Begin the Beguine [from DE-LOVELY]

[JohnUSA7]

Horrible, poor, lousy and terrible. I hope I am clear on what I think of this piece of shit.

Off key big time. she must have had wax in ears that is why could not hear how off she was.

[jen2174]

Theres not just one way to sing a song. a real musician takes a song and makes it their own

[misstsanz61]

too bad this version dosen't work!!! that is politics for you in the music Bizz!!

Even with Ella will suck!! No offense Ella you are still the best! Common People!

[alwaysinblue]

WOW!!! She sucks! Off key and just painful to listen to. YUCK!! Leaving to find another singer who can actually sing this beautiful song...like Jo Stafford.

[beowoofthemoviestar]

strange chords

[markshawfiddle]

Love it. Dark, mysterious & moody. It takes the classic to new heights.

[LarryStaples]

Cole Porter would have simply loved this minor key treatment of this classic song.

This shows ME the flexibility of interpretation of great works.

GREAT JOB!

Larry

[MrChicago1947]

The worst rendition of a beautiful song I've ever heard. I'm amazed they let this into the movie.

[caseyspaos]

@MrChicago1947 I like it this interpretation. Lots of people like it. It's more beautiful. Makes me wonder if Cole Porter knew how to write a song in a minor key, and if he understood different rhythms.

[LazlosPlane]

God awful, pretentious, self-centered interpretation and performance. Good grief.

I think Porter had a clue when he wrote it in the MAJOR key. Here, we lose all the poignant harmonies that result.

Whoever wrote this arrangement should be shot at dawn, no blindfold.

[LazlosPlane]

@AkihiroHattori52455 Begin the Beguine is a fine choice.....it's the performer/arranger that sucks a giant one.

Didn't I make that clear?

[AkihiroHattori52455]

@LazlosPlane Er...sorry, I think I replied to the wrong comment.

[TheNuharoo]

For all his great music, Cole was a selfish person and a failure of a husband. His wife loses his kid and he keeps not just sleeping around, but humiliating his wife with his open affairs, with MEN no less.

[MrChicago1947]

@TheNuharoo He was a failure as a husband because he was a homosexual living in an age where open homosexuality was not accepted. The marriage was more "keeping up appearances".

[ELIDOTROMPETE]

HELLO

I always liked this song, and NOW I LIKE MUCH, ESPECIALLY FOR ARRANGEMENT OF CUSA AND DARKNESS.

WAS BEAUTIFUL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO INTERPRET AND ARRANGER.

[snakerbill]

Who are these deaf people that do not like this wonderful version of this great song?. Sheryl Crow set a new standard for this CP song.

[kopalpe]

Minor harmony ... Why???

[kenny5277]

@kopalpe I just noticed that myself. I like this arrangement but really, why do that?

[magaly282828]

I don´t like, she has ruined the song, distorts the melody, her voice sounds dull and flat,

[3theotis]

forget all those versions sung by giants...

this is another gigantesque version in the film and its timing make it even better.

see the film ...

[fansinatra]

I agree with Khantikone123. For me, Artie Shaw's version is tops. "It brings back the sound" ... But thanks for this upload. It needs getting used to but it is a very memorable interpretation of a classic. Though I am not crazy about it, it does recognise that there is a wide range that the genre embraces.

[teen4373]

Make your order now # lushfmlk.info #

[jen2174]

why do some of you say its sacrilege? i think she did an amazing job, very emotional and spot on..

[cocoagirl61660]

The opening lines used in front of this song in this video are some of my favorite from this movie.... and very important. Great talent often implies great heart... but sometimes even with some love.... basic elements are missing...... Porter's friend did well to remind him that even the care giver needs their own source of care.... Beautiful song.

[DBMalone]

@cocoagirl61660 I couldn't agree more. This is a very underated bio pic. Brilliantly written, acted, and directed. The music was incredible too, and this song especially. I personally believe that Crowe sings it exactly the way it was meant to be sung. Just listen to the lyrics and it will all make sense.

[bbcisrubbish]

Shouldn't she try singing this piece in tune? I agree with MGMBill1, awful.

[MGMBill1]

Worst version of this song ever. Crow sounds likes shes not hitting the notes correctly and the tempo is all wrong.

[magaly282828]

@MGMBill1  Exactly, she ruined the song.

