MAME-1974- "If He Walked Into My Life" by Lucille Ball

[CaliCaliente00]

Lucille Ball was talented and everything, but Angela Lansbury owns this song and owns the whole role of Mame.

[Afightsback]

lucy doesn't sound good there because she old ,when she was young she sound good

[lbound100]

You are all wrong, Lucy DID sing all her songs in this movie, they couldn't get any one to dub her voice and if you watch MGS 2/11 you will hear the truth abut her singing and the faulse alligations of her being dubbed! Get you facts straight before you make statements liek that.

[SpazChat]

Why didn't anyone ask Diana Ross to do this role? She would have made a fantastic MAME. She was uber glamourous, visual, and her singing was fantastic and versatile

[NFitalianGuy]

This is Lucille Ball's voice singing. You can tell and she admitted that she couldn't sing in an interview. But this is definitely her voice

[mikesterSTLMO]

Singing was clearly not among the legendary Lucy's talents.

[NFitalianGuy]

Lucy did do the singing esp this song u can hear it plain as day that it is her voice...

[paulbranc]

Lucy had her voice sweetened in some of the early numbers, at this point in the plot Mame is older and utterly depressed, so her voice naturally would be a little off...She did fine..

[ToughXArmy69]

Lucille Ball at her age was about the only bankable box office star whom WB could bank on to star in the movie version of the hit play "Mame".

I thought Lucy great in the role, and wore clothes like the great glamour gal she was in real life.

[Larry2463]

I read once that Jerry Herman wrote the music for Mame with Judy Garland in mind for the part of Mame. In fact, I read that he wrote ALL of his music with Judy as his muse. There are 2 stories I've heard. One, that she was either too sick to do it, when the offer came, or two, that the producers thought she was too strong a personality for the part and didn't want to turn the production into a "Judy Garland Show". IMHO, this was a big mistake on the part of the Producers, if the above is true.

[blackpython]

I could believe this musical was made with Judy Garland in mind, especially this song. It would've been a thrill to hear her sing songs from this show! Though I do think Angela Lansbury is AMAZING in this role (Lucy is... eh. Certainly a better actor than singer, but she didn't emote much while singing)

[mca1218]

I read similar quotes from various Judy biographies: that she was briefly considered for revivals of both "Mame" and "Hello Dolly" (both Herman shows), and there was even a rumor that Warner Bros. wanted her for the film version of "Gypsy" before going with Roz Russell. The thought of Judy singing this song in her best voice and health is irresistible.

[marekerhardt]

She sounds great. Non- professional singers in musicals are more engaging, original and likeable. I love her in this.

[unclealand]

CROAK! What was Lucille Ball thinking? She sounds even worse than Hepburn in "Coco." I know Elaine Stritch can't carry a tune in a bucket, either, but Stritch sure can put a song over.

[carolineorchange21]

Stritch is a hell of an actress - great training combined with a fantastic natural talent.

Lucy is amusing and quite a looker in Mame - I actually always liked it until i learned it was 'bad'. I can like Mame it for its good qualities while at the same time acknowledging that it's a poor adaptation of the stage play.

[unclealand]

She was photographed through linoleum in "Mame" so I don't know how anyone actually "saw" her in the movie. If you really thought that was good, I strongly suggest you see more musicals. You're missing a lot.

[carolineorchange21]

I didn't saw the movie was 'good', I said it had good qualities and it does. Bea Arthur and Jane Connell are fabulous in their supporting role and it's well shot.

AND - I've seen more musicals at 23 than most people see in their lives :)

Now all we need is for Rob Marshall to make 'Follies' - and make it properly.

[andrewtarekrussell]

@carolineorchange21 ... NO Rob Marshall for Follies!!!

[Leo7787]

Lucy, after listening to Leslie Uggums, don't quit your day job.

