Yes, huh. What don't you get? Your favorite African American person to study? Maybe it's a language barrier (is English your native language). Don't minimize Ella buy calling her African American. And study? What does that mean??
I almost cry every time I listen to this. I'm not sad. In fact I don't really know why I get so close to crying, but I do know that this one of the most beautiful musical pieces recorded.
Honestly, I think Lady Gaga did a respectable job with this song and generally does sing well when she isn't trying to fit the definition of modern music. But...Ella Fitzgerald, Julie Andrews, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand just can't be topped with their versions of this classic.
I grew up listening to this kind of music. My grandpa played the jazz guitar to songs like this and I have loved it since. Of course I love my country, pop, rock, and indie rock but this kind of music melts my heart in a whole new way. <3 Crooners and Jazz music
@frizdizzielizzie1959 i am the same...49 and love music from every era.....thanks to my parents and grandparents i was swing dancing at four and belting out country and western and the classics as well, dean martin , bing, and yes, even ella fitz. by five....you have to be exposed to these old sounds to appreciate music from these by gone days. gaga is cool, but thanks grams for making sure i heard the oldies first!!
I love Ella. Her music is and has always been beautiful. The comments on here were interesting. I listened to the Winehouse and Gaga version and loved both (Gaga over Winehouse) but I must applaud both ladies for doing what every artist to date has ever done; sung their favorite "old" song for a new audience, as a way to share good music. If Ella hadn't re-done it, Gaga/Winehouse wouldn't have. That's the cycle of music.
"...add his initial to my monogram." I love it when songwriters speak with such heart and romantic intention. Ella makes these words breathe. Love it-love it!!
This is the Roberta Flack version from the film and my favorite..try sting too.
You aren't the only one who thinks that good music is in decline the last two decades. Pop garbage with electronic stuff and singers who lip sync. Disgraceful!!!
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME... A very Romantic song...
Video by unknown, opens with a Painting of ELLA FITZGERALD IN BLUE, by Wayman, the Original painting is at my Vanguard Gallery... how it got included on this I do not know! If you like this painting, please call 832-620-0400 (11-6PST) or email me on Facebook. Danny Vancas at The Vanguard Gallery Carmel, Ca.
I won't take anything away from other artists/vocalists because they all have their place, but Ella Fitzgerald is simply amazing. Singers have spent their entire careers trying to emulate what came so naturally to her. She is one of a kind and always will be.
“Someone to Watch over Me” was originally written in 1927 as an up-tempo rhythm song. While experimenting one day, George Gershwin played it at a slower pace, and the brothers immediately recognized it as the wistful, warm song that we know today. The song became a highlight of “Oh Kay!” as a forlorn Gertrude Lawrence, alone on stage and dressed in a maid’s uniform, sings “Someone to Watch over Me” to a rag doll. Audience members openly wept.
WOW!!!! Ella is the undisputed Queen to begin with, but this particular cut is ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC. Such a spectacular delivery. She can really bring tears to your eyes.
@musochic16 Don't mind them. We don't all have to agree on everything. But I'd rather listen to someone who has credibility on the subject. Ella was hailed by ALL the greats. She was the best of the best! Sinatra called her "musical perfection". She was so good that her name became a standard by which you measure musical excellence and the genius of her artistry transcended Jazz and popular music. Factor in her longetivity at the top of her form, and very few names can be mentioned with hers.
I like to think there is classical music, new music, and this. With classical (arias, sonatas, etc.) you have beauty, but the music is more about discipline than anything else, while with new music it's all about creativity and expression of this self. But this music... why, it's just a perfect balance of the two. A well disciplined, well thought-out piece sung by quite a creative and passionate singer.
Instead of listening to which voice or style is better, just look at the person you are listening to. No one can beat the elegance and class of the 30s -50s, especially not the disgusting artists of today's era. If someone wants to be good, start with having a little class.
what's with all the bashing on modern vs classic singers? it IS possible to like both. i listen to lady gaga and adele and other modern singers just as much as i listen to ella fitzgerald and perry como and other classic singers. you dont have to choose just one music generation to like. embrace change, but remember the classics, you'll be very versatile that way
@TJDanii I agree with your conclusion "well no really." How can you compare this version with Gaga's if you haven't even heard Gaga's. "I prefer steak over sushi, although I never tasted sushi." That' just dumb. Let's do a hearing test. Compare Ella's version of this Gershwin song with her version of Summertime and tell me if ou can tell the difference in style. Which is interpretive and which is just singing the notes? Which do you prefer? Now do the same for Ella's and Amy's?
@rstm ella fitzgerald has one of the most amazing black voices in the history of music.obviously you dont know that cause you ve never heard of her...listen a couple of her songs and then come and tell me that you moron
@MrsBigSmile000 LOL. I'm the moron? It looks like you can read but you can't comprehend what I am saying. Let me explain: that means you don't understand the meaning of what is written. Putting aside the overt racism you dislay by dividing singers by the races ("the most amazing black voices"), you attempt to project your own ignorance on me. Truly pathetic.
Comparing this Godess to new age singers is just pathetic. I know we gotta move on and nothing is wrong with other singers covering, but guys.... seriously !
@OfficialNateMusiqTv I thought it was obvious, but let me clarify for the slower folk. I did not say that Amy is a better singer than Ella. I did not say that Amy could sing this song better than Ella. All I said was that I like Amy's version of this song better than I like this version of the song sung by Ella. That leaves open the chance that another version of this song by Ella might sound better to my ear than Amy's. But not this version. To me.
@rstm i agree. ella has technical mastery, and she makes me feel light on my toes, and glamourous.. but my heart isnt tugged. i prefer amy's version. this isnt' a slag on ella. i just prefer amy's.
@rstm Huh??? Ella's renditions of the Gershwin song book are the DEFINITIVE renditions. The writer of the lyrics of this song himself stated it himself. Ira Gershwin WHO WROTE THIS SONG was overwhemed by how convincingly Ella interpreted the feelings he tried to convey in the lyric. So while it leaves you cold, this is a testament to Ella staying true to the sentiment and not a ego driven showcase of how 'soulful' she could make it sound.
@bolder2009 Gershwin was entitled to his opinion, but I think that opinion was informed by the time he was living, his own personal tastes and his desire to sell records. I was trying to express my sensibilities (not making a pronouncement on behalf of anyone else) and suggesting that rather than this version or Gaga's version, people explore Amy's version for a different take (which,I prefer).