[Khantikone123]

Beautiful. I also love the Artie Shaw's Big Band version

[eop279]

WOW!!! Sheryl Crow did a fantastic job singing one of my favorite songs! Very classy with a smooth jazzy edge. Captivating! I love it! =)

[tassielynn]

I heard this recording on Siriusly Sinatra on Sirius Radio and had to look it up to see what other people felt about it. In my opinion, Sheryl Crow ruined a classic. I appreciate when singers interpret songs and make them their own, but to change the melody so completely. Why???

[cristetoile11]

J´adoooore cette chanson cette version en mineur est fantastique. Rien à dire. On sent les tropiques à 2000 miles à la ronde.

[cocoagirl61660]

This is an amazing version... Sung by someone not of that era.... But with interpretation that proves that some music is truly timeless.

[deltadawnize]

this is so beautiful, I get goosebumps

[russellrvr]

I heard this song by Cheryl Crow and made a CD because I liked it. Then a few days later I played the same song by Deanna Durbin. I took my Cheryl Crow CD outside and stomped on it.

[saopaulokid2010]

this is pure magic: the film, the stars, the story, the acting, the drama. Sheryl is the best, then alanis, then Vivian green, Love for sale, smashing..sheryl's slow version is a lot better (after some serious comparing) it gives the song the drama it deserves.

[donna10donna]

One of my favorite songs , from one of my favorite movies! This was one of the last movies I watched with my father. I always felt this film prepared him for his own death. I am so grateful for this post. TY.

[sweetglory]

who wants to dance with me?

[cocoagirl61660]

This is a very encouraging example of how the next generation is embracing the musical past. History is merely where all generations have been before, and where the new generations are headed.... because, as we all know.. History continually repeats itself. This girl did a lovely job of interpreting the songwriters intent.

[cocoagirl61660]

I am encouraged to hear the younger generation express an interest in this type of music. When music like this was created, it was created by persons who had to have REAL talent.... So unlike much of what is written today. She did a lovely job, considering what knowledge of music persons of this generation are usually subjected to.

[desertra1]

I think of it as more of a torch song than a ballad. One of my huge favorites on YouTube. Gorgeous. 

[jasminderpinder]

This is such a beautiful version of this song; so passionate and heartbreaking - and no one better than Sheryl Crowe to do such a classy and sophisticated job of it. The words of the song are really quite sad and I could never understand why they were set to such an upbeat tempo. Doing it in a minor key transforms it to a whole new song, but I think one that is equally as beautiful as the original.

[MascaraMusica]

Brilliant and amazing presentation of this timeless and beautiful Cole Porter Song. Sheryl Crow's singing is really marvellous.

[sammipink]

love this song

[kristabel71]

I guess I'm in the minority, but I find her voice to limited and whiny for the higher notes in this song, from 2:46 on I just cringe.

[williamhaviland]

Stunning.

[tabacoycerillas]

Fabulous Cole Porter. Nada que ver con la pelicula de la Warner Bros. con Cary Grant.

[glennis3]

Fabulous.

[MalRenyolds]

Any idea why its played as a Bossa Nova tune when it was written well before Bossa Nova existed?

[drxl44]

The yT excerpt here is from the 2004 movie: the movie Director, Irwin Winkler, incorporated Cole Porter's songs sung by a variety of popular singers of '04: Robbie Williams, Alanis Morissette, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello. Natalie Cole, Mick Hucknall

[krivalex]

Old enough to hear great amount of versions of this song , but none of them touched me in the way it did. Tried to find out why and ... couldn't .

Searched for Sheril Crow other things , nothing could be compared, if she'd go on like this she'd have made a singer to go after.!

[broadwaybabi91]

@krivalex I agree.  I believe it's the setting. The minor key makes it so desperate. We're all used to the major, big band version and this is so intimate and heart-wrenching.

[TheCelloChickadee]

I LOVE this movie and this version of the song!!!! <3

[HuckleberryGal]

I love this rendition so much that I actually bought the dvd so I could play just this one song repeatedly. Thanks for putting it on yT.

[tracitrae]

this is by far my favorite interpretation of this song!

[DKF1963]

This is a wonderful interpretation.

[leega8010]

Yikes! The arrangment is terrible...... get Harry Connick Jr to do it for her becuz it aint doing it for me. It is discordant and the melody is fractured.. Cole Porter will roll over in his grave. Singers who do this song has to interpret it straight with emotion, phrasing, pitch, range and power. It really did nothing for Sheryl

[matildecsferreira]

It was suppose to sound sad and melancholic, but not too suffered (the lady was a brave one), I think it was very well done, in the movie's context.

