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Let's Face the Music

Let's Face the Music

Written by: Ryan Breegle / We Own This Town
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The stories behind the standards of the Great American Songbook.©2021 We Own This Town Art Music World
Episodes
  • “Tea for Two”
    Mar 2 2021
    The story of "Tea For Two," an old fashioned 1920's standard transformed into a modern musical miracle by a master of jazz improvisation, Anita O'Day.
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    38 mins
  • “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
    Dec 8 2020

    For this special holiday episode of Let’s Face The Music, we discover the origin of the happiest sad Christmas song. First introduced by Judy Garland, the song was recorded three times by Frank Sinatra – most shockingly for a war film, soundtracking a brutal execution scene.

    Sources:
    Chris Willman, “The history of a popular holiday song,” January 8, 2007
    Seamus Sweeney, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: The Execution Scene from The Victors,” December 20, 2018

    Audio
    Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, Fresh Air, NPR 1989
    Hugh Martin, Fresh Air, NPR 2006

    Judy Garland Lux Radio Theater, December 2, 1946
    Judy Garland The Judy Garland Show, December 22, 1963
    Frank Sinatra “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1949
    Frank Sinatra “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1957
    Frank Sinatra “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1963
    Dave Brubeck “The Trolley Song,” 1955
    Percy Faith, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” 1966

    Theme Songs
    “Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
    “Let”s Face The Music And Dance,” Nelson Riddle, 1966

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    21 mins
  • “They Can’t Take That Away From Me”
    Nov 24 2020
    From the tragic tale of a talent taken too soon to a dream of 1950's desegregation, the story of George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me."
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    43 mins
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