Skylark - Maxine Sullivan

Recorded in New York, 1947.

Written by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jazz
• Dinah
• Shore
• Helen
• Forrest
• Ella
• Fitzgerald
• Swing
• Billie
• Holiday

[morhywaden]

So no one sings Skylark like Renee Olstead? Thank god, say I.

It seems nowadays that slight tilts of the head , clipped phrasing & shouting into a microphone passes for interpretation.Of all the many worthy performances of this song Dinah Shore, Helen Forrest etc. I think this version by Maxine Sullivan must rank as one of the best. For my money it is the best & a delightful discovery.

[direfranchement]

@morhywaden

Amen! Maxine Sullivan holds a special place on my sacred shelf of jazz singers. She was a tiny lady with a huge sense of swing.

[erjoh1]

Skylark has been sung by many. Dinah Shore, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Helen Forrest, Maxine Sullivan, Bette Midler and probably many more. But nobody sings it like Renee Olstead.

[direfranchement]

@erjoh1

There is nothing musically remarkable about Olstead (who the hell is she anyway?), and, judging from the performances of the song available on YouTube, rating her ahead of or even amongst any of the vocalists you've cited is like some flake of dark comedy--but it's not funny.

[zuluti]

Direfranchement don't ever stopposting these singers-most are past my generation but the more i listen i am convinced they were the best EVER.

[marykmusic]

Clear, unaffected, lovely voice without extra unneeded adornment. Thanks!

[hziegler]

Every singer other than Renee Olstead sings Skylark with their own distinct styles. The people saying Renee Olstead's version is the best they've heard are either tone deaf or related to Renee Olstead.Granted we each have our own tastes, but Renee Olstead isn't even in the same league as the others. I'll take Ella Fitzgerald's version anyday

[orson15]

@marykmusic Exactly. I heard her in '85, and felt the same.

[wolfattack97]

This version is so beautiful.

I listened, and Olstead's version was god awful?

[Jems17]

So I only just discoverd Maxine Sullivan... Oh my God! Where has she been all my life?!

[Barbaraplease]

@erjoh1 or linda ronstadt.

[bluegardenia29]

beautiful! love that 40's sound.

[paulostroff99]

@morhywaden -I could not agree any stronger.This IMHO is the best version ever recorded.

[paulostroff99]

@morhywaden -This Maxine Sullivan is definitily the best version of this lovely song.

[Jamesmac30]

Thanks - this is a new discovery as i have never heard of Maxine sullivan

[Sprongo]

Is this the acknowledged, difinitive version of this song.