There's an old time Country/Hillbilly song to cover every emotional need! I am amazed that most of my contemporary co-performers here in Southside Virginia were not familiar with "I'll sail my ship alone!"
Thank you for another terrific spotlight piece on the wonderful team of Rodgers & Hart. This brought back deeply cherished memories for me. R&H songs like this wistful tune, "Isn't It Romantic," "The Blue Room," etc. were the first songs my son learned how to play on the piano.
Glad you lifted up Hart and this lovely song, both doubtless worthy of better appreciation.
The lyrics voice the plaint of the lonesome. What a reflection! Surely in the developed nations and the deranged societies of our day we are ever more vulnerable to lonesomeness, and too readily distracted even to lament. We need to hold on to what the boy Hart carried in his travel bag; maybe a few will then turn our shared pain into song.
The post and the song are sparkling, plain, and deep, and surely resonated in this soul. Thanks, Debra.
Thank you, Thelma. I have always been touched by the story of Larry Hart, and there's much sadness in it. Yet that sadness let him express very deep emotions that are common to all humanity.
I don’t recall having heard it before. When I first saw the title what came to my (low-brow) mind was a song I heard at parties when I was in college, 1958-62.:
“Oh, a man without a woman is like a ship without a sail, like a boat without a rudder, like a hammer without a nail.
Oh, a man without a woman is like a wreck upon the sand.
There’s only one thing worse in the universe—and that’s a woman without a man!”
Wonderful story about Hart's three-month camp library! I LOVE A Ship Without a Sail. I grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald's version with its lush orchestration, conducted and arranged by Buddy Bregman. The Rogers and Hart Songbook is one of my favourites; I think I like it better than Rogers and Hammerstein's(!) though both are remarkable. They're not making them like these astonishingly gifted musical masters anymore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRB0IZ6zQ_w
I did that one! I agree with you that the R&H collection wins over the R&H, good as both were. It's a better collection for singers outside of a Broadway show setting.
I was a little surprised that the song hasn't been recorded more than it has. But even even at that, there are some great recordings made by some very fine singers. It's a classic for sure.
Sorry I misspelled Mullican. Among others who recorded "I'll sail my ship alone!" Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Slim Whitman, Ray Price, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Leon Russell, Tom Jones and somebody called Karaoke..
Dawn Upshaw hits it out of the park. I just bought her album on alibris.com. Thanks.
There's an old time Country/Hillbilly song to cover every emotional need! I am amazed that most of my contemporary co-performers here in Southside Virginia were not familiar with "I'll sail my ship alone!"
Thank you for another terrific spotlight piece on the wonderful team of Rodgers & Hart. This brought back deeply cherished memories for me. R&H songs like this wistful tune, "Isn't It Romantic," "The Blue Room," etc. were the first songs my son learned how to play on the piano.
Oh there are so many endearing songs from that partnership! I love them all.
Glad you lifted up Hart and this lovely song, both doubtless worthy of better appreciation.
The lyrics voice the plaint of the lonesome. What a reflection! Surely in the developed nations and the deranged societies of our day we are ever more vulnerable to lonesomeness, and too readily distracted even to lament. We need to hold on to what the boy Hart carried in his travel bag; maybe a few will then turn our shared pain into song.
The post and the song are sparkling, plain, and deep, and surely resonated in this soul. Thanks, Debra.
Thank you, Thelma. I have always been touched by the story of Larry Hart, and there's much sadness in it. Yet that sadness let him express very deep emotions that are common to all humanity.
What a lovely song!
I don’t recall having heard it before. When I first saw the title what came to my (low-brow) mind was a song I heard at parties when I was in college, 1958-62.:
“Oh, a man without a woman is like a ship without a sail, like a boat without a rudder, like a hammer without a nail.
Oh, a man without a woman is like a wreck upon the sand.
There’s only one thing worse in the universe—and that’s a woman without a man!”
Oh boy, well that lyric is about as subtle as a sledge hammer! Haha. I think I will stay with Lorenz Hart's song. How about you?
Wonderful story about Hart's three-month camp library! I LOVE A Ship Without a Sail. I grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald's version with its lush orchestration, conducted and arranged by Buddy Bregman. The Rogers and Hart Songbook is one of my favourites; I think I like it better than Rogers and Hammerstein's(!) though both are remarkable. They're not making them like these astonishingly gifted musical masters anymore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRB0IZ6zQ_w
Jane, I considered that version with Ella. But I remembered Dawn Upshaw hitting the final high note and changed my mind. I should have included both!
Dawn Upshaw is amazing. I love her singing Henryk Górecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Songs (No. 3).
Tony got me her Rodgers and Hart collection a long time ago, and I loved it. Now you give me something else to look for.
Another sad but exquisite piece: Spring is Here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdfm2yXgxXs
I did that one! I agree with you that the R&H collection wins over the R&H, good as both were. It's a better collection for singers outside of a Broadway show setting.
Thank you, Debra, for this beautiful and poignant song sung by such a marvelous soprano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlrK8nuvodI
Moon Mullin's original, many others did versions.
I was a little surprised that the song hasn't been recorded more than it has. But even even at that, there are some great recordings made by some very fine singers. It's a classic for sure.
Sorry I misspelled Mullican. Among others who recorded "I'll sail my ship alone!" Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Slim Whitman, Ray Price, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Leon Russell, Tom Jones and somebody called Karaoke..
Well, Hank Williams knew from lonely, didn't he? And so did a lot of the best C&W and blues singers.