[78-L] Jack Lawrence (1912-2009)

[Kristjan Saag]

David Lennick wrote;

> Okay gang..I just spoke to my mother, who's 93 and knows every song ever
> written and whose mother knew every other song ever written and she says 
> "Yes
> My Darling Daughter" is NOT "Minka". You want to argue with her, go ahead. 
> (She
> then phoned back and sang part of something that began "Don't forget me" 
> and
> that WAS based on Minka.)
--
I've gotta be good or mama will scold me
Yes, yes, yes
I asked her and this is what she told me
Yes, yes, yes

Mother, should I keep my resistance? Yes, my darling David
Mother, will you give me assistance? Yes, my darling David
What If there's a tune, mama darling, and it sounds just like that big hit
Mother, must I keep on arguing? Yes, my darling David
What if he'll insist, mama darling, Minka was the one to fame it
Mother, what should be my answer? No, my darling David

(melody: "Yes, My Darling Daughter")
--
Sorry, just couldn't resist.
My best regards to your mother, David - I wish I still had one. Mothers are 
great memory sources. Many years ago my mother told me a story about that 
"Elvis Presley song" I mentioned a few days ago, "Aura Lee". She remember 
having heard it as a child: her father brought the record home and played it 
on the wind up gramophone back in Estonia in the 1920's. In the 1960's, when 
my mother heard "Love Me Tender", she told some friends about this and they 
all laughed. Presley in the 1920's - sure!
But I was able to confirm her memories by searching for international 
recordings of the song at that time. There were a few. And the hits in 
Tallinn were the same as in Stockholm, Amsterdam or London.
--
About "Minka": I'm not trying to say that Lawrence used "Minka" as his 
primary source - as I understand "Minka" was the basis for other Ukrainian 
folk songs and popular songs. I haven't been able to find a recording of the 
"Oy ne khody, Hritsu", so I can't tell the difference. But there are 
structural similarities between "Minka" and "Yes, My Darling...", especially 
some chord changes, that point to a common source.
--
Besides: am I the first to have noticed a strong similarity in the refrain 
between "All Or Nothing At All" and Porter's "Begin The Beguine"?
Listen to the part that goes:

So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember

And compare that with:

But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
Don't smile or Ill be lost beyond recall

Most recorded versions of the song are extremely similar, with the melody 
going up on "fire" ("Begin The Beguine") and on "lost"  on "All Or Nothing 
At All". The only exception I've heard is Anne Shelton's recording with 
Ambrose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qULayAyC15c
(After about 1'37)

There's a different melody solution in this part. My guess ins that Ambrose 
deliberately choose to change it in order to keep the tunes apart. Anyone 
possesses the score?
Extra note: RIP, Jack Lawrence: these two songs belong to my all time 
popular favourites - and "Tenderly" isn't bad either...Any guy who put his 
name under those songs are worth his place in the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame.
Kristjan