@rstm Good for you. But Gershwin didn't need to single out Ella as the finest interpreter of his songs, as many great vocalists of the era recorded his songs. That fact that he did, can not be dismissed as merely 'his opinion'. Once again I pointed out that Ella's interpretation is true to the sentiment of the song. Ella's could easily have delivered a more emotionally charged performance, but she was true to the song. Gershwin's opinion of her rendition of HIS songs, has more value than yours.
@bolder2009 The problem is that Ira Gershwin's experience was limited by time. He could not have compared Ella's version with Amy's version (or even Gaga's version). You see, he died before Any and Gaga performed the song. But In know absolutely that had he heard Amy's version, he would have agreed with me that Amy surpassed Ella on this one. And his opinion is far more credible than yours! It's not easy being as right as i am on this debate. Just lucky, I guess!
@rstm "And his opinion is far more credible than yours!" I already made that point, genius! Works both ways. A composer who can't sing his own song, still has an innate sense of what the song should be express, in terms of the feeling and Gershwin believed that Ella captured more than anyone else what his songs were trying to say. Restraint was deliberate. Ira was at the sessions when Ella recorded the Gershwin song book. He declared it as the definitive interpretations of the songs. Nailed it!
@bolder2009 The point I was making by example is that it is as absurd to claim that Gershwin would have preferred Amy over Ella as it is for you to claim that Gershwin's opnion on Ella is definitive. It is silly to say no one can sing it better than Ella, objectively, because the great and powerful Gershwin has spoken. And I heartily disagree that just because he loved Ellas version in the 1940's I, or anyone else should never believe another singer did it it better. You can still like Ella!
Ok just for the last time I will go back to what I said. No one can know better the one who wrote the composition about what sentiment the song should convey. You started off by saying that Ella lacked pathos and emotion, and I made the reference that this understated or restrained treatment is in keeping with the sentiment that Ira wanted to convey. I said nothing about singing it better. The writer of the lyric said it was definitive because the performance captured what the writer intended.
@rstm Now its pointless to speculate on what both Gershwin brothers would have made of Amy's recording. I personally believe he would have loved it, but we will never know. He may not have loved it. But Ella's understated treatment captured the sentiment Ira sought when he wrote it. Infact she elevated the song to a level that surpassed his expectations, and it is in keeping with the refined way romanctic ideas were expressed in that period. Gershwin and Ella were of the era. Authenticity!!!
@rstm I don't know if you are a fan of old movies. But if you are, take for example a movie like 'An Affair To Remember' which was made in 1957. If it were to be remade today its very unlikely that it would capture the authenticity of the original because its a different generation. The ideas expressed in that movie and the way that romance is handled is very different to how its done in the 21st century. Its almost jurrasic. That's the same with music. Gershwin was of his time, as was Ella.
@rstm All I've got to say is you've got to be kidding me. And had Winehouse not just died, I don't think you would have even made this comment, but to each his own.
@Nocaro Not even close to kidding. :) Certainly not trolling. Ella sings beautifully, and I can see why the writer of the tune (George, not Ira) would like it bacause she sings the notes as he composed them, but nothing more. But she doesn't extemporize at all on this, which I would have enjoyed. I prefer a more interpretive approach. You may not. I also find Ella's vibrato, like Diane Schuur's vibrato, cloying. A matter of taste, but honestly felt.
@rstm I'm with you. I actually like Winehouse's version best. She's got a Billie Holiday kind of voice I like and pours a lot of emotion into the song.
@Nocaro i agree. ella has technical mastery, and she makes me feel light on my toes, and glamourous.. but my heart isnt tugged. i prefer amy's version. this isnt' a slag on ella. i just prefer amy's.
@Nocaro - I understand you comment. I love Ella and she is a true legend, however critics for a while did complain that her rendering of some songs lacked the emotional intensity, that a Billie Holiday delivered in each note. She is technically flawless as always, and for that I am content.
Don't look down on today's singers. Pity their asses, because they will NEVER be as great as Ella or Sassy in a world where fame means everything to them.
Gershwin period stars: Ella, Frank, Nat King Cole, had one of a kind INCREDIBLE natural voices they trained to perfection. There weren't studio tricks to enhance or make them seem perfect. Today's musicians have talent, but sound equipment & BIG stage shows propel them to super stardom. It's charisma & staging, not raw talent. As Sinatra's voice faded with age, staging, gave him a new career. Gaga does great shows & good music. But her voice alone does not have their "goods".
@sweetbutdarling: That statement is somewhat ignorant. Learn that each artist brings something new to the tabel in their own unique flavor...and what sounds good to others might not to you. You are not qualiifed to make a blanket statement like that, because Whitney had the kind of voice that she could do just about anything or any style she wanted. If you are a Ella fan then you are locked into the way she does it and probably will never think another artist could do this song justice.
@READY4REVELATION Calm down. I'm just saying I listen to a LOT of music and no other artist has the same qualities as Ella. It's not just her voice, her personality perfectly fits to the music. Whitney was an addict at one point, Ella was a kind and bashful lady, the innocence of the song suits her character.
To anyone talking about Lady Gaga on this page...PLEASE, talk about her somewhere else. They aren't even comparable! It's a shame we have no popular artists to compare to someone like Ella that all people can talk about are Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. Come on, you can do better than that! Lady Gaga can sing but all that dance music she produces never shows her talent but her voice is still not comparable to Ella. Ella has vocal skills and a vocal purity no-one else can match.
I wish so much that Whitney Houston would have recorded this when her voice was in good shape. I bet all that i have she could have done it justice. I have nothing against new performers just because they're new.....what bothers me is how the standards have been lowered in music. People with very quesitonable talent are being lifted up as great til this young generation is confused about what great is. Autotune and other artificial techniques just don't cut it for me....i prefer the real thing.
@READY4REVELATION Whitney's voice is totally different to Ella. As amazing as Whitney's voice was, she would have taken something special from the song if she did a version.
Pretty much all you can say is that music is music. We are the only known animals on this planet with the capacity to show our emotions, feelings, etc... through song. we tell everything about ourselves. I am happy to say that there is no "new music" or "old music" because it all comes from the first sound of the first heart thump in Africa. Perception based on your emotions and experiences determine how you view music today versus back then. Every note from every voice has a story to tell.
