From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2007 #199 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Thursday, July 5 2007 Volume 2007 : Number 199 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' [Smurf ] Re: For the Roses? ["Jamie's Box of Paints" ] Re: For the Roses? ["Gerald A. Notaro" ] Re: For the Roses? [Gary Z ] Re: For the Roses? [Doug ] Re: For the Roses? [Motitan@aol.com] Re: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' [Dflahm@aol.com] Re: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' [Dflahm@aol.com] Re: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' ["Randy Remote" Subject: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' From today's Boston Globe: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' By Associated Press | July 4, 2007 WESTPORT, Conn. -- Lyricist Hy Zaret, who wrote the haunting words to "Unchained Melody," one of the most frequently recorded songs of the 20th century, died Monday. He was 99. Mr. Zaret died at his home, his son, Robert, said yesterday. He penned words to many songs and advertising jingles, but his biggest hit was "Unchained Melody," written in 1955 for a film called "Unchained." It brought Mr. Zaret and Alex North, the composer, an Academy Award nomination for best song. Mr. Zaret refused the producer's request to work the word "unchained" into the lyrics, instead writing to express the feelings of a lover who has "hungered for your touch a long, lonely time." The song was recorded by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Lena Horne, U2, Guy Lombardo, Vito & the Salutations, and Joni Mitchell, who incorporated fragments into her song "Chinese Cafe/Unchained Melody." An instrumental version was a No. 1 hit in 1955 for Les Baxter, while a vocal version by Al Hibbler reached No. 3 the same year. But most baby boomers remember the song from the Righteous Brothers' version. The record, produced by Phil Spector, reached No. 4 on the Billboard chart in 1965, and was a hit again 25 years later when it was used on the soundtrack of the film "Ghost." In all, it was recorded more than 300 times, according to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, which listed it in 1999 as one of the 25 most-performed musical works of the 20th century. Among other songs Mr. Zaret co-wrote were "My Sister and I," a hit in 1941 for Jimmy Dorsey; "So Long, for a While," the theme song for the radio and TV show "Your Hit Parade"; "Dedicated to You"; and the Andrews Sisters' novelty song "One Meat Ball." "He had some big, big hits," said Jim Steinblatt, an assistant vice president at the society. In later years, Mr. Zaret had to fend off the allegations of electrical engineer William Stirrat, who said he wrote the "Unchained Melody" lyrics as a teenager in the 1930s and even legally changed his name to Hy Zaret. Robert Zaret and Steinblatt both said the dispute was resolved in favor of Mr. Zaret, who continued to receive all royalties. Steinblatt said Stirrat died in 2004. . ____________________________________________________________________________________ Get the free Yahoo! toolbar and rest assured with the added security of spyware protection. http://new.toolbar.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/norton/index.php ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 06:44:07 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: For the Roses? So.... For the Roses, the song, is clearly about the music biz and addressed I believe to James Taylor. So can anyone explain the title? Perhaps as Joni sat in her garden in B.C roses were in front of her as she wrote the song and it seemed as good a title as any, but then... could it be that (in true Joni double layered meaning) that one performs music and endures all the music biz crap for nothing more than the bunch of roses that often gets handed the diva after a brilliant show? In other words, that's about as much satisfaction as there is in all this: a bunch of roses. Any other theories? Dave ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 14:58:43 +0100 From: "Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: Re: For the Roses? Hi Dave Yes, probably about JT and I think it's more 'she doesn't do it for the roses' you know, for the accolades and recognition, she does it for the art. However, sometimes isn't it the fans that give roses at the end of a gig? hmmmm biting the hand that feeds her? Jamie On 04/07/07, Dave Blackburn wrote: > So.... For the Roses, the song, is clearly about the music biz and > addressed I believe to James Taylor. So can anyone explain the title? > > Perhaps as Joni sat in her garden in B.C roses were in front of her > as she wrote the song and it seemed as good a title as any, but then... > > could it be that (in true Joni double layered meaning) that one > performs music and endures all the music biz crap for nothing more > than the bunch of roses that often gets handed the diva after a > brilliant show? In other words, that's about as much satisfaction as > there is in all this: a bunch of roses. > > Any other theories? > > > Dave > - -- I am a lonely Painter I live in a Box of Paints I'm frightened by the devil But I'm drawn to those ones that 'aint afraid... Jamie Zubairi can be found for voice-overs at http://uk.voicespro.com/jamie.zubairi1 acting CV and showreel at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/u/81749 http://www.jamiezubairi.co.uk Facebook me! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 10:24:10 -0400 (EDT) From: "Gerald A. Notaro" Subject: Re: For the Roses? Dave Blackburn wrote: > So.... For the Roses, the song, is clearly about the music biz and > addressed I believe to James Taylor. So can anyone explain the title? Just as it was done for the applause and acclaim mentioned several times in the song, it was done For the Roses. I've always took this to mean the bouquets of flowers handed a performer at the end of a concert. Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:37:31 -0400 From: Gary Z Subject: Re: For the Roses? I always thought the song was loosely related to comparing the music business to the "run for the roses" at the Kentucky Derby. Hence the line..."on your mark red ribbon runner..." Also, didn't Joni paint a portrait of a horse head that appeared on the "For the Roses" songbook? Dunno, but I always thought of the song that way. Best regards, Gary Z. Detroit Dave Blackburn wrote: >So.... For the Roses, the song, is clearly about the music biz and >addressed I believe to James Taylor. So can anyone explain the title? > >Perhaps as Joni sat in her garden in B.C roses were in front of her >as she wrote the song and it seemed as good a title as any, but then... > > could it be that (in true Joni double layered meaning) that one >performs music and endures all the music biz crap for nothing more >than the bunch of roses that often gets handed the diva after a >brilliant show? In other words, that's about as much satisfaction as >there is in all this: a bunch of roses. > >Any other theories? > > >Dave ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:53:18 -0400 From: Doug Subject: Re: For the Roses? She explains it in the 1972 Carnegie Hall concert. It refers to a wreath of flowers thrown to the winning horse at the racetrack and "then one day they take him out and shoot him" (the winning horse). Doug Dave Blackburn wrote: > So.... For the Roses, the song, is clearly about the music biz and > addressed I believe to James Taylor. So can anyone explain the title? > > Perhaps as Joni sat in her garden in B.C roses were in front of her > as she wrote the song and it seemed as good a title as any, but then... > > could it be that (in true Joni double layered meaning) that one > performs music and endures all the music biz crap for nothing more > than the bunch of roses that often gets handed the diva after a > brilliant show? In other words, that's about as much satisfaction as > there is in all this: a bunch of roses. > > Any other theories? > > > Dave ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 11:42:22 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Re: For the Roses? Thanks for the clarifications on the title. I never actually did know what the title referred to or how it tied into the song. How every interesting! Really binds every together more than ever now! Great song, FTR is though. It's definitely one of the best on the album. I really like the lyrics to this song. I can understand the sentiment as its heartfelt and honest (though maybe something you wouldn't think or want to think that artists think). Great! - -Monika ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 12:46:26 EDT From: Dflahm@aol.com Subject: Re: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' Last night, I worked a gig with a very good jazz singer, Birdie Musicus. We did CHELSEA MORNING in both sets and in the second, part of a ballad medley was IT ALL COMES BACK TO ME NOW, an obscure but wonderful lament written by Hy Zaret with his frequent (or occasional?) collaborators Joan Whitney and Alex North. Another of theirs which I like is called HIGH ON A WINDY HILL. DAVID LAHM ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 21:44:31 EDT From: Dflahm@aol.com Subject: Re: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' Holy merde! You know that song---High on a Windy Hill, by Zaret/North/Whitney? DL ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 18:38:34 -0700 From: "Randy Remote" Subject: Re: Hy Zaret, 99; wrote words to 'Unchained Melody' From: > Last night, I worked a gig with a very good jazz singer, Birdie Musicus. > We > did CHELSEA MORNING in both sets and in the second, What a name! Birdie Musicus. Didn't tape it did you? If so, I'd love to hear it/get it on the covers project. part of a ballad medley > was > IT ALL COMES BACK TO ME NOW, an obscure but wonderful lament written by > Hy > Zaret with his frequent (or occasional?) collaborators Joan Whitney and > Alex > North. I wonder if that was the inspiration for David Crosby's song "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"? > Another of theirs which I like is called HIGH ON A WINDY HILL. Been there done that-and so has Crosby! ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2007 #199 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe ------- Siquomb, isn't she? (http://www.siquomb.com/siquomb.cfm)