Helen Forrest - Skylark (Harry James Orch.)

Helen Forrest - Skylark (Harry James Orch.)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Helen
• Forrest
• Skylark
• (Harry
• James
• Orch.)

[35GEmonitorT]

I'd like to share a moment with you about this song, I collect old radios and love the big band era, I have this recording, and was listening to it one night on a feed though one of my old sets, this song came on and I closed my eyes, I was at the stage, looking up at Helen sing this song... I noticed every detail, I was in the era for a moment... I love this song, it's so exquisite, I wish I had the chance to meet Helen before she died, I'd have cried I'm sure, her voice is heaven.

Thanks. 

[525wireman]

@35GEmonitorT

Your about 10 years older than me but I really like to hear these songs from the 30' & 40's the EXACT same way.

It's rare these days to find an AM radio station in the area that plays these great old standards. With the aid of a small AM transmitter ( either home brew or bought), the source of this type of music for broadcasting to these old radios is endless, thanks to the internet and computers!

Now that Danny Stiles has died, there isn't a fitting station to tune into off-air.

[AJNorth]

Amongst many fine recordings of this great song, one stands alone. With a superb arrangement featuring James' muted trumpet at the intro, subtle shifts in tempo and ear-catching retards, and complimented by the glorious voice of Helen Forrest, this is pure musical magic. Forrest said in an interview late in life that that the big band era was the greatest period of popular music; that was an understatement.

[artemis2854]

Madonna's only "talent" is marketing herself through many reinventions. Helen Forrst is REAL talent.

[everybodylovesmybaby]

"Skylark's" melody began life as a Bix Beiderbecke inspired composition for a proposed motion picture on Beiderbecke's life. It's basically a jazz "lick".

[macmanhattan]

variations on a theme. composers have done it down through the centuries and since the inception of popular music singers too only, they call it interpretation. nothing wrong with that; invariably makes a piece more interesting.

but you can't fool with skylark; it's so perfectly natural, it's exquisite. step outside the simplicity of it and you chance falling flat on your face.

[NoIvory1]

The arrangement is fantastic, and Ms. Forrest's voice is lovely. I can't stop listening to this song. Pure poetry. I love when she says "I don't know if you can find these things". Haunting.

[scotnick59]

Helen simply had the dreamiest, classiest voice of the Big Band era

[KataclysmKat]

You don't know how long I've been looking for this. Thank you so much for uploading - it's my favorite version.

[tommyjayII]

Wonderful version of Skylark. Check out this fabulous young lady from the Milwaukee area who sings the 40's and 50's. The sound system is not great.

Rae Cassidy with The Chris Hanson band

[wpl955g]

Just brilliant, this version. I was flipping through Peter J Levinson's 'Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James' yesterday and apparently Helen Forrest "was firmly against recording the song and had a problem with the bridge". Now I think the bridge is arguably the best bit, apart from her little ascending semitones trick on the last three notes (wh always raises the hairs on the back of my neck), but I sure am glad someone convinced her to record it.

[MsAble99]

Helen Forrest was the greatest! So many beautiful songs!!! So many great memories of Helen Forrest, and all those great dance bands. How do we get America back on the dance floors with all those great bands again??? And all those great singers???? Thank goodness there's the CD's we can buy.

[MsAble99]

What can I say?? They just don't write songs like that anymore!!!!!!!!! And: Where are any of the great musicians these days..??? Maybeeee Someday????

[brianr10]

If you want to get this kind of music 24/7, get an internet radio receiver. Grace Digital makes several, and you can set it up to get several Big Band, 1940s type channels. I like Radio Swing Worldwide, the 19200s network, AOL Big Band and Swing.