Juke Box Love Song by Langston Hughes..... I could take the Harlem night and wrap around you, Take the neon lights and make a crown, Take the Lenox Avenue busses, Taxis, subways, And for your love song tone their rumble down. Take Harlem's heartbeat, Make a drumbeat, Put it on a record, let it whirl, And while we listen to it play, Dance with you till day-- Dance with you, my sweet brown Harlem girl.
Ella will be compared to every great and near=great for years to come . She is elegance , technical fine / so so soulful . A tip of the glass & Cheers to the fine lady of Jazz !
Why is it people seem to constantly slag off new music and constantly reminisce about the 'good old days.' Sure, Ella was incredible, Frank was a class act, but music moves on, and that's what makes it great! I'm personally not a fan of Lady Gaga, but surely any chance to put this beautiful song out there for more people to hear is a good thing!
@boobyrooberts Well, I could make a lot of comments about this, but I will say this one thing..."new" doesn't mean "better" when it comes to the arts, and if it took Lady Gaga for someone to discover the work of George Gershwin, I personally think they're lost before they have begun. But I suppose in this day and time one must start somewhere. Thanks for the note.
OMG! 99% of vocal coaches who are older than 40 years old know all these songs, and could put together a full programme for at least a dozen CDs or concerts, so nobody is REdiscovering Gershwin, Cole Porter, etc. except people without a musical education, people who are simply CATCHING UP.
@Nocaro '... if it took Lady Gaga for someone to discover the work of George Gershwin, I personally think they're lost before they have begun." Oh, give me a break. If you're 14yro and it's the first time you've heard this, who else are you going to hear but Winehouse or Gaga? If it moves them to sample Gershwin, and Porter and everyone after -- and other artists, too -- more power to 'em. Elitism in music is very unbecoming, you know.
@hecate235 You make an excellent point and I should have said "if you're over the age of 50 and it took Lady Gaga, etc."...I suppose I'm extremely disappointed that an entire generation is growing up without even knowing or hearing the music of George Gershwin except when an artist like Gaga decides to sing it. I'm certainly not a "music elitist", but I am totally disgusted with what has passed as popular music for the past few decades.
@Nocaro When Crosby, Stills, Nash and Mighty Joe Young sang Teach Your Children Well, they were addressing their fellow musicians as well as parents. Musicians have a responsibility to honor the geniuses who came before them and to teach their fans about the pioneers who preceeded them. Wake Up Little Susie was censored but the Everly Brothers refused to stop singing it. Same with Steve Earle's rebel hit Copperhead Road. Rappers, pay homage. Waco up, little susies.
@redfordforpresident Agreed. But... uh... it's Neil. Not Mighty Joe. Talk about responsibility, honoring geniuses, homage and respect, and then get the band members wrong? lol Absolutely ADORE this Ella recording.
@Nocaro Seriously. I'm 21 and I grew up on Gershwin. Granted I do appreciate a great cover of this song from modern artists (By that I mean Amy Winehouse, NOT Lady Gaga), but I've loved Ella's interpretation for years.
@Nocaro Because of GaGa, she's passed on Ella's classic to like millions of kids. Alot of kids may not know Ella, but they'll know her music because of Gaga. Then they'll probaly Google it, and find out about Ella and appreciate it. A Pop Legend is keeping the Old Great Legends alive! :) Isn't music awsome
@Modzokilla I agree with you. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that people, with the music elitist mindset, deem other artist of other genres to be "unworthy" of covering, or even listening for that matter, an amazing classic. Music is a universal language that we shouldn't be limiting to anyone or any artist of any genre.
@Nocaro Every music elitist says that theyre not one, but you are. EVERYONE has something to offer, including gaga. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. Stay listening to songs of the past if that makes you happy, as for me, every new song excites me as much as any old song
@Nocaro I'm 22 years old and you know, I'm disgusted with popular music too. I used to think people like Ke$ha were going to become the 'norm' for music from my generation and younger. But then I thought, I like Ella. My sister likes Ella, and she's having a baby. It's the circle of musical life. I know my sister will teach her daughter who Ella is and instil the same passion for good music that we have. I made a playlist of classical music and don't think I didn't throw in a dash of Ella ;-)
@hecate235 Dude, I'm 13 years old and I can honestly say that I've never listened to neither Winehouse or Gaga. I do hear what you're saying, I guess not everyone is as lucky as me to be raised in a house where that type of music isn't excepted...
@djwinger2003 Thank you. Sometimes I make stupid, silly mistakes such as that... I can't stand it when children my age act as though they don't know, or perhaps, want to know anything. Oh, I'm sure it'll be real easy to get a job when you can't tell the difference between there, they're, or their...
@drphilgoode98 lol so there is hope for mankind after all! For the sake of humanity do us all a favour and make sure you procreate with a smart person...we're counting on you! :)
@djwinger2003 Haha, too bad smart people my age are too hard to come by these days... I noticed you spelt favor favour. So, you're from Briton, or some other English-speaking country? I love the internet :-)
@djwinger2003 I just realized that this is the first ever friendly conversation over Youtube. Usually you see long, bitter arguments, it's ridiculous...
@drphilgoode98 Ha ha I believe you're right! At the same time we've really hijacked the topic of this video though lol. Feel free to drop me a PM at some stage if you wish bud. Cheers, Winger
@djwinger2003 I'm guessing it's so peaceful because when we're typing (or at least when I am) we're listening to Ella, and it's so wonderful that it brings peace to the people of Youtube. :) There, now we're kind of back on topic...
@donaldmccann I'm not disputing the fact that there may or may not have been people that have done better versions (personally I prefer Sinatra's version in 'Young at Heart'), I'm simply saying that music moves on and as long as it's not preaching hatred or something like that, it should be embraced rather than looked down on. After all, when Jazz first came along their were plenty of critics about that! P.S before you say it, I'm not comparing Lady Gaga to the emergence of Jazz!! :)
@boobyrooberts Because the sense of sound is second only to the sense of smell in bringing back memories. (At least that's what some people say) And music tends to bring back good and/or strong memories.