[ifusuckilltellu]

I can't believe people put her voice down after this move came out even Bea Arthur was upset and had her regrets about doing the flim but there are plenty of people and theater people at that who sound worse then this her voice was her own and that's the best thing God can give you a total all around talent would Lucy be Lucy if all she could do was sing? I doubt it!

[ifusuckilltellu]

Or for that matter would Lucy get laughter which she was known for if she sounded any different then this?

[abon2244]

yeah u can tell its lucille ball and lucy even sed it was her singing but she still sed she sucked. if they used someone else just saying wouldnt they used a better voice. but i still agree its lucy because it sounds EXACTLY like lucy and if lucy sed she sang it im gonna believe her

[RlrbladeMan07]

WB asked Lucille Ball to star in Mame due to the fact she was likely the only star of her era that could guarantee a box office for this musical especially overseas where Musicals due not do that well. Much carping was done by some that Lucy was too old, that she couldnt sing, etc...but I liked the movie and thought Lucy was fine. If there had been an error it was that Lucy was a powerfhouse and overwhelmed Director Gene Saks...Billy Wilder would have been a better choice.

RIP Billy, Lucy

[unclealand]

She should have made an album with Kate Hepburn.

[andrewtarekrussell]

LOL!!!!

[carlysimonfan89]

no lucy did a great job in this film merman and channing should of been the ones making the album with hepburn

[alexyomero76]

singing is a mixture of voice, emotion, tune and talent. mrs. ball had everything except voice because of the damn cigarrette, but who cared, she was a talented artist and artists sing even if they don't have great vocal chords!

[snaggad]

if this isn´t singing, what is?

[amanda0205078]

Well, actually, Lucille did not sing. As a matter of fact, she couldn`t get a note right!Her voice was very bad because of the ciggarets, and she waas never much of a singer anyways.

Thank you very much for sharing though.

Love,

Amanda

[rebaismyhero]

I know that.....i read about it in a few books i read about her......it just seems like she is singing it. She was a master of lip-synching! lol

[amanda0205078]

Hahahahaha!

Just remeber to change it on the description so ppl don`t get messed up!!

Love,

Amanda

[dancesong4]

Umm, actually, Lucy sang every note on this recording. Of course, that doesn't mean that it was good. :-) Also, they used a few studio tricks (piecing together several takes, etc.) to bring her as close to pitch as possible. From what I've read, she was supposed to be dubbed by Lisa Kirk, but Lucy was a producer of the film and refused to have her voice dubbed because she didn't think any other singer could match her speaking voice. So, there it is. :-)

[amanda0205078]

You are right. But once I read somewhere that some parts we not her; kind of what they did to Zac Efron in High School Musical one.

The producers were actually Robert Fryer and James Cresson ;-).

Love,

Amanda

[vintagemike]

this is lucys voice i have the record and it says sang by lucille ball

she was dubbed in several other films but not this one

she also sang breezin along with the breeze in the long long trailer

[elliott021]

This IS Lucille Ball singing this song start to finish. No dubbing or lip synching whatsoever. You can tell. Do you really think they would pick a voice like that to dub her with??

[jannekedejongmusic]

@amanda0205078 Hi Amanda, actually Lucille did sing as you can see in the interview 'Lucille Ball on MAME: I can't sing'. Nobody could find a voice that was similar enough to hers so she did do it herself. At least that is what my music lecturer at uni told me and the interview says it all :)

[freak0n8ure]

@amanda0205078 As a matter of fact, she DID sing those songs! Her voice was not bad because of cigarettes(spelling is CORRECT this time!)...She never proclaimed to be a singer. SO, get your facts straight!

[SpazChat]

@amanda0205078 I hate to burst your bubble, but that is Lucille Ball's dreadful singing voice. You can tell by the sound, phrasing, etc..

[vintagemike]

she was wonderful

[InXanadu2]

Her voice may not have been great, but if I recall this part from the movie, she "acted" it perfectly--kinda sad and regretful, so the voice cracking kinda helped her sound ferklempt.

[ilovelucyfanwhoishot]

lucille ball is such a good actress and she can sing