[LazlosPlane]

Another horrible musical interpretation of Cole Porter from what may be the worst film ever made. 

Why the switch to minor key? Ruins the poignant chords that PORTER HIMSELF put there. I think he knew what he was doing, but NO, miss Crow knows better, as do the producers. Good God, how freakin' awful.

[theaterwolf37]

searched for better version - no one comes near - thank you

[MunchkinGoddess86]

ALSO: I wish Sheryl Crow sounded like this ALL the time!!! She is a wonderful artist but this made her sound SO different then her other albums...Oh and Alanis ...didnt even recognize her! I wish she would do more like this as well!

[MunchkinGoddess86]

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this version of the song! the faster pace is fine too...but this one just has so much emotion! One of my fav. movies is De-Lovely Cole Porter is a god when it comes to GREAT music!

[wakishka10]

@MunchkinGoddess86

Changed a gorgeous melody unnecessarily...and left out the crucial powerful climax "oh yes let them begin the beguine make them play! Till the love that was there before returns above you....till you whisper to me once more, darling I love you...."

[deeva56]

@MunchkinGoddess86 ,

I feel the same I have seen it like a million times wore out CD had to buy it again lol

[KevinKlinelover]

@MunchkinGoddess86 Really? Me Too? It made me think of my inspirations but once I did a Fun Quest in this movie, It made me think of sad thoughts. But Don't worry. I am only in character.

[CloverDealman]

@MunchkinGoddess86 yeah I'm trying to figure out how to write songs like this - the structure, chord progressions and melody are all phenomenal - something to aspire to as a songwriter!

[nogrits4me]

This is simply horrible. Does not sound like Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine." How this insult to a great song was allowed by the Porter estate is a mystery. Booooooooooooo.

[magaly282828]

@nogrits4me horrible, Julio Iglesias does better than her

[sadetune]

Just wonderful.

[juanpazongochulo]

Bellisimo!

[desertra1]

Divine.

[prissiecuevas]

This is the way Cole Porter meant for this song to be interpreted. A frustrated passion, longing to return...wishing one had the courage to go back and fight for their true love (no matter what that true love is).

[P51ride]

If any of the posters here get a chance to listen to the Soundtrack album from "The Rocketeer" Melora Hardin performs the song and the band plays it like Artie Shaw's band did it. Big Band swing music has been one of my favorite music styles since I was 5 years old. Best Regards

[SirCharlesPerkins]

I'll second that. Hardin's "cover" on Rocketeer is 'da Bomb ! I have 102 versions of BTB and hers... with that Disney studio orchestra... is the best.

[thegrammarfairy]

I've just gone and dug it up on your recommendation---at this writing, it's not on YouTube. The Melora Hardin version is as swingy as you say. It's nice not to have to give up the lyrics to get the swing. But then the lyrics bring their latent melancholy with them, and make me wish for this (Sheryl Crow) version. Ah, I should have such dilemmas to wrestle with every day. : )

[Dave78m]

This version (which I would say was written using mainly diminished chords, not just minor chords) proves the sturdiness of the songs of the great American songbook. The arrangement is brilliant, and Sheryl Crow does it great justice.

[magaly282828]

@Dave78m I do not like the way she sings the song, really ruined, distorts the music, your voice sounds dull and flat

[donna10donna]

love this song, love this movie!

[gdzg01]

To me this is the best version of this song  I have heard. And Sheryl's interpretation is so touching.

[hipoo12]

She's not singing off-key.

The song was arranged in a MINOR key for the movie, so it's completely different from the original.

[wekell]

Cheryl Crow made a beautiful passionate song soulnd like junk! She didn't even sing on key. yech!

[TonyC151098]

ignorance, wekell

[editingwhiz]

You have no clue about the song -- and maybe about music in general -- AND about how to spell Sheryl's name.

[Arachibutyrophobe87]

Yeah, clearly this person doesn't know the meaning of "off-key"....you'd basically have to be tone-deaf in order to sing off-key, which she's certainly not. By the way, is it just me or does this not sound like Sheryl Crow....I'm not really familiar with most of her music, but her voice here sounds very different from any of her singles that I've heard. Anyway, I think she does a fantastic job with this song.

[thegrammarfairy]

It's not just you; Sheryl Crow doesn't usually sound like this. The one other song where she does is her James Bond theme, "Tomorrow Never Dies," though her voice is a bit down in the mix. I love this too.