@boobyrooberts Ella and Stefani Germanotta (lady gaga) are not even in the same class , Stefani is a pop artist ....Ella should only be compared to one girl....that's the amazing Amy Winehouse!!!!!!!
@boobyrooberts Bc the media makes everything a horse race, a competition. If the music moves you nothing else matters. Hope that newer fans of Winehouse and Gaga sample some of the older interpretations too.
so sweet and beautiful<3
sharonbng 6 days ago
This version has no peer, Ella is amazing! I love it!!!!
cgabler91191 6 days ago
I can see where Whitney got her soft and beautiful angelic quality from, and that's Ella Fitzgerald. Ella has that very beautiful voice.
ThePianoguy89 1 week ago
She's simply the greatest vocalist!
ThePianoguy89 1 week ago
yeah!
lexen64 1 week ago
We played this piece in the Middle School Honors Orchestra Festival a few weeks ago, and it sounds simply.....stunning! Thank you Gershwin!
52wbending52 1 week ago
Yeah the tears taste good in my soup
MsTroubleshooting 1 week ago in playlist Even though youre gone: Goodbye
coolio
TheycallmeTK1 2 weeks ago
Outter Limits anyone!?
PeterBFC666 2 weeks ago
ella is my african american person to study
lilsmurfette21400 2 weeks ago
@lilsmurfette21400
Huh? Ella transcends all that!
greg1lewin 2 weeks ago
huh?
lilsmurfette21400 2 weeks ago
@lilsmurfette21400
Yes, huh. What don't you get? Your favorite African American person to study? Maybe it's a language barrier (is English your native language). Don't minimize Ella buy calling her African American. And study? What does that mean??
greg1lewin 2 weeks ago
I absolutely love, love, love this song! Perfection from the one and only Ms. Ella!
shadowkat59 2 weeks ago
I love Ella!!!!!!!!
TheNursey13 3 weeks ago
I almost cry every time I listen to this. I'm not sad. In fact I don't really know why I get so close to crying, but I do know that this one of the most beautiful musical pieces recorded.
stephencassista 3 weeks ago
it's almost not fair how beautiful her voice is!
KawaHato 3 weeks ago
im doing a project for skool about ella. so i thought i would look her up. i didn't know i wud come across such a beautiful and remarkable voice
heyolets 4 weeks ago
I love this song but Ella makes it even better!
km54321boom 1 month ago
listened to this on LP this evening. thanks for posting it so I could share with friends
nutmegdesigns 1 month ago
this song makes me want to cry
westace360 1 month ago
Honestly, I think Lady Gaga did a respectable job with this song and generally does sing well when she isn't trying to fit the definition of modern music. But...Ella Fitzgerald, Julie Andrews, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand just can't be topped with their versions of this classic.
Suny807 1 month ago
I grew up listening to this kind of music. My grandpa played the jazz guitar to songs like this and I have loved it since. Of course I love my country, pop, rock, and indie rock but this kind of music melts my heart in a whole new way. <3 Crooners and Jazz music
IowaStubborn28 1 month ago
I prefer Amy Winehouse's version.
tselekoglu 1 month ago
Ella Fitzgerald is amazing. I want to make a cover of this. :)
Candall89 1 month ago
VALE LA PENA ESCUCHAR LA VERSION DE ANY WINEHOUSE
rlopezmo 2 months ago
Very nice. It's a pleasure to listen to true musical voice. Thanks.......
rgolaf 2 months ago
I am over 50 and I like both Ella and Gaga, Lil Wayne and Patsy Cline, Heart, Blink 182. I guess I just love music!
frizdizzielizzie1959 2 months ago
@frizdizzielizzie1959 i am the same...49 and love music from every era.....thanks to my parents and grandparents i was swing dancing at four and belting out country and western and the classics as well, dean martin , bing, and yes, even ella fitz. by five....you have to be exposed to these old sounds to appreciate music from these by gone days. gaga is cool, but thanks grams for making sure i heard the oldies first!!
pnk878251 2 months ago
proud to be named after such an inspiring singer, ella.(:
JasmineElla13 3 months ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
This is undoubtedly my favorite Ella song hands down.
a4ur8 3 months ago
Story of my life...I love this song.
lepetitecherie 3 months ago 3
@lepetitecherie I feel ya! :)
nikky98 3 months ago
I love Ella. Her music is and has always been beautiful. The comments on here were interesting. I listened to the Winehouse and Gaga version and loved both (Gaga over Winehouse) but I must applaud both ladies for doing what every artist to date has ever done; sung their favorite "old" song for a new audience, as a way to share good music. If Ella hadn't re-done it, Gaga/Winehouse wouldn't have. That's the cycle of music.
mztaylor08 3 months ago
I love Slayer. I also LOVE this song. Seriously, this song is fucking beautiful.
IggyandtheStardust 3 months ago
I'd like someone to watch over me.
30noir 3 months ago
Why do people visit youtube to watch ellafitzgerald, then start a verbal fight? I. JUST. DON'T. GET. IT.
realmp 3 months ago
I love Ella
johannaaight 3 months ago 3
I am singing this as a solo at my school AHHH and this song sounds beautiful <3
lautnerandpatt 3 months ago
"...add his initial to my monogram." I love it when songwriters speak with such heart and romantic intention. Ella makes these words breathe. Love it-love it!!
MrKenndawg 4 months ago 12
This is the Roberta Flack version from the film and my favorite..try sting too.
You aren't the only one who thinks that good music is in decline the last two decades. Pop garbage with electronic stuff and singers who lip sync. Disgraceful!!!
maryannob 4 months ago in playlist roberta flack too
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME... A very Romantic song...
Video by unknown, opens with a Painting of ELLA FITZGERALD IN BLUE, by Wayman, the Original painting is at my Vanguard Gallery... how it got included on this I do not know! If you like this painting, please call 832-620-0400 (11-6PST) or email me on Facebook. Danny Vancas at The Vanguard Gallery Carmel, Ca.
vanguardgallery 4 months ago
I won't take anything away from other artists/vocalists because they all have their place, but Ella Fitzgerald is simply amazing. Singers have spent their entire careers trying to emulate what came so naturally to her. She is one of a kind and always will be.
zman3111 4 months ago 11
@zman3111 z man.
ihugtrees321 4 months ago
Music is music to a listener's ears. If we say something "isn't music" we are insulting MUSIC's being the universal language of the soul
TheDominatrix82 4 months ago
I love old musicians like Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra...Their music is timeless :)
violinplayer101 4 months ago 3
Let me correct myself: It was written in 1926.
