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20/11/2011

Russell Davies celebrates the art, craft and inspiration of the popular song. The show features Frank Sinatra, Christiane Legrand, Bessie Smith and many more.

Russell opens with the 50th anniversary of a very famous, if curious, Frank Sinatra recording - Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust without the chorus - then devotes much of the show this week to an investigation of comeback songs.

He unearths a few mysteries as he does so, like the plethora of alternative lyrics by anonymous hands to Torna A Surriento (Come Back To Sorrento). We hear the most famous exhibits - Alan Jay Lerner's Come Back To Me (Dusty Springfield) Hammerstein & Romberg's Lover Come Back To Me (Annette Hanshaw), Irving Berlin's You Keep Coming Back Like A Song (Georgia Gibbs) and many more.

Russell pays tribute to Christiane Legrand, an early member of The Swingle Singers who died recently, and remembers Bessie Smith, whose last contracted record for Columbia was made on this day 80 years ago. We hear it: Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl.

The programme is full of contrasting highlights, including Anita O'Day with Gene Krupa, one of Nat King Cole's biggest hits and ditto one by Les Paul.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 20 Nov 2011 21:00

Music Played

  • Frank Sinatra

    Stardust

    Frank Sinatra 鈥 鈥淪inatra & Strings鈥

    • Reprise.
    • 9 27020-2.
  • Woody Herman and His Orchestra

    Come Back To Sorrento

    鈥淛o Stafford At The Supper Club Part ll鈥

    • Sounds Of Yester Year.
    • DSOY851.
  • Dusty Springfield

    Come Back To Me

    鈥淒usty Springfield 鈥 Where Am I Going鈥

    • Philips.
    • 536 962 2.
  • Annette Hanshaw

    Lover Come Back To Me

    鈥淎nnette Hanshaw 鈥 The Girl Next Door 1927-1932鈥

    • Take Two.
    • TT408CD.
  • Kenneth McKellar

    Will Ye No Come Back Again

    鈥淜enneth McKellar 鈥 The Decca Years 1955-1975鈥

    • Decca.
    • 466 415-2.
  • Helen Forrest

    My Guy's Come Back

    鈥淭he Golden Years Of Helen Forrest鈥 4 CD Set

    • Jasmine.
    • JASBOX 10-4.
  • The Ink Spots

    When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano

    鈥淭he Best Of The Ink Spots鈥

    • Music For Pleasure/EMI.
    • CD-MFP 6064.
  • Georgia Gibbs

    You Keep Coming Back Like A Song

    鈥淕eorgia Gibbs 鈥 Like A Song鈥 Deleted CD

    • Simitar Entertainment Inc..
    • 548318.
  • The Swingle Singers

    J S Bach: Badinere From Suite No 2 In B Minor

    鈥淭he Swingle Singers 鈥 Anyone For Mozart, Bach..鈥

    • Philips.
    • 826 948-2.
  • Bessie Smith

    Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl

    鈥淭he Essential Bessie Smith鈥 [2 CD Set]

    • Columbia/Legacy.
    • 487398 2.
  • Johnny Mercer

    My Sugar Is So Refined

    鈥淢osaic Select: Johnny Mercer鈥

    • Mosaic Select.
    • MS 028.
  • Anita O鈥橠ay With Gene Krupa鈥檚 Orchestra

    Chickery Chick

    鈥淕ene Krupa & His Orchestra: Drumming Man鈥

    • Vocalion.
    • CDUS 3005.
  • Nat King Cole

    Too Young

    鈥淭he Essential Collection: Nat King Cole鈥

    • Avid.
    • AVC 953.
  • Les Paul & Mary Ford

    How High The Moon

    Best Of Capitol Masters: 90th Birthday Edition

    • Capitol.
    • 09463-11411-2-6.

Broadcast

  • Sun 20 Nov 2011 21:00