[78-L] Missing the Boat

[Taylor Bowie]

>
> If I ever see a production of Show Boat, not the MGM version obviously, I 
> might
> find merit in it..as it is I've always considered the music bottom drawer 
> Kern.
> He did much better stuff in the 30s. Hard to top "Smoke Gets In Your 
> Eyes".
>
> dl


How about   "All The Things You Are" for a possible topper?  Agreed that 
Kern  really clicked in the 30s.   "The Song Is You"  kind of skirts around 
being over-dramatic..but that's OK with me...it works!

I think "Why Do I Love You" from Show Boat is about worst of the Kern 
operetta-type tunes...so coy and cloying...I always think of it as being 
sung by an unctuous tenor and soprano,  with an overdose of "sincerity."

Boy,   it's good to get this off my chest about  Kern and "Show Boat."  My 
old bud Miles Kreuger even wrote a whole book about it and I could never 
bring myself to tell him I don't like it or most of the tunes.

My favorite version of Old Man River is the very bouncy Whiteman with 
Crosby...without everybody taking themselves so damn seriously.

Taylor