RoboSlater 4 months ago
“Someone to Watch over Me” was originally written in 1927 as an up-tempo rhythm song. While experimenting one day, George Gershwin played it at a slower pace, and the brothers immediately recognized it as the wistful, warm song that we know today. The song became a highlight of “Oh Kay!” as a forlorn Gertrude Lawrence, alone on stage and dressed in a maid’s uniform, sings “Someone to Watch over Me” to a rag doll. Audience members openly wept.
RoboSlater 4 months ago
I feel like: Shut up about Winehouse. This is the shit.
TheJohnsblog 5 months ago
As all Ella's recordings I've heard..the tone, diction & delivery are perfect! Plus she pull off scat recordings with just as much talent..
bobtx2us 5 months ago
beautiful!
mofug2 5 months ago
How could anyone dislike this???? i just don't get it.....could anyone tell me why??
mybigbluetoad 5 months ago 2
Beautiful pictures,
maby52love 5 months ago
WOW!!!! Ella is the undisputed Queen to begin with, but this particular cut is ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC. Such a spectacular delivery. She can really bring tears to your eyes.
Thanks for posting this.
Weasler455 5 months ago
and to those criticising ella fitzgerald you should be ashamed of yourselves
musochic16 5 months ago 2
@musochic16 Don't mind them. We don't all have to agree on everything. But I'd rather listen to someone who has credibility on the subject. Ella was hailed by ALL the greats. She was the best of the best! Sinatra called her "musical perfection". She was so good that her name became a standard by which you measure musical excellence and the genius of her artistry transcended Jazz and popular music. Factor in her longetivity at the top of her form, and very few names can be mentioned with hers.
bolder2009 5 months ago 3
nothing beats Ella
musochic16 5 months ago
I like to think there is classical music, new music, and this. With classical (arias, sonatas, etc.) you have beauty, but the music is more about discipline than anything else, while with new music it's all about creativity and expression of this self. But this music... why, it's just a perfect balance of the two. A well disciplined, well thought-out piece sung by quite a creative and passionate singer.
duntzwitch 5 months ago
BTW did you know that Ella spent her money to help young performers?
She had a heart as lovely as her voice.
God bless her memory and all the great American music this grand dame
gave us as an inheritance.
No one can replace her the first Lady of American music.
1mommas 5 months ago 2
Ella!
A voice like butter!
Thank you for sharing.
corfan99 5 months ago
Sting does a great cover of this song.
andybpiano 5 months ago
She sounded like a young lady her whole life. And with such freedom and innocence.
bebop575 5 months ago
The one and only,
Americas first lady of song.
1mommas 6 months ago
I love her Angelic voice and the picture the beautiful Orange haired angel =)
AlleykatChinadoll 6 months ago
Reminds me of playing Fallout 3, reminds me being in the play Bye Bye Birdie, reminds me of the movie "Flipped"
Oh Gosh...this is magical.
psymaster1234 6 months ago
Instead of listening to which voice or style is better, just look at the person you are listening to. No one can beat the elegance and class of the 30s -50s, especially not the disgusting artists of today's era. If someone wants to be good, start with having a little class.
FozzyMoto7 6 months ago
@FozzyMoto7 A lot o class is better.
Ella had it all.
1mommas 6 months ago
@1mommas Agreed.
FozzyMoto7 5 months ago
I am now going to amazon to buy the album.
zyxquark 6 months ago
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zyxquark 6 months ago
what's with all the bashing on modern vs classic singers? it IS possible to like both. i listen to lady gaga and adele and other modern singers just as much as i listen to ella fitzgerald and perry como and other classic singers. you dont have to choose just one music generation to like. embrace change, but remember the classics, you'll be very versatile that way
KLT2013 6 months ago 3
The First Lady of Song is much better than Lady Gaga
MrRainydays 6 months ago
Her voice is so clear as a bell. Just simply lovely...
LaTainaIndia 6 months ago
Listen to how Ella gently shades her voice to suit the song's sad sentiment. Ella Fitzgerald was simply fantastic.
She sang so perfectly with such ease and grace. And they say she never had an ego.
How times change!
ivh1968 6 months ago
AWESOME
boldoake 6 months ago in playlist All Blue
@TJDanii I agree with your conclusion "well no really." How can you compare this version with Gaga's if you haven't even heard Gaga's. "I prefer steak over sushi, although I never tasted sushi." That' just dumb. Let's do a hearing test. Compare Ella's version of this Gershwin song with her version of Summertime and tell me if ou can tell the difference in style. Which is interpretive and which is just singing the notes? Which do you prefer? Now do the same for Ella's and Amy's?
rstm 6 months ago
@rstm ella fitzgerald has one of the most amazing black voices in the history of music.obviously you dont know that cause you ve never heard of her...listen a couple of her songs and then come and tell me that you moron
MrsBigSmile000 6 months ago
@MrsBigSmile000 LOL. I'm the moron? It looks like you can read but you can't comprehend what I am saying. Let me explain: that means you don't understand the meaning of what is written. Putting aside the overt racism you dislay by dividing singers by the races ("the most amazing black voices"), you attempt to project your own ignorance on me. Truly pathetic.
rstm 6 months ago
@MrsBigSmile000 lol black voice? y not just voice in general, y race gotta be apart (not saying ur racist but...)
Dontcallmyname225 6 months ago
@Dontcallmyname225 Actually, there are differences in the anatomy of the vocal folds between different races.
MsKaribeth 6 months ago
Comparing this Godess to new age singers is just pathetic. I know we gotta move on and nothing is wrong with other singers covering, but guys.... seriously !
