Second-hand Second Hand Rose

[Mike Salovesh]

(Note:  I'm responding to Barry's "Nun bellies and angel tits".  I love
that as a subject line, but it's not MY subject.)

Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:

>Mike doesn't remember Barbra Streisand's "Second Hand Rose"?  The radio station >I used to listen to ("The home of Broadway standards" that was kicked off the >air by Radio Disney) played it at least once a week.  Nu?

Heaven nose -- excuse me, knows -- I wouldn't sell Barbra Steisand
short.
Anybody with musical taste knew Barbra was incomparable listening to her
early recording of "Happy days are here again".  That song had always
been an up-tempo barnraiser before her brilliant transformation.

Only one prior accomplishment in the world of pop music comes close to
Barbra Streisand's stroke of genius with "Happy days".  That's what
happened to a jazz break written by Hoagy Carmichael.  Slowed to about
one-third the tempo Carmichael originally intended, with internal
timings readjusted, the jazz break written for Beiderbecke-type cornet
became the old standard "Stardust".

Despite Streisand's brilliance, Second Hand Rose always belonged to
Fanny Brice. Once you hear her original, Barbra's performance is
derivative and, well, second-hand.

Of course, I come by my knowledge of the 1920s second-hand myself.  I'm
a 1930s Depression baby.  The first thing that comes to my mind when I
hear Fanny Brice's name is the voice of the little girl on the Great
Guildersleeve radio show.

-- mike salovesh                    <salovesh at niu.edu>
PEACE !!!