Prelude To Valentine's Day - The Sweetheart Tree

 

Johnny Mathis - The Sweetheart Tree - You Tube Video from NancyFloresSantos

SONGS I LOVE:

For all lovers out there.

One of the most beautiful rendition and sung by the man with a voice so unique you would want to play it forever.  It's the 23rd original studio album released by singer Johnny Mathis and his seventh for Mercury Records.

The song was featured in the movie, The Great Race starring Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood (below).  Whether it was sung by Natalie Wood herself is uncertain.  I must thank Larry Lai for remembering this song.

The Sweetheart Tree (1965)
They say there's a tree in the forest,
A tree that will give you a sign;


Natalie Wood

Come along with me to the Sweetheart Tree,
Come and carve your name next to mine.
They say if you kiss the right sweetheart,
The one you've been waiting for,
Big blossoms of white will burst into sight
And your love will be true evermore

(They say if you kiss the right sweetheart,)
(The one you've been waiting for,)
Big blossoms of white will burst into sight
And your love will be true evermore

Arranger: John Brimhall,
Composer: Henry Mancini,
Lyricist: Johnny Mercer,
Movie: The Great Race.
Publisher: Alfred Publishing Company.

Image: Google.
Video 2 by: cashare fromYou Tube.

You Don't Know Harmony Till You Listen To Them

SONGS I LOVE:

If you ever go down Trinidad
They make you feel so very glad
Calypso sing and make up rhyme
Guarantee you one real good fine time

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
(Ah, it's a fact man, it's a fact...)

                        You Tube Video by RumandCocaCola44. Rare DOT recording.

They influenced my pop song choices in the past. I remember listening to them in the mid-50s.  As a teen, I was fascinated by their harmony and vocalisation and could not imagine how 3 voices could merge so smoothly as one. They were one of the first female groups that I used to listen to from our PYE radio at home.  Rum and Coca Cola, one of their top hits, was the most rollicking song those years and Rum and Coke has always been my favourite mix.

So who's who? Honestly I just know their songs.

The Andrews Sisters (real sisters) were contralto LaVerne Sophia, soprano Maxine Angelyn "Maxene" and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" who had just passed away on January 30, 2013.  The other two sisters passed on some time ago. Since 1938 the group had sold over 75 million records with their 400 songs.  One of them and a personal favourite is Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (1941) which is supposed to be the first sampings of rhythm and blues music.

78 records cost a bomb now unless Sungei Road have some left.

During their career the sisters had been accompanied by top major big bands and personalities that included: Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Jimmy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, Bob Crosby (Bing Crosby's brother), Desi Arnaz, Guy Lombardo, Les Brown, Xavier Cugat Nelson Riddle and a host of others.

You should check out their song titles if you are interested. Got their 78s? Probably cost a bomb now. You can't even find them in Sungei Road. The titles that I know from memory are: Beer Barrel Polka, Too Young, Chattanooga Choo Choo, I Wanna Be Loved, Route 66, I Don't Know Why (I Just Do), Christmas Island, Don't Fence Me In and so on.

You are right. Some of their songs have been recorded by other artistes like Nat Cole, Bing Crosby and even Russ Hamilton. 

And watch the Dino video; no fireworks, half-naked screaming girls nor ear-blasting gimmicks. Just talented people with beautiful voices providing pure entertainment.

Some information from Wikipedia.
Images from Google.
Rum and Coca Cola lyrics: Morey Amsterdam / Music: Jeri Sullivan, Paul Baron.