Arenya 6 months ago 7
missing you too much tonight baby,and so do the little ones.Need to stop listening to this.ross and ella miss you tooxxx
rowanhig 6 months ago
I always listen to Ella when missing my lovely man who died too young aged 42 last year.Memories always make me smile.wonderful wonderful voice!
rowanhig 6 months ago
Ella Fitzgerald - a voice for eternity.....
multiChris58 6 months ago 4
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OfficialNateMusiqTv 7 months ago
@OfficialNateMusiqTv I thought it was obvious, but let me clarify for the slower folk. I did not say that Amy is a better singer than Ella. I did not say that Amy could sing this song better than Ella. All I said was that I like Amy's version of this song better than I like this version of the song sung by Ella. That leaves open the chance that another version of this song by Ella might sound better to my ear than Amy's. But not this version. To me.
rstm 6 months ago
@rstm i agree. ella has technical mastery, and she makes me feel light on my toes, and glamourous.. but my heart isnt tugged. i prefer amy's version. this isnt' a slag on ella. i just prefer amy's.
tensacross 7 months ago
@rstm Pathos and emotion? I think Gershwin knew what type of feeling his song should convey, better than you or I.
bolder2009 7 months ago
@rstm Huh??? Ella's renditions of the Gershwin song book are the DEFINITIVE renditions. The writer of the lyrics of this song himself stated it himself. Ira Gershwin WHO WROTE THIS SONG was overwhemed by how convincingly Ella interpreted the feelings he tried to convey in the lyric. So while it leaves you cold, this is a testament to Ella staying true to the sentiment and not a ego driven showcase of how 'soulful' she could make it sound.
bolder2009 7 months ago 3
@bolder2009 Gershwin was entitled to his opinion, but I think that opinion was informed by the time he was living, his own personal tastes and his desire to sell records. I was trying to express my sensibilities (not making a pronouncement on behalf of anyone else) and suggesting that rather than this version or Gaga's version, people explore Amy's version for a different take (which,I prefer).
rstm 7 months ago
@rstm Good for you. But Gershwin didn't need to single out Ella as the finest interpreter of his songs, as many great vocalists of the era recorded his songs. That fact that he did, can not be dismissed as merely 'his opinion'. Once again I pointed out that Ella's interpretation is true to the sentiment of the song. Ella's could easily have delivered a more emotionally charged performance, but she was true to the song. Gershwin's opinion of her rendition of HIS songs, has more value than yours.
bolder2009 7 months ago
@bolder2009 The problem is that Ira Gershwin's experience was limited by time. He could not have compared Ella's version with Amy's version (or even Gaga's version). You see, he died before Any and Gaga performed the song. But In know absolutely that had he heard Amy's version, he would have agreed with me that Amy surpassed Ella on this one. And his opinion is far more credible than yours! It's not easy being as right as i am on this debate. Just lucky, I guess!
rstm 7 months ago
@rstm "And his opinion is far more credible than yours!" I already made that point, genius! Works both ways. A composer who can't sing his own song, still has an innate sense of what the song should be express, in terms of the feeling and Gershwin believed that Ella captured more than anyone else what his songs were trying to say. Restraint was deliberate. Ira was at the sessions when Ella recorded the Gershwin song book. He declared it as the definitive interpretations of the songs. Nailed it!
bolder2009 7 months ago
@bolder2009 The point I was making by example is that it is as absurd to claim that Gershwin would have preferred Amy over Ella as it is for you to claim that Gershwin's opnion on Ella is definitive. It is silly to say no one can sing it better than Ella, objectively, because the great and powerful Gershwin has spoken. And I heartily disagree that just because he loved Ellas version in the 1940's I, or anyone else should never believe another singer did it it better. You can still like Ella!
rstm 7 months ago
Ok just for the last time I will go back to what I said. No one can know better the one who wrote the composition about what sentiment the song should convey. You started off by saying that Ella lacked pathos and emotion, and I made the reference that this understated or restrained treatment is in keeping with the sentiment that Ira wanted to convey. I said nothing about singing it better. The writer of the lyric said it was definitive because the performance captured what the writer intended.
bolder2009 7 months ago
@rstm And this version is not from the 40's. Its from the 50's. Ella was 41 when she recorded it.
bolder2009 7 months ago
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bolder2009 7 months ago
@rstm Now its pointless to speculate on what both Gershwin brothers would have made of Amy's recording. I personally believe he would have loved it, but we will never know. He may not have loved it. But Ella's understated treatment captured the sentiment Ira sought when he wrote it. Infact she elevated the song to a level that surpassed his expectations, and it is in keeping with the refined way romanctic ideas were expressed in that period. Gershwin and Ella were of the era. Authenticity!!!
bolder2009 7 months ago
@rstm I don't know if you are a fan of old movies. But if you are, take for example a movie like 'An Affair To Remember' which was made in 1957. If it were to be remade today its very unlikely that it would capture the authenticity of the original because its a different generation. The ideas expressed in that movie and the way that romance is handled is very different to how its done in the 21st century. Its almost jurrasic. That's the same with music. Gershwin was of his time, as was Ella.
bolder2009 7 months ago
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bolder2009 7 months ago
@rstm All I've got to say is you've got to be kidding me. And had Winehouse not just died, I don't think you would have even made this comment, but to each his own.
Nocaro 7 months ago 32
@Nocaro Not even close to kidding. :) Certainly not trolling. Ella sings beautifully, and I can see why the writer of the tune (George, not Ira) would like it bacause she sings the notes as he composed them, but nothing more. But she doesn't extemporize at all on this, which I would have enjoyed. I prefer a more interpretive approach. You may not. I also find Ella's vibrato, like Diane Schuur's vibrato, cloying. A matter of taste, but honestly felt.
rstm 7 months ago
@rstm I'm with you. I actually like Winehouse's version best. She's got a Billie Holiday kind of voice I like and pours a lot of emotion into the song.
shiftyjake 5 months ago
@Nocaro i agree. ella has technical mastery, and she makes me feel light on my toes, and glamourous.. but my heart isnt tugged. i prefer amy's version. this isnt' a slag on ella. i just prefer amy's.
tensacross 7 months ago
@Nocaro - I understand you comment. I love Ella and she is a true legend, however critics for a while did complain that her rendering of some songs lacked the emotional intensity, that a Billie Holiday delivered in each note. She is technically flawless as always, and for that I am content.
kevyncarr 6 months ago
Two reasons i like this song / video
1. Ella's purely amazing and beautiful voice making this song lovely. 2. Looking at the Red head's tits at 0:27 - 0:50
graystripe69 7 months ago in playlist g
Lovely!
MonicaBrowneENT 7 months ago
Thank You for posting this beautiful song!