[nataleesm]

Sheryl, you should record a cole porter album

[Jgerman]

I like sheryl I think shes really talented and its nice to hear this side of her. I love all the standards on the film.

[OceanSwimmer]

theatre2film,

If you have a chance to hear the soundtrack, you might change your mind; it's the proper length, with the entire lyrics. Like many movies, the song gets cut short to fit the scene....happens all the time :)

[theatre2film]

I have the soundtrack and listen to it regularly. I still think it's one of the best tracks on there, with "So In Love" being my second favorite.

[KevinKlinelover]

@theatre2film Really? I listened to the Soundtrack as well, I've seen the film so many times and it makes me want to have it.

[MsFGrace11]

@OceanSwimmer this is awesome, all the singers/songs where awesome...I love Lemar, he was superb what is this thing called love?

[annanoli]

very sensual rendition of a quite normal song,particularly captivating because of the unusual minor key

[robinnetscher]

I still don't understand why they did not sing the original melody of this song?? Can someone explain that to me, please? Was the reason because Porter's wife was not with him at this performance (for the first time ever) so they distorted the melody to depict his sadness? Being a musician for many years now and have played this song a million times I just HATE this version. It's utter sacrilege!

[theatre2film]

I'm pretty sure they were trying to introduce Cole Porter to a younger audience and as a result changed the music to match the artist. Also, I agree that the mood of the scene had a lot to do with the arrangement. However, I disagree with this being sacrilege. I think Sheryl Crow does an outstanding job with this song and is one of my favorites from the soundtrack.

[desertra1]

I really don't like a lot of music,and I find this intoxicating.

[Deerfielder]

I agree.

[robinnetscher]

THANK YOU!!!

[amarguisz]

this is by far the most incredible and beautiful version of this song, sheryl crow sdid an amazing job, i agree with theatre2film this is not a sacrilege, this is music.

[theatre2film]

I thank you!

[movie58]

@theatre2film Thats is so true This is not a sacrilege. This is awesome music.

[deltadawnize]

@theatre2film I just love this so much. Sheryl Crow does this beautifully

[spiderorchid81]

That's the great thing about that kind of song: there are lots of different ways to interpret them. Many songs by Porter, Berlin, Gershwin etc. exist in different versions from sad to funny (example: Sarah Vaughan sung "Mean to me" fast and funny, Judy Garland interpreted it as a ballad).

[robinnetscher]

It's not about 'interpretation' I'm an arranger so I know about interpretation and even though the tempo has been changed (as you so rightly state) the actual melody has never been altered because, in effect, it has become another song entirely and is now the property of whomever re-wrote it. My knowledge of copyright law states that the first 4 bars of a song designates the copyright. This new version of Begin The Beguine is NOT a Cole Porter song anymore!!

[spiderorchid81]

I bow to your superior knowledge of copyright law - I don't know that much about music and arrangements.

I have to admit that I don't hear the drastic change in melody, but that's probably just me. Thanks for explaining things for me!

That said, I like Sheryl Crow's version of the song, but my favourite interpretation is still Artie Shaw's 1938 recording. I'm nostalgic. ^_^

[robinnetscher]

Artie Shaw? Now you're talking!!

[spiderorchid81]

I love that recording, it never fails to cheer me up. ^_^ (Although in general, I prefer Benny Goodman.)

But nostalgia asside I think it's nice that those old songs are still popular today, even if the arrangements are somewhat different. I like both.

[russellrvr]

@robinnetscher The words don't count?

[JustDeannasAmusement]

@robinnetscher i think you should be more excepting of the different versions of songs. so what? they did a remake. your a musician you should know to make songs your own. so even if it means changing the meaning, it's their interpretation. i AM a musician, too.

live and let live man...come on!

i like this song!

[AkihiroHattori52455]

@robinnetscher I hear the original version a lot because it's a popular foxtrot song (I'm a competitive ballroom dancer), but I like this melancholy version better. You do have a point though; they probably rearranged it (they didn't distort it) because of the scene it was playing through. It was a sad moment that needed a sad song, and "Begin the Beguine" is lyrically the closest to a sad Cole Porter song than the producers would ever get.

[AkihiroHattori52455]

@robinnetscher Also, I'm pretty sure if Cole was alive to see this, he wouldn't consider this "sacrilege", or any of his songs to be "sacred".

[gdzg01]

The best version of this song of them all.

[VICIOUSONLY]

very nice