

Sing Joe!!!

[MichelleDenise64]

I'm glad I was able to get him to autograph his last recording. I love him for years

[Zappallin]

i come here expecting a black guy singing streetlight manifesto and this is what i get?!?!

[goodtimesontoob]

@Zappallin hahaha thats what i thought also lol

i dont know , this guy is kinda cool. he reminds me of jimmeny cricket :D

[SirCaseyHollywood]

JOE WILLIAMS, one of or legendary singers. He will be missed by a lot of artist

[deepkeel65]

It doesn't get much better than this. Interpretation... wow.

[americangalbasseyfan]

Brilliant. Joe was from the 'Been There, Done that' school. Brings his personal experiences to each song.

[fatcatchet]

Saw him do this at the Blue Note..love it ..Thanks

[americangalbasseyfan]

Vocal Perfection. This is the way it's done all you wannabee singers. You either have it or you don't. Joe was truly a gifted performer.

[ramona2400]

THANK YOU AND BLESS YOU JOE

[loulou2lou]

Brilliantly sung by a mature artist. Here's to you Joe.

[tackorgybe]

I had the priviledge to see Joe Williams in Montreal several years ago, as he replaced Mel Torme during the Jazz Festival Mr. Torme had a stroke and had to cancel. Mr. Williams sang with George Shearing, it was beautiful and will never forget that show.

A song for the very mature singers only!

[rebeccadru]

PutOnASweater, may I correct you in that Artie Butler wrote the music to this song..but let's give equal credit to the incredible lyricist of HERE'S TO LIFE, that being the very talented PHYLLIS MOLINARY. Her lyric was even quoted in the House of Representatives when Shirley Horn died.

[blacqwolff]

this is a song that will make even a monster cry.

[Pacabelle]

One of the hardest songs to sing. He sings it so effortlessly.

[claitontesch]

wonderfullllllllllllllllllllll­llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll­llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll­llllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!­!!!!!!!!

[RdSoxFan618]

This song was supposed to start:

How did Camus really die that night?

Were they right? When he died was it his time? Or was it suicide? Holden Caulfield is a friend of mine, we go drinking from time to time and I find it gets harder every time.

Hahaha

[MichelleDenise64]

@RdSoxFan618 Wrong song son

[RdSoxFan618]

@MichelleDenise64 KDC YOU WERE MUCH TOO YOUNG AND YOU CHANGED MY LIFE BUT I DRAW THE LINE AT SUICIDE - HERE'S TO LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!

[Ladybug1923]

I love Joe Williams. Johnny Carson used to have him on a lot and that is where I discovered him. It's a joy to see this video. Thank you for sharing.

[CookieMCMLVII]

Thank you Simon for sharing this and thank you saxinthecity for the wonderful post.

Simply beautiful.

5*****

Rey

[PutOnASweater]

Artie Butler who wrote this song was a protege of Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller...he worked with The Drifters, Jay & The Americans, Barry Manilow, Gladys Knight, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, and so many more....of the . He is currently working on a musical with Mike Stoller.

[PutOnASweater]

Great Artist, Great Song!!!!

[Dee530]

Thank you Simon, that was truly beautiful,

my eyes filled with tears, yet it also gave

me the chills... his voice so wonderful and

the words... wow, how they make ONE

think!! So "Here's To YOU, and Here's To

Life". Thank you, My Friend-

Best, Marcie*

[1280379]

Thanks for the lovely share

Sandra X

[mortygwhiz]

Some essential truths of life expressed by the incomprable Joe Williams. One of my all time favorites in the Jazz and Blues idioms.

[SirCaseyHollywood]

fantastic!!! wish that in the present time, such class of singers would emerge..

[wendyluvselliott]

God, how I have ALWAYS LOVED this.

Joe Williams is so the man.

I needed to hear this so badly tonight.

Thanks so much for posing.

[priscillaofmanila]

Fabulous!!

[magustol]

Man, streetlight manifesto's version is much much better

[Kryptochron14]

Dude, your so fucking dumb. Streetlight manifesto wrote a different song. They just have the same name.

Did this song really have any similarities to streetlight manifesto's Here's to Life?

Good sir, you deserve to be punch in the face.

[magustol]

Obviously you either can't conceive a joke, or just to dumb to understand it. Perhaps you should punch yourself in the face to lighten up.

[crashingonyourface]

lol

[shrdlu666]

I quite like the studio version. He really gets into the head notes. Astounding.

[Finsudden1]

Joe Williams at the best! He is better with age. Fantastic to express the lyrics in a

beatyful way. I allways liked him.

[Finsudden1]

Joe Williams, at the best with age.

Fantastic! I allways liked him, but this is the best I heard!

[dunskie]

I remember him doing this on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Is this from The Tonight Show?

[magkalosz]

incredibly good singer - wow how beautifully he makes those notes!! stunning interpretation of the lyrics, this is just HIS OWN story. I get the shivers!

[fatcatchet]

I saw him twice,once at the Blue Note...He did this song both times,made me cry...He was a true pro and could sing Jazz,Blues and balads...a real Musician!Thanks for posting this.

[avatardudu]

muuito boom ;')

[davidhazard71]

Joe Williams (born December 12, 1918 in Cordele, Georgia; died March 29, 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was a well-known jazz vocalist, and an elegant and sophisticated baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.

[reduxmisc]

One of the Great's

[davidhazard71]

This was Joe's swan song. The last time i saw him singing this was shortly before he died. He was so sad when he sang this. It was so uncanny. That airing on BET I'm still trying to find.

[philburrell]

I don't recall his passing, when did it happen?

[davidhazard71]

i put a new comment on this page.

[swt32567]

29 March 1999.He was 80yrs. old.

[cosmicwizz]

thanks for sharing. amazing.