And...
Yesterday, while trying to plum the depths of the so-called "Great American Songbook", I had the good fortune of being transported to that magical place not once, but TWICE.
While plugging various song titles into my spotify account, I stumbled upon a lovely little ditty entitled "Side by Side" recorded by pop/jazz singer Kay Starr in 1953. The recording features Starr essentially performing a duet with herself -- and in her voice, there is something so elegantly sensuous, yet also carefree and whimsical. It is this exact happy-go-lucky sultriness that sends one straight into that state of music euphoria. For me, while listening to "Side by Side", euphoria feels something like visiting a snazzy donut shop just off the highway in Texas in the 1960s. It feels like my name is Dinah and I'm flirting with congenial truck drivers while sipping black coffee and wearing one of those fabulous check-printed dresses.
I guess I'd like to define music euphoria as a song's ability to make me happy whilst also setting my imagination afire with compelling images -- the ability to transport me to a different time or location.
Check out the song below. Turn it up, close your eyes (and ignore the youtube picture montage). Does it make you blissful? Does it make you think of anything in particular? Does it transport you some place else?
What about "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1966?
I don't know about you, but for some reason, this song makes me think about tripping the light fantastic with my future spouse during our first dance at our wedding. WHAT?! I never think about marriage! I don't even have a boyfriend! Perhaps the sense of music euphoria here comes from watching one too many Nora Ephron rom-coms with Harry Connick, Jr. songs in them! Perhaps. For whatever reason, this song makes me feel absolutely ecstatic and in love.
So, my ears were pretty stoked about the momentous occasion that was discovering both of these songs within the span of one afternoon. Because I liked both tunes so much, I decided to look-up who wrote them. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that both were written by the same lyricist...
Some guy named Gus Kahn...
... who is supposedly a legend of Tin Pan Alley.
Now, I don't know the first thing about Tin Pan Alley, but I do know the unmistakable feeling I get when a piece of music inspires me. And yesterday, I discovered a new favorite song lyricist from the era of the showtune... and (just possibly) the song for the first dance at my wedding. No small feat!
The funny thing is that during college, my roommate and I had Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" (the record that "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" is featured on) hanging on our living room wall for two years. And we never listened to it because neither of us could play vinyl.
The moral of this incredibly random story is that old music is a treasure trove of euphoric tunes, but we're all too caught-up in the present to take a listen. Maybe now is a good time to actually meet that goal of getting a record player and collecting vinyl.
Ciao.
Your somewhat pretentious friend,
Lauren
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