Vertimus

With her record, this is inexcusable, especially on Christmas.

I feel the opposite way, that she’s abandoned it and is probably working on another album of her own material. That is, if it isn’t released today.

It's possible that she will drop it without fanfare. She's mentioned doing that and I didn't expect any pre-release press or nonsense. Whether we're acting like Charlie Brown, Lucy and the football again remains to be seen. It's Christmas; I have a little faith it will be released, but have never counted on this, due to the past.

I think all three of Dylan's 'standards' albums were brilliant. Linda Ronstadt's were with the Nelson Riddle orchestra (who had worked with Sinatra), and performed in their original classic mode, and were excellent. Carly Simon released four such albums with looser, more contemporary arrangements, with good, but spotty, results. Rickie Lee Jones did one too, which I personally didn't care for. Of course Rod Stewart also released several which, to me, were pure schlock, but very popular with the hoi polloi. It is true, as someone said here earlier, that artists usually release these albums when their popularity and commercial careers are waning. That's not where we perceive LDR right now, but 'Summertime' shows she can master 'American standards' with aplomb. If she chooses the right material, I think the album will be excellent. I would be disappointed if she were to select tired, campy 'classics' like 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy.' She could probably do wonders with 'The Shadow of Your Smile,' 'So In Love,' 'Laura,' 'Skylark,' 'Ebb Tide' and even 'Love Is A Many Splendored Thing,' or, reaching back into the 19th century, 'Gentle Annie.' She could go out on a limb and do 'Love For Sale.' If she covers Patsy Cline, then I hope she avoids the overly-covered Cline classics like 'Walking After Midnight' and 'Crazy,' which can't, in my estimation, be bettered or fail to be compared with the originals. If she's going to do a song, or songs, from the mid-60s on, imagine her doing the Beach Boys' 'In My Room' or 'God Only Knows,' or Dylan's 'Lay Lady Lay'--the former would really suit her voice.

Correct.

Yes, some of Cline's songs are American standards, especially because there is no such thing as a finite 'Great American Songbook' or absolute set of 'American Standards.' 'Walking After Midnight,' 'Heartache,' 'Crazy,' 'Back in Baby's Arms,' 'She's Got You,' and 'I Fall To Pieces' are definitely 'American standards,' as well as songs she covered that had been recorded before, but which Cline's versions made famous, or were considered 'the definitive version,' like 'The Wayward Wind' and 'You Belong To Me.'

Yes----not so much a 'classic,' which is a vague term, but rather an 'American standard,' of which there are hundreds, if not thousands. An American standard is basically any very-famous-in-its-era song from 1850 to about 1970, though the term is usually used more for songs from the 1920s to the late 1960s. But technically, 'Lorena,' 'Marching Through Georgia,' 'Sweet Adeline' and 'Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider' are American standards, and 'By The Old Mill Stream' too. Some of which were popular during the Civil War.

I feel the opposite way--I hope she continues in a classic vein in terms of the musicians, background vocals and instrumentations. I'm fairly certain she said "On Christmas Day." Since she's mentioned dropping records without any publicity or fanfare, I assume that will be the case here, though of course she's failed in her own predictions several times at least. I'm hoping for it but not counting on it.

I feel the opposite way--I hope she continues in a classic vein in terms of the musicians, background vocals and instrumentation.

Almost every Patsy Cline song is so well known, over-covered and overplayed that I can't imagine anyone doing anything fresh with any of them. Many of her songs have become, unfortunately, 'camp classics,' that draw titters instead of hearts and ears. Maybe LDR could cover Cline's 'Strange' or 'Why Can't He Be You?', and make those work. If it's an album of standards, I hope she covers one or more of the following: So In Love Love Is A Many Splendored Thing The Shadow of Your Smile 'Round Midnight All The Things You Are Last Night When We Were Young Skylark When Your Lover Has Gone Stormy Weather Laura Look at the lyrics to 'Round Midnight; pure Lana. And as it's a slow, burning piece of classic jazz, it should be right in her wheelhouse. It begins to tell 'round midnight, 'round midnight. I do pretty well till after sundown. Supper time I'm feelin' sad But it really gets bad 'round midnight. Memories always start 'round midnight, 'round midnight Haven't got the heart to stand those memories When my heart is still with you And ol' midnight knows it too. When a quarrel we had needs mending Does it mean that our love is ending? Darlin', I need you; lately I find You're out of my heart and I'm out of my mind. Let our hearts take wings 'round midnight, midnight Let the angels sing for your returning Till our love is safe and sound And old midnight comes around.

Now we know the final, 4:27 'official' version is better all the way around. It's leagues more controlled and 'remastered' than the earlier versions, of which I have two, which were of 3:00 and 3:12 duration. Now I can imagine myself listening to it from time to time. It still broadens her reach, and that's a good thing for her.

Thanks for that information. Good to know.

Agreed. It expands her reach and story, and that's good. It's not a fiasco by any means. But it's not something I'll probably ever listen to again by choice.

I agree. It's a shame that she chose the approach the material that she did; it doesn't suit her voice at all. I assume she had to do something that would, at some point, meld with the male chorus, and we really don't know what was her decision and what was not. Perhaps the arrangement was something she had to agree to. We heard that bloke on IG explaining how the track was fitted together separately, in different countries even, so LDR probably had a lot less control than she usually does. I also dislike PDLMBM--a great deal.

Agree all the way. Her diehard fans will love it

Okay, I've now heard the version LDR released on IG last night, and it is a huge improvement over the other orchestrated version I heard earlier yesterday, without any kind of chorus. I guess it represents another new side to her career and the many ways she's making herself known to the world. I don't love it, but it's good enough. The approach taken doesn't seem right for her voice.

The one I heard earlier is 3:12, is a complete song, and has no choir of any kind and very heavy orchestration.

Thanks Elle—this is NOT the one I heard earlier with the overwhelming orchestra and no male choir or any kind of choir.

I did. I thought so too for a short while. The orchestra really overwhelms LDR’s voice after the midpoint in the real version. It SOUNDS as if it were put together in pieces. Still, okay.

Thank you, GLF. I assume the ‘male choir’ could be the players and/or fans? I hear no choir at all in the 3:12 version.

I don’t hear a male choir; I must have heard the wrong version. Is the right version 3:12 minutes?

Does it have pronounced ‘tinkling’ piano? I’m trying to find the legitimate studio version.

It’s not really a football anthem. It’s a classic Broadway show tune.

Ah, great, RD, many thanks--something to look forward to.

So is the acapella version we’ve already heard what is supposed to be released in a few days? Or is there going to be a studio version??