3loveme1 7 months ago in playlist Soul
Don't look down on today's singers. Pity their asses, because they will NEVER be as great as Ella or Sassy in a world where fame means everything to them.
pebblefrog196 7 months ago
I love this song.
With nothing else to do on a rainy afternoon; I went looking for it..
I've listened to it quite a few times in the last hour, by various artists.
In my OPINION this is the very best version here on YouTube, with Linda Ronstadt as a not too distant second.
legion1a 7 months ago 2
What's the redhead with perky tits @ about :29 got to do with the song?
MrRedFredSaid 7 months ago
@MrRedFredSaid rofl
pebblefrog196 7 months ago
I can honstly say thank god for people like Ella. From her we got
"janelle Monae" if you haven't listened to Janelle Monae please drop
your kids and go listen to her :D
emogaara1231 7 months ago
Gershwin period stars: Ella, Frank, Nat King Cole, had one of a kind INCREDIBLE natural voices they trained to perfection. There weren't studio tricks to enhance or make them seem perfect. Today's musicians have talent, but sound equipment & BIG stage shows propel them to super stardom. It's charisma & staging, not raw talent. As Sinatra's voice faded with age, staging, gave him a new career. Gaga does great shows & good music. But her voice alone does not have their "goods".
Beryl1234 7 months ago 4
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Beryl1234 7 months ago
@sweetbutdarling: That statement is somewhat ignorant. Learn that each artist brings something new to the tabel in their own unique flavor...and what sounds good to others might not to you. You are not qualiifed to make a blanket statement like that, because Whitney had the kind of voice that she could do just about anything or any style she wanted. If you are a Ella fan then you are locked into the way she does it and probably will never think another artist could do this song justice.
READY4REVELATION 7 months ago
@READY4REVELATION Calm down. I'm just saying I listen to a LOT of music and no other artist has the same qualities as Ella. It's not just her voice, her personality perfectly fits to the music. Whitney was an addict at one point, Ella was a kind and bashful lady, the innocence of the song suits her character.
sweetbutdaring 7 months ago
To anyone talking about Lady Gaga on this page...PLEASE, talk about her somewhere else. They aren't even comparable! It's a shame we have no popular artists to compare to someone like Ella that all people can talk about are Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. Come on, you can do better than that! Lady Gaga can sing but all that dance music she produces never shows her talent but her voice is still not comparable to Ella. Ella has vocal skills and a vocal purity no-one else can match.
sweetbutdaring 7 months ago
@trendifying No need for that language. Calm down.None of the people you can mention can be compared to each other to be honest.
sweetbutdaring 7 months ago
Gosh this song is how I feel. Will anyone ever come along?
sweetbutdaring 7 months ago
@trendifying
Your comment is the only ridiculous one I see on here.
imblessedso 7 months ago
Her voice is as close to perfect that I've ever heard
COJAZZ3 7 months ago 3
I wish so much that Whitney Houston would have recorded this when her voice was in good shape. I bet all that i have she could have done it justice. I have nothing against new performers just because they're new.....what bothers me is how the standards have been lowered in music. People with very quesitonable talent are being lifted up as great til this young generation is confused about what great is. Autotune and other artificial techniques just don't cut it for me....i prefer the real thing.
READY4REVELATION 8 months ago
@READY4REVELATION Whitney's voice is totally different to Ella. As amazing as Whitney's voice was, she would have taken something special from the song if she did a version.
sweetbutdaring 7 months ago
Pretty much all you can say is that music is music. We are the only known animals on this planet with the capacity to show our emotions, feelings, etc... through song. we tell everything about ourselves. I am happy to say that there is no "new music" or "old music" because it all comes from the first sound of the first heart thump in Africa. Perception based on your emotions and experiences determine how you view music today versus back then. Every note from every voice has a story to tell.
SaxPlaya4 8 months ago
One of the most beautiful voices ever. I am only thirty-two and must acknowledge that she was phenomenal.
nwilson1979 8 months ago
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bolder2009 8 months ago
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bolder2009 8 months ago
Ella will be compared to every great and near=great for years to come . She is elegance , technical fine / so so soulful . A tip of the glass & Cheers to the fine lady of Jazz !
freedoomofspeech 8 months ago
Ella will be compared to every great and near=great for years to come .
She is elegance , technical fine and so so soulful . A tip of the glass & Cheers to the fine lady of Jazz !
freedoomofspeech 8 months ago
someone disliked ella? Four people did? Wha?
johnmcgillis2004 8 months ago
Why is it people seem to constantly slag off new music and constantly reminisce about the 'good old days.' Sure, Ella was incredible, Frank was a class act, but music moves on, and that's what makes it great! I'm personally not a fan of Lady Gaga, but surely any chance to put this beautiful song out there for more people to hear is a good thing!
boobyrooberts 8 months ago 25
@boobyrooberts Well, I could make a lot of comments about this, but I will say this one thing..."new" doesn't mean "better" when it comes to the arts, and if it took Lady Gaga for someone to discover the work of George Gershwin, I personally think they're lost before they have begun. But I suppose in this day and time one must start somewhere. Thanks for the note.
Nocaro 8 months ago 27
OMG! 99% of vocal coaches who are older than 40 years old know all these songs, and could put together a full programme for at least a dozen CDs or concerts, so nobody is REdiscovering Gershwin, Cole Porter, etc. except people without a musical education, people who are simply CATCHING UP.
wattever333 8 months ago
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bolder2009 7 months ago
@Nocaro '... if it took Lady Gaga for someone to discover the work of George Gershwin, I personally think they're lost before they have begun." Oh, give me a break. If you're 14yro and it's the first time you've heard this, who else are you going to hear but Winehouse or Gaga? If it moves them to sample Gershwin, and Porter and everyone after -- and other artists, too -- more power to 'em. Elitism in music is very unbecoming, you know.
hecate235 6 months ago 23
@hecate235 You make an excellent point and I should have said "if you're over the age of 50 and it took Lady Gaga, etc."...I suppose I'm extremely disappointed that an entire generation is growing up without even knowing or hearing the music of George Gershwin except when an artist like Gaga decides to sing it. I'm certainly not a "music elitist", but I am totally disgusted with what has passed as popular music for the past few decades.
Nocaro 6 months ago 41
@Nocaro don't agree. it's never too late to start learning and experiencing everything that moves you.
UpstairsMaid 6 months ago
@Nocaro When Crosby, Stills, Nash and Mighty Joe Young sang Teach Your Children Well, they were addressing their fellow musicians as well as parents. Musicians have a responsibility to honor the geniuses who came before them and to teach their fans about the pioneers who preceeded them. Wake Up Little Susie was censored but the Everly Brothers refused to stop singing it. Same with Steve Earle's rebel hit Copperhead Road. Rappers, pay homage. Waco up, little susies.
redfordforpresident 5 months ago
@redfordforpresident Agreed. But... uh... it's Neil. Not Mighty Joe. Talk about responsibility, honoring geniuses, homage and respect, and then get the band members wrong? lol Absolutely ADORE this Ella recording.
fangerpicker 5 months ago
@Nocaro Seriously. I'm 21 and I grew up on Gershwin. Granted I do appreciate a great cover of this song from modern artists (By that I mean Amy Winehouse, NOT Lady Gaga), but I've loved Ella's interpretation for years.
luckystar007 5 months ago
@Nocaro Because of GaGa, she's passed on Ella's classic to like millions of kids. Alot of kids may not know Ella, but they'll know her music because of Gaga. Then they'll probaly Google it, and find out about Ella and appreciate it. A Pop Legend is keeping the Old Great Legends alive! :) Isn't music awsome
Modzokilla 4 months ago 3
@Modzokilla I agree with you. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that people, with the music elitist mindset, deem other artist of other genres to be "unworthy" of covering, or even listening for that matter, an amazing classic. Music is a universal language that we shouldn't be limiting to anyone or any artist of any genre.
donttouchmyfoupy15 4 months ago
@Modzokilla Yes it is.....music is the key.
ladyraven30 4 months ago
@Nocaro Every music elitist says that theyre not one, but you are. EVERYONE has something to offer, including gaga. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. Stay listening to songs of the past if that makes you happy, as for me, every new song excites me as much as any old song
panamanian911 3 months ago 2
@Nocaro I'm 22 years old and you know, I'm disgusted with popular music too. I used to think people like Ke$ha were going to become the 'norm' for music from my generation and younger. But then I thought, I like Ella. My sister likes Ella, and she's having a baby. It's the circle of musical life. I know my sister will teach her daughter who Ella is and instil the same passion for good music that we have. I made a playlist of classical music and don't think I didn't throw in a dash of Ella ;-)
brandonh72 3 months ago 2
Perfeita!
MonroeChristie 1 month ago
@hecate235 Dude, I'm 13 years old and I can honestly say that I've never listened to neither Winehouse or Gaga. I do hear what you're saying, I guess not everyone is as lucky as me to be raised in a house where that type of music isn't excepted...
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@drphilgoode98 "accepted" (only correcting you as you seem to be one of the rare, few, intelligent teenagers with a grasp on spelling and grammar)
djwinger2003 1 month ago
@djwinger2003 Thank you. Sometimes I make stupid, silly mistakes such as that... I can't stand it when children my age act as though they don't know, or perhaps, want to know anything. Oh, I'm sure it'll be real easy to get a job when you can't tell the difference between there, they're, or their...
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@drphilgoode98 lol so there is hope for mankind after all! For the sake of humanity do us all a favour and make sure you procreate with a smart person...we're counting on you! :)
djwinger2003 1 month ago
@djwinger2003 Haha, too bad smart people my age are too hard to come by these days... I noticed you spelt favor favour. So, you're from Briton, or some other English-speaking country? I love the internet :-)
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@drphilgoode98 Yep I'm Irish...we use British English. Good catch.
djwinger2003 1 month ago
@djwinger2003 Oh I see, same general direction from where I am. Oh, and I think that William Wallace, and Robert the Brute are amazing! :)
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@drphilgoode98 hehe well that would be Scotland but we love them too! :)
djwinger2003 1 month ago
@djwinger2003 Grr! I got my history wrong. That's why whenever I hear the name Robert the Brute, I imagine all the Rs curled...
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@drphilgoode98 lol
djwinger2003 1 month ago
@djwinger2003 I just realized that this is the first ever friendly conversation over Youtube. Usually you see long, bitter arguments, it's ridiculous...
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@drphilgoode98 Ha ha I believe you're right! At the same time we've really hijacked the topic of this video though lol. Feel free to drop me a PM at some stage if you wish bud. Cheers, Winger
djwinger2003 1 month ago
@djwinger2003 I'm guessing it's so peaceful because when we're typing (or at least when I am) we're listening to Ella, and it's so wonderful that it brings peace to the people of Youtube. :) There, now we're kind of back on topic...
drphilgoode98 1 month ago
@boobyrooberts SHOW US SOMBODY TO MATCH!!
donaldmccann 8 months ago
@donaldmccann I'm not disputing the fact that there may or may not have been people that have done better versions (personally I prefer Sinatra's version in 'Young at Heart'), I'm simply saying that music moves on and as long as it's not preaching hatred or something like that, it should be embraced rather than looked down on. After all, when Jazz first came along their were plenty of critics about that! P.S before you say it, I'm not comparing Lady Gaga to the emergence of Jazz!! :)
boobyrooberts 8 months ago
@boobyrooberts Because the sense of sound is second only to the sense of smell in bringing back memories. (At least that's what some people say) And music tends to bring back good and/or strong memories.
anniejillybean 8 months ago
@boobyrooberts Ella and Stefani Germanotta (lady gaga) are not even in the same class , Stefani is a pop artist ....Ella should only be compared to one girl....that's the amazing Amy Winehouse!!!!!!!
Cowboyssuckcock100 7 months ago
@boobyrooberts Well yeah, you' re right music does move on but in some and many cases not for the better.
And further more when something is already good don't try and change it!!
No don't go thinking I'm some oldie and all that because I can asure you that is not the case.
Seferina78 7 months ago
@boobyrooberts Bc the media makes everything a horse race, a competition. If the music moves you nothing else matters. Hope that newer fans of Winehouse and Gaga sample some of the older interpretations too.
Rediscovering Ella. What a voice...
hecate235 6 months ago
@boobyrooberts Susan Boyle Is doing a cover of this song soon to be issued.
accessit01 5 months ago
@boobyrooberts But I think that is why Amy's passing is so sad. She left a big empty that no young vocalist is even attempting to fill.
tabithamc383